NHL Roundup: Gagner savors 8-point salvo
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Edmonton Oilers' Jordan Eberle, right, congratulates Sam Gagner on his goal against the Blackhawks in the third period Thursday in Edmonton, Alberta. Gagner ended the game with four goals and four assists.
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Sam Gagner was still having trouble Friday believing his name is in the Edmonton Oilers record book alongside the likes of Wayne Gretzky and Paul Coffey.
Gagner moved himself into such lofty company with a club record-tying eight points Thursday night in host Edmonton's 8-4 win against the Chicago Blackhawks.
Former Penguins superstar and current team owner Mario Lemieux twice had eight points and was the last to accomplish the feat before Gagner.
In fact, Gagner, 22, was not born when Lemieux did it for the second time Dec. 31, 1988, against New Jersey.
"You can't really recreate a memory like that," Gagner said after practice Friday morning. "I'm not sure if it's even sunk in fully yet.
"Once the summer hits, it might. For myself, I'm trying to stay even-keeled as much as I can. It's hard, but we have games coming up. It seems like we play every other day.
"I've got to find a way to just kind of relax and get some sleep and get ready for the next one."
Gagner had four goals and four assists -- all in the last two periods -- to become the 11th player in NHL history to register eight points in one game. Gretzky did it twice, against New Jersey in 1983 and Minnesota in '84, while Coffey did so against Detroit in '86.
Gretzky's No. 99 and Coffey's No. 7 hang in the rafters at Rexall Place, and both players are in the Hall of Fame.
They contacted Gagner to offer their congratulations.
"To be mentioned in a record with those guys is a pretty special feeling and just really an honor," Gagner said.
"To get a text from someone like that, who is the best player of all time, it's something [Gretzky] didn't have to do."
Darryl Sittler of Toronto holds the NHL one-game record (10 points), accomplishing the feat Feb. 7, 1976, against Boston at Maple Leaf Gardens.
• Panthers 2, Jets 1: Sean Bergenheim scored the go-ahead goal in the second period as host Florida beat Winnipeg.
First Published February 4, 2012 12:10 am
