Gretzky: Decision to Come by Sunday

His coach, his teammates, his fans and even his wife have urged him to extend his glorious hockey career one more year.

But Wayne Gretzky alone understands what must be done, and his decision on retirement will come by the time the New York Rangers end their season Sunday.

“I need to do what’s best for myself . . . Nobody else has any bearing on this at this point in time,” he said Wednesday in Rye, N.Y.

Speaking after practice, the 38-year-old hockey great said he will decide by Sunday--”not today or tomorrow”--whether to end his 20-year career in the NHL.

Gretzky said he spoke with Coach John Muckler and planned to meet with General Manager Neil Smith.

Gretzky said his wife Janet--whose opinion he values most, he said--”would like me to play one more year.”

He said he didn’t want to “let down” his coach or teammates or fans, “But I know eventually I’ll make the right decision.”

WEDNESDAY’S GAMES

Scott Niedermayer scored the winning goal 2:23 into the third period at Buffalo, N.Y., as the New Jersey Devils beat the Sabres, 2-1, to set an NHL record for road wins in a season. The Devils improved their road record to 27-10-3, surpassing the mark set by the 1976-77 Montreal Canadiens. . . . Former Islander Bryan Berard scored 42 seconds into overtime at Toronto to give the Maple Leafs a 3-2 victory over his old team and a club-record 45th win of the season. The old mark was set by the 1992-93 Maple Leafs. . . . Ron Francis scored two goals and Arturs Irbe recorded his sixth shutout of the season as the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Washington Capitals, 3-0, at Greensboro, N.C. . . . Brent Gilchrist scored for the first time in more than a year in the Detroit Red Wings’ 4-2 victory over the visiting Nashville Predators. . . . Joe Nieuwendyk scored two goals, including an empty-netter with 27 seconds to play, as the Stars beat the Phoenix Coyotes, 4-2, at Dallas. . . . Cory Stillman scored his second goal of the game with four seconds left as the Calgary Flames ended an eight-game winless streak with a 5-4 victory over the Canucks at Vancouver, Canada. . . . Rookie Marcus Nilson, who assisted on the tying goal, scored his first NHL goal with 54.3 seconds left in overtime to lift the Florida Panthers to a 3-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens at Sunrise, Fla.