And Howe About This For Comeback Of Year?

Gordie Howe, hoping to become the first to play pro hockey in a sixth decade, will try out for the Syracuse Crunch, the Vancouver Canucks’ American Hockey League affiliate.

Howe, who retired from the NHL for the second time in 1980 at the age of 52, will spend the next two weeks training and hopes to play for the Crunch against the Carolina Monarchs on April 1, the day after his 69th birthday.

“He will only play if he can play,” said Howard Dolgon, president and chief executive officer of the Crunch. “He’ll decide that. He wants to play in six decades.

“Having a hero of Gordie’s magnitude wearing a Crunch jersey is truly a once-in-a-lifetime honor for our players, fans and ownership.”

Howe, who held the NHL career goals, assists and points records before Wayne Gretzky came along, played a record 33 professional seasons, starting with Omaha in the USHL in 1945, then the Detroit Red Wings in the NHL for 25 years, then after two years off, the Houston Aeros of the WHA and Hartford Whalers in the WHA and NHL.

“Although at the age of 69, I may appear to be what is termed ‘poetry in slow motion’, I still think it’s exciting and challenging to see how I might squeeze into the Crunch lineup,” Howe said.

Mullen first American to score 500

Pittsburgh forward Joey Mullen became the first American-born player, and 25th NHLer overall, to score 500 career goals, reaching that milestone in Friday’s 6-3 loss to the host Colorado Avalanche.

Mullen, who scored his first goal on Jan. 5, 1982 with the St. Louis Blues, gave the Penguins a 3-2 lead with the goal at 16:01 of the second period.

The game was delayed 2 minutes as the Pittsburgh bench cleared to congratulate the New York City native, who also received a standing ovation from the crowd in McNichols Arena.

Joe Sakic’s hat trick for the Avalanche, his first in five years, helped spoil Mullen’s big night.

Robitaille breaks foot

New York Rangers forward Luc Robitaille was sidelined indefinitely after breaking a bone in his left foot as he got off the team bus in Ottawa.

Robitaille has 24 goals and 24 assists in 69 games with the Rangers this season.

The Dallas Stars placed goaltender Andy Moog on injured reserve with a bulging disc in his back, the team said.

Moog, 37, who owns a 29-12-3 record and 2.14 goals against average this season, is expected to be out seven to 10 days.