THE CITIZEN, Prince George — Tuesday, February 23, 1982 — 15 GRETZKY WANTS TO BE AROUND WHEN HIS M ARK FALLS Buffalo would rather not see record set there BUFFALO, N.Y. (CP) — Edmonton Oilers had ice time stoppage in play so Esposito and NHL president John Ziegler scheduled for a light workout today in preparation for their can present him with the puck. game Wednesday night against the Sabres, who w ill try as best On April 5,1971, the day after Esposito scored his 76th, Dick they can to thw art Wayne Gretzky’s attempt to set a National Beddoes wrote in the Globe and M a il: “ Never, maybe, w ill we Hockey League single-season goal scoring record. 5 6 2 - 2 4 4 1 see a shooter who scored 76 goals in one year as Phil Esposito Sunday night in Detroit, Gretzky matched the 76 goals Phil Sports did this year. It was never possible before, never in any age." Esposito scored for Boston Bruins during the 78-game 1970-71 Eleven years later, Wayne Gretzky is the maybe. season. Gretzky has played 63 games of the 80-game schedule Esposito beat Montreal Canadiens goaltender Phil Myre for and besides his 76 goals has 95 assists for 171 points. horizon to wipe out his mark. football game. When the defence loosens and he sees daylight, three goals in the 78th and final game of the 1970-71 season to Mike Bossy of New York Islanders is in second place in the “ There’s no question it'll be broken. I hope to have he’san peppering the puck at tho opposition goaltender. reach 76. Gretzky was 10 and playing peewee hockey in Brant­ scoring race with 44 goals and 63 assists for 107 points. opportunity to be there.’’ Esposito. 6-1 and 210 pounds, could be compared to a footballford, Ont., at the time. “ Records are made to be broken and that’s what the game The Sabres pose a formidable obstacle. With Don Edwards team’s fullback. Relying on cornermen like Wayne Cashman Seven years later, when he joined Indianapolis Racers of the and life is all about — progress,” Gretzky said Sunday night.in goal, Buffalo has allowed only nine goals in its lastand four Ken Hodge, Esposito would park him self in the slot, waitdefunct World Hockey Association, Gretzky was a scrawny kid "Whether it’s track and field, swimming, hockey or baseball. games. for a pass and fire the puck home. Many of his goals came onmany said would never withstand the rigors of the pro game. “ Records are always made to be broken, whether it’s five Gretzky and Esposito share the record today but there is power plays. Esposito pinpointed what he feels is the reason Gretzky has years from now or 10 years from now." little else in common as far as playing style goes. Esposito was 29 and in his ninth pro season w h e n M p Jsurvived. re d Gretzky said he has no delusions that, if he eclipses Esposi­ Gretzky, 5-foot-ll and 165 pounds, is all over the ice, feeding76. Gretzky is 21 and in his fourth pro season. “ He does something a lot of athletes wish they could do — to’s record, another player someday will not appear on passesthe to his teammates like a quarterback tosses passes in a Esposito w ill be here and, if Gretzky scores, plans call for aconcentrate. He totally concentrates himself on that game.” WHALERS BLOW 3-0 LEAD SIX CLU BS VISIT Stars succeed in shootout Hosts strong BLOOMINGTON, Minn. then we came storming (AP) — Minnesota coach back. Maybe we let them off Glen Sonmor was fuming.the hook in the third but we in gym meet “Defence! What de­ still got two (points).” fence?” Sonmor said after Minnesota’s bad start his North Stars won a shoot­had the North Stars down by MARK ALLAN out with Hartford Whalers 2-0 at the end of the first Sports Reporter 8-7 on Monday night in periodthe and 3-0 early in the only National Hockeysecond on goals by Hart­ Travel is expensive, so the Prince George School of League game scheduled. ford’s Dan Bourbonnais, Artistic Gymnastics brought the competition here. “ The only positive thingChris Kotsopoulos and PGSAG outshone six other clubs during the that came out of this was Doug Sulliman. weekend at an invitational meet featuring 90 gym ­ two points. nasts from North Vancouver, Kelowna, Terrace, But at 8:59 of the second “ It’s not nice to see. ToMinnesota winger Dino Cic­ Fort St. John and Quesnel. give a team 38 shots in our The Prince George Gympix were a second local carelli, who scored twice, rink is horrendous. club competing. ended Minnesota’s drought “ We get ahead and go