NEW YORK (AP) – Even before Mark Messier became a professional hockey player, Gordie Howe made quite an impression on him.

Howe made a more tangible one once they shared the ice.

“I was the recipient of one of Gordie’s elbows,” Messier said. “I think he did it more so that I can talk about it for the rest of my career than of bad intentions. A way of welcoming me to the league.”

Now it’s Howe’s turn to look up to the 42-year-old Messier.

The New York Rangers captain scored two goals Tuesday night, giving him 1,851 career points – one more than Howe had in 26 NHL seasons – and second place on the career list.

“I think it’s just due to longevity, good fortune and tremendous people around me,” said Messier, in his 25th season. “It wasn’t something I set out to do.”

This is as high as Messier will climb, though. He sits 1,006 points behind former teammate Wayne Gretzky, with whom he won four Stanley Cups on the Edmonton Oilers. Gretzky has more assists (1,963) than Messier has total points.

Messier, with 682 goals and 1,169 assists, passed Howe’s point total in 1,691 games – 76 fewer than Howe. They rank 1-2 on that list.

“It’s hard to fathom the achievement,” said Messier’s father, Doug.

Doug Messier was involved with the Detroit Red Wings around the time that Howe was their star. He attended Red Wings training camp and played with Howe in some exhibition games while forging a deep respect for the man who perfected the art of combining scoring touch and sheer brawn.

“Growing up with that and then being at the moment now passing him … it’s with a little bit of trepidation,” Mark Messier said. “It just seems like Wayne Gretzky and Gordie Howe are pretty synonymous with each other – The Great One and Mr. Hockey.”

Messier’s father was in attendance Tuesday as was Howe’s son, Mark, a former NHL defenseman who is now a Red Wings scout.

And so was Glen Sather, the Rangers coach and general manager.

Sather also served those roles with the Gretzky and Messier-led Oilers that dominated the second half of the ’80s. Sather was Messier’s coach w

hen he reached the NHL at 18 in 1979.

Back then being a champion is what occupied Messier’s thoughts, certainly not being mentioned in the same breath as Howe.

“I was having a tough enough time staying out of Glen’s office when I was 17, 18 years old,” Messier said.

That was only the start of a career in which Messier became one of the greatest leaders in team sports.

“You feel like you want to come in and establish yourself and contribute to a team and obviously win a Stanley Cup. That’s what we grow up with,” Messier said. “You don’t think about scoring goals, making assists or entering the Hall of Fame.”

His Hall of Fame credentials were built long before Tuesday.

Along with Gretzky, Messier became a champion with the Oilers – winning four titles between 1984-88.

Then he captained another championship club in 1990 after Gretzky was traded to Los Angeles.

Arguably, his biggest accomplishment came four years later when he led the Rangers to their first Stanley Cup title in 54 years. He was already a fan favorite after arriving in 1991, but this title made him a New York icon – a status he didn’t lose even after leaving for Vancouver in 1997.

He made promises along the way, and sealed his biggest during the Eastern Conference finals against New Jersey. The Rangers were facing elimination and Messier had guaranteed they’d beat the Devils in Game 6 – they did thanks to his hat trick.

The final goal that night was a long-range shot into an empty net, just like the one he used Tuesday to pass Howe.

“Besides being a clutch player, he has a thing to come up with the big moment and make it fun for the people around,” said Brian Leetch, Messier’s teammate for 10 seasons.

Free agency brought him back to the Rangers after Sather took over as GM in 2000. That’s why passing Howe in Madison Square Garden was so important to Messier.

“To do it here was special for me,” Messier said. “The relationship I have had with the city, the organization, the hockey fans, the people – it’s been a life-altering experience. Coming to New York in the first place in 1991, and having an opportunity to come back again.”

AP-ES-11-05-03 1559EST