Erik Brady: The night Gretzky broke the goals record in Buffalo, and the organ played on

In 1982, on the night when Wayne Gretzky broke Esposito’s record at Memorial Auditorium, organist Norm Wullen one-upped that gag by greeting Gretzky with the opening bars of “Jesus Christ Superstar.” No need to assess two minutes for blasphemy. The Lord forgives funny.

Gretzky’s Edmonton Oilers played the Buffalo Sabres 40 years ago today. It was only Game 64 of the season, so the question wasn’t if Gretzky would break Esposito’s record, but when – and therefore where. Sabres fans arrived at the Aud that night hoping for history.

The Oilers had come to town with a road show of the North American hockey media, roughly 100 strong, all on Gretzky watch. The Aud was electric with anticipation. Esposito was there. So were Burt Reynolds and Goldie Hawn, who were in town making the movie “Best Friends.”

“It was like our own version of Who’s Who,” says Gerry Helper, who was working media relations for the Sabres. “We were the center of the hockey universe that night.”

The sellout crowd buzzed each time Gretzky touched the puck. The Oilers took a 3-1 lead in the first period. Gretzky had two assists, and Gil Perreault had the Buffalo goal. Then Perreault scored another goal in the second period – and one more at the start of the third. The world had come to see a young lion, but Buffalo’s old one roared first: Oilers 3, Perreault 3.

Less than seven minutes remained when Gretzky took the puck away from Sabres forward Steve Patrick just inside the Buffalo blue line. Sabres defenseman Richie Dunn hooked his stick across Gretzky’s arms, but Gretzky brushed him away and skated into the slot. He shot from 12 feet.

Buffalo goalie Don Edwards had stopped Gretzky’s first seven shots that night and had given up only one Gretzky goal in nine games across three seasons. But this time the puck slid under the goaltender’s legs.

“The first thing that came into my head was that it put us up, 4-3,” Gretzky said after. “Then there was relief and a sense of satisfaction.”

The Oilers jumped off the bench to mob their hero. Esposito appeared on the ice for a brief ceremony. Then the game resumed. Gretzky would play almost 30 minutes on the night. “I got so tired,” he said, “that I got my second wind.” And his second goal – and then his third.

No. 78 came on a high shot from the slot. No. 79 came on a slap shot from the left circle. And that was that: Oilers 6, Sabres 3.

The mood in the home locker room was subdued. “I did not want to play well because of Gretzky,” Perreault said. “It was a very important two points for us. That is why I wanted to play well.”

At game’s end, Edwards skated the length of the ice to shake Gretzky’s hand. President Reagan sent a telegram. Reynolds and Hawn posed for photos with Gretzky and Esposito.

As it happens, Esposito had been in Buffalo a week earlier for the Dunlop Pro-Am Awards dinner. He had said then that when he scored those 76 goals in 1970-71 – the Sabres’ first season – Perreault was the one player in the league he thought might someday break his record.

Now it was Gretzky who had done it, and Esposito joined him at the postgame news conference. Espo told a story about how his father had called him in 1975 to say that a 14-year-old phenom for the Sault St. Marie Greyhounds was going to break all his records someday. His father had called again that morning, Esposito said, this time to say he hoped Gretzky would get the record in Buffalo that night. Esposito smiled broadly as he told what he had then said to his father: “Good! I’m tired of traveling around.”

Gretzky understood. “The only thing I felt nervous about was that Phil had to be here,” he said. “I wanted him to get back to what he had to do.”

As for Goal No. 77, Gretzky offered absolution for Patrick’s giveaway. “The ice is chippier here,” he said. “The puck skipped up.”

The puck skipped. Gretzky skated in. He shot low. The red light ignited. The crowd roared.

And the organ played.