Jagr nets 700th goal

Associated Press

UNIONDALE, N.Y.

Now that Jaromir Jagr has 700 NHL goals in the bank, the future Hockey Hall of Famer is already setting his sights on his next big milestone.

There are only six guys who have ever scored more. So yes, this is a significant marker to reach.

“Maybe not for Wayne Gretzky, but for the rest of us it’s a very big number — 800 is a little bit better than 700,” he said.

Jagr scored in the second period of the New Jersey Devils’ 6-1 victory over the New York Islanders on Saturday.

Through bits of laughter, Jagr suggested that 800 goals is attainable, as well as Gretzky’s record 894.

With tongue firmly in cheek, Jagr said he could get to the first number in two years and Gretzky’s mark in four.

So far, he has no plans for the special puck that got past goalie Evgeni Nabokov.

“I might save the 800th one, but I don’t know what I am going to do with the 700th,” he said with a smile.

Jagr’s tally sparked New Jersey’s four-goal second period, and Martin Brodeur earned the win in his first start in over a month.

Jagr gave the Devils a 2-0 lead early in the second, and Ryane Clowe, Marek Zidlicky, and Mark Fayne followed in rapid succession. The four goals came in a span of 4:36 in the first 8:07 of the second.

The 42-year-old Jagr moved into the elite goal group when he netted his 19th of the season.

The Islanders have been Jagr’s top target in his 20 NHL seasons. He has 61 goals and 88 assists in 101 career games.

“Is it that many? I love this team,” Jagr said. “It’s my favorite team. That’s a lot of goals.

Adam Henrique opened the scoring with a power-play goal at 5:00 of the first.

New Jersey needed only 12 shots to net its first four goals and 16 total to get to five against the beleaguered Nabokov. Clowe and Zidlicky, with a milestone assist from Jagr, also tallied during power plays.

“The game went away from us pretty quickly. We deflated after they scored two power-play goals,” Nabokov said.