INGLEWOOD, Calif. -- The two teams that play in the Great Western Forum are dangerously close to missing the playoffs.
Wednesday was a supertstar kind of day at the Forum, anyway.
The day began with news that Magic Johnson, one of the greatest stars in NBA history, is returning to coach the Los Angeles Lakers. It ended with the Los Angeles Kings' Wayne Gretzky breaking hockey's most hallowed record - Gordie Howe's 801 career goals.
Gretzky's 802nd - in a 6-3 loss to the Vancouver Canucks - came against goalie Kirk McLean just before midnight ET, at 14: 47 of the second period, and set off a celebration not seen in the Forum in some time.
The goal was assisted by Marty McSorley, a longtime Gretzky teammate in Edmonton and Los Angeles, and Luc Robitaille, who, as a King, has assisted on 42 Gretzky goals.
If there were many Kings fans as concerned about their team's dwindling playoff chances as about Gretzky's record, they at least could claim to have seen one of sports' most famous records broken.
The sellout crowd of 16,005, which included various dignitaries and celebrities - Oscar winner Tom Hanks took a bow on the giant screen above center ice - arrived uncharacteristically early.
Scalpers worked outside of the arena, hoping to get rich.
Celebrities worked the inside, hoping to be seen.
No one was hoping for a goal more than Gretzky himself.
"The points record I broke in Edmonton. This one, I want to do here," he said before the game. Fans agreed. "I'm sure it will happen tonight," said season ticketholder Lon Pascal, 35, of Calabasas, Calif. "It will probably be a game-winner. Everything about his career has been so storybook."
Alas, even one of Gretzky's finest moments couldn't save the game for the Kings. His goal tied the score. Less than a minute later, Cliff Ronning gave the Canucks a 3-2 lead.
In the third period, with the Kings struggling to get even, Gretzky drew a rare penalty - for slashing - and the Canucks cashed in a power-play goal by Geoff Courtnall.
With 11 games remaining, the Kings trail the San Jose Sharks by six points for the eighth and final playoff spot.
But the season isn't over, and neither is Gretzky's scoring.
"There was something going around that after 802, I was going to quit," he said. "I see 900 goals. I see 1,000."