PGSAG members garnered numerous medals and and started a four-goal goal crazy. You’re not going their domination was most obvious in the argo surge in a five-minute span. to go far in the playoffs like Next Steve Christoff (under 12) division. that.” banked in a goal o ff Hart­ Ginger Ferns and Cori Rustad were one-two in the The North Stars, 25-19-18, ford goalie Mike Veisor, provincial stream all-around argo class, while Shel­ have led the Norris Division then Steve Payne knocked ley Carlyle was fifth and Tracy Eberherr was sixth. from the first day of the sea­ in a deflected pass for the There were 16 entries in the division. son. Now with 18 games left tie. Defenceman Curt Giles Hartford Whalers’ centre Don Nachbaur (left), a Prince George minor hockey Denise Clowater was first in bars, beam, vault and in the regular season and puta the North Stars ahead at graduate, uses his stick to slow Kent-Erik Andersson of the North Stars. floor exercises, sweeping top honors in the open com­ 13-point lead over St. Louis14:06 when he banked a shot petition. Blues, they appear a shoo-inin off the foot of Hartford’s But less than a minute later itclinched. But Hartford’s his 43rd goal of the year on for the playoffs. Garry Howatt. Carol Connor of the Gympix was second. Minnesota defencemanBlaine Stoughton scored anotheron power play 13 “ We’ve got to start play­ But the Whalers, who sit Trina Corby was third in the provincial stream Gordie Roberts tied it up.a power play with 16:13 to seconds later and almost ing some defensive hockeyat the bottom of the Adams tyro (under 14) group. Smith put them in frontnarrow the gap. At 17:40, slid a shot past goalie Don before the playoffs,” said Division w ith a 16-30-14 re­ Natasha Williams and Lange Popoff tied for first in again, scoring his 38th goalMinnesota’s Al MacAdam Beaupre in the final minute. centre Bobby Smith, who cord, tied it on Kotsopoulos’ the less-demanding regional stream event, while of the year after a kick-pass scored the game winner at collected four points onsecond a goal of the night. With Hartford coach Lar­ PGSAG clubmate Cristin Corneille was fourth in a from Al MacAdam.- 17:40. goal and three assists. “ I The Whalers opened the ry Pleau in Hartford with a field of 16. thought I was in the OK Cor­third by taking the lead Ciccarelli got his 46th But Stoughton gave viralthe infection, assistant Janice Schuett led Prince George entries in the ral for a while. again when Howatt scoredgoal at 11:12 and it North Stars a few more bad coach John Cunnif ran the midget (under 10) overall standings with a third “ We had a bad start but 41 seconds into the period.appeared Minnesota hadmoments when he scored team. place showing, with Nicky Stiles fourth and Debbie Strasdin sixth among 15 entries. Cori M itchell won tyro top honors, with Lianne Cooper runner-up and Donna Sigfusson of the Gym­ FOR TRAVELLING H aw ks visit Kings pix third. PGSAG was the only club to enter gymnasts in the high-level national stream competition and Karen Cash available in P C JH L sem i-final Schulz topped two clubmates. Cheryl Ormond was next and Krista Loewen was City money m ight be available for Prince George The Prince George Spruce Kings face outscored Dawson Creek 86-80, getting third. athletes, but for only one more week. the Fort St. John Golden Hawks, not the the nod for th ird place. The Prince George travel grant committee w ill accept Dawson Creek Kodiaks, in a Peace Cari­ The Spruce Kings, who won their third The all-around scores from Saturday were added applications until next Tuesday for travel grants to boo Junior Hockey League semi-final.straight PCJHL regular season title with to Sunday's results to determine placings in each of teams or individuals hoping to attend Western Canadian a 44-12 record, play the Golden Hawks in the four exercises, with Rustad achieving the best or national championships. A misunderstanding led to the belief the second playoff game Saturday at 8:30 performances Sunday. Applications must be made before the event, so com­the Kodiaks had edged Fort St. John for p.m. in Kin One, because the Coliseum is She scored 8.8 and 9.1 to win the argo gold in vault, petitors should include estimated expenses, method ofthird, earning the right to meet the first being used for the Prince George Figure while Ferns was runner-up and Diana Stever was qualifying and the location and date o f the event.