Mario Lemieux Breaks Wayne Gretzky's Scoring Record

Wayne Gretzky, the NHL's all-time leading goal scorer.

On April 3, 1988, Mario Lemieux of the Pittsburgh Penguins wins the NHL scoring title, stopping Gretzky’s seven-year run of the title.

Lemieux, who won he Art Ross trophy as the National Hockey League’s top scorer in 1988, did the feat with 168 points.

Lemieux also won the Hart Memorial Trophy as the NHL’s Most Valuable Player, an award that he had snatched away from Gretzky after an amazing eight straight seasons of claiming that title. Lemieux went on to win the scoring title again in 1989, 1992, 1993, 1996 and 1997.

Mario Lemieux, one of the greatest NHL players of all time.

Lemieux retired from hockey at the end of the 1996-1997 season, but in 1999 he became the majority owner of the Penguins franchise and then in 2000 he delighted the Penguin faithful by rejoining the team as a player and staged a successful comeback before announcing his permanent retirement from the NHL, at age 40, in January 2006.

Lemieux played 915 regular season games and scored 690 goals, 1,033 assist for 1,723 career points.

History of the "Winter Classic"

On Jan. 1 2009, Wrigley Field in Chicago, Ill. hosts and outdoor hockey game in part of the “NHL Winter Classic” as the Detroit Red Wings beat the Chicago Blackhawks 6-4.

The “Winter Classic” would continue to be played on New Years day through 2012 as the Boston Bruins beat the Philadelphia Flyers 2-1 in Over time at Fenway Park, the home of the Red Sox in Boston, Mass in 2010. The Washington Capitals would beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-1 at Heinz Field, the home of the Steelers in Pittsburgh, Penn.

In 2012 the New York Rangers would beat the Phialdelphia Flyers 3-2 at Citizen Banks Park, the home of the Phillies in Philadelphia, Penn.

An official announcement from the NHL was made on February 9, 2012, in Detroit that the game would be played in prime time on the evening of January 1, 2013.

It was to be the first time a Canadian team would be involved in the Winter Classic, as well as the first time two teams from different conferences will play each other during this event. However, the 2012–13 NHL lockout disrupted the season, leading to the game's cancellation on November 2, 2012.

The Winter Classic in 2014, was held at Michigan Stadium (as consolation for the canceled 2013 game) and again feature the Red Wings hosting the Maple Leafs. This time the Maples Leafs beat the Red Wings in the shootout (2-1) after being tied through overtime 2-2.