On a roll: streaks make hockey memorable, and we rank some of the best--and worst--in the sport's history.

Publication: Hockey Digest

Publication Date: 01-SEP-04

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COPYRIGHT 2004 Century Publishing

YOU WIN SOME, AND THEN YOU some more. Or you lose a whole lot, then flop again and again. That's the nature of sports, particularly in hockey, where streaks are a memorable--or forgettable--feature of the game. Hockey Digest decided to take a look at the NHL's best strings and most brutal slides, its most famous and most infamous streaks. Here are 18:

BEST INDIVIDUAL STREAKS

1. Gretzky wins eight consecutive Hart trophies

Certainly the Most Valuable Player award can be a subjective honor. It will be debated forever just what makes someone an MVP--is it best player overall, or most important to his team, or what?

With Gretzky, there was no doubt From 1979-80, his first year in the league as a callow teen, until 1988, when Mario Lemieux won it, Gretzky owned the Hart. His eight straight--he would win nine overall--were five more than anyone else ever strung together.

Gretzky also collected 10 Art Ross trophies as leading points scorer in the league, and five Lady Byngs.

2. Grefzky has 13 consecutive 100-point or more seasons

The greatness of The Great One was comprised of a melding of physical and mental skills, an uncanny understanding of every situation on the ice, and amazing consistency. Nothing speaks louder to that consistency than his ability to rock up big numbers year after year after year

For 13 seasons, Gretzky scored at least 121 points. The 121 was the lowest total, and it came in the final season of the streak, when No. 99 missed six games.

Otherwise, his numbers ranged from 137 in his first NHL season to the phenomenal 212 in 1981-82 that still stands as the one-season record and probably will stand forever.

Granted the hockey in that era was far different from anything we've seen in years or likely will...

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