Sens, N.Y. Tie In Gretzky Party

What a farewell party! If this was Wayne Gretzky's final game in Canada, 18,499 Ottawa fans made sure it was memorable.

Tt was a decent game, too, with the Senators and New York Rangers skating to a 2-2 tie. But that's not what mattered Thursday night.

Only the Great One mattered.

Then the place went bonkers as the screen on the four-sided scoreboard hanging over center ice began replaying Gretzky highlights, listing all his championships and many of his offensive records all to the music of Carly Simon's "Nobody Does it Better."

The camera in the stadium also picked up one banner that read: "Thanks, Mr. Gretzky."

Gretzky raised his stick and waved at the crowd.

The volume started building during warmups before the game between Gretzky's Rangers and the Ottawa at the Corel Centre.

Then, the crowd roared when his name was announced in the starting lineup moments before the Canadian national anthem.

Gretzky has said he'll decide by Sunday whether he'll retire. On that day, the Rangers play their final game of the season against the Pittsburgh Penguins at Madison Square Garden.

If he is indeed hanging up his skates, then Thursday night's Rangers-Senators game was the last in his native land.

The Senators took a 1-0 lead on Nelson Emerson's goal with 55 seconds left in the first period, but even that didn't produce the buzz the Great One did every time he stepped on the ice.

There was a great roar of anticipation at 7:36 of the third period when Gretzky fed a beautiful lead pass to John MacLean streaking in on Ottawa goaltender Damian Rhodes. But the roar turned to an even louder moan when MacLean failed to pull the trigger before the puck jumped over his stick and the chance for a Grezky point had vanished.

They could afford to be generous the Senators have a playoff spot locked up while the Rangers are hopelessly out of contention.

With his parents and his wife and children looking on, Gretzky skated as he always does. He was giving no hint the end might be near. His skating, as always, was fluid and strong, the trademark wispy smile playing across his face during each shift.

Brian Leach brought the Rangers back with a goal 43 seconds into the second period. Adam Graves' shorthanded goal gave New York a 2-1 lead 14 seconds into the third.

Marian Hossa tied it with 6:48 left in the third.

Gretzky, 38, has promised he won't keep everyone hanging. He said at a news conference Wednesday he'll decide by Sunday but "not today or tomorrow" whether to end his 20-year National Hockey League career.

"I love this game," Gretzky said then. "The practice, sitting in the back of the bus with the pizza and the guys ... the camaraderie and what goes on between the guys ... coming in the next morning after a big win. I mean I love everything about it. ... No matter what happens, I'm going to miss it more than anybody."

The game against the Senators was broadcast nationally in Canada and as many as 260 credentials reportedly were issued to journalists.

In 1,483 games, Gretzky has scored 894 goals and has 1,961 assists. He was named the league's most valuable player nine times and led the league in scoring 10 times.

Gretzky has said he's confident he can still play well, though he has complained of a neck injury that cost him 12 games this season.

Gretzky expressed disappointment about the Rangers' missing the playoffs and said, "Everybody wants to go out like Michael Jordan did, but it's not a perfect world. ... It's not going to happen that way, not this year, but it is nice to be able to say people do want me to play more."

The Rangers opted not to have a game-day skate, keeping Gretzky well clear of the scores of reporters tracking his every move. Instead, they invaded the usually tranquil Senators' dressing room.

There, they found consensus on one issue if Gretzky opts to retire after 20 record-setting seasons, it won't be because he no longer contributes on the ice.

Whatever Gretzky's reasons are for pondering retirement a sore back, a losing team in New York, reaching all the milestones it's not that he can no longer help his team win.

Although Gretzky went into the Ottawa game with only nine goals

well below his 1981-82 record of 92 he had 52 assists, better than all but an elite handful in the 27-team league.

The buzz over Gretzky's possible retirement made the Senators the hottest ticket in Ottawa, clearly overshadowing the team's race with New Jersey for first place in the Eastern Conference.

But the Senators did not feel slighted.

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