Against which team did Gretzky score his 802nd goal to break the record?

Wayne Gretzky scored his 802nd NHL goal against the Vancouver Canucks, breaking Gordie Howe's career goals record. The milestone came on March 23, 1994, during a Los Angeles Kings game at Vancouver's Pacific Coliseum. Gretzky scored at 14:47 of the second period, beating Canucks goaltender Kirk McLean.

The goal came three days after Gretzky had scored his 801st goal against the San Jose Sharks to tie Howe's record. The Vancouver goal therefore made him the NHL's new all-time regular-season goals leader. Gretzky's achievement was especially meaningful because Howe had held the record for decades and was one of Gretzky's childhood heroes.

The team relationship can cause confusion: Gretzky played for the Kings when he set the record, but the opposing team was Vancouver. He eventually finished his NHL career with 894 regular-season goals. Alex Ovechkin later surpassed that mark in 2025, but Gretzky's 802nd goal remains one of hockey's defining record-breaking moments.