November 5, 2003 6:09 AM

They don't make them like this anymore

Messier collects his 1,851th point

Congratulations to New York Rangers forward Mark Messier, who passed Gordie Howe on the NHL's all-times points list last night. Messier has always been the poster boy for commitment, desire, and longevity in the NHL, and if he keeps playing into next season, he will pass Howe to take the all-time lead in games played- and he's only 206 years old!

NEW YORK -- Mark Messier tied and then passed Gordie Howe for second place on the NHL's career points list when he scored a goal early in the second period and then an open-net goal late in the third period of Tuesday night's game between the New York Rangers and the Dallas Stars.

Messier earned his 1,850th and 1,851th points in his 1,691st game. Howe played 1,767 games over 26 NHL seasons. Messier now trails Wayne Gretzky by 1,006 points.

"I haven't celebrated coming in second too many times in my life," Messier said this week. "But I'll tell you, because of what Gordie has done, for us mere mortals who have played this game, being No. 2 is not so bad."

Messier is in eighth place with 682 goals, tied for third with 1,169 career assists, and second to Howe in games played.

The tying point came 1:37 into the second period against the Stars when Messier rushed to the front of the net and tipped in a shot by Alex Kovalev. The goal, Messier's fifth this season, gave the Rangers a 1-0 lead.

Messier then scored his second goal of the game, to pass Howe, on an open-net goal at the end of the third period, giving the Rangers a 3-0 win....

Messier, a 16-time All-Star, skated to the Rangers bench, chased by a spotlight. He received congratulations from his teammates and joined them on the bench.

The goal announcement didn't come until several minutes later during a stoppage of play. When it became clear that the goal was Messier's, the crowd rose and roared its approval as both teams skated to their benches, slapping their sticks on the ice and against the boards.

At the next stoppage, the center-ice video board showed highlights from Messier's career.

How long has Messier been playing? Well, he was welcomed to professional hockey by Gordie Howe himself, who greeted Messier by planting an elbow firmly on his skull.

The bad news is that, even if Messier continues scoring at his current pace, he will have to play until he is 55 if he hopes to catch Wayne Gretzky.

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This page contains a single entry by Jack Cluth published on November 5, 2003 6:09 AM.

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