Gilles Gilbert, a former NHL goalie who played 14 seasons, died Saturday at the age of 74, the Boston Bruins announced Monday.
Gilbert was 192-143 with 60 ties and had 18 shutouts with a 3.27 goals-against average and .883 save percentage in 416 games with the Minnesota North Stars, Bruins and Detroit Red Wings. He won 17 straight decisions with Boston during the 1975-76 season, an NHL record at the time.
Gilbert was the goalie during several memorable moments in NHL history. On Feb. 11, 1971, in his second NHL seasons, he gave up goal Nos. 498, 499 and 500 to Jean Beliveau of the Montreal Canadiens, who became the fourth player in NHL history to score 500 goals.
Playing for the Bruins against the Canadiens in Game 7 of the 1979 NHL Semifinals, Gilbert gave up the game-tying goal to Guy Lafleur with 1:14 left in regulation after Boston was called for too many men on the ice. Gilbert made 47 saves, but the Bruins lost 5-4 in overtime. The Canadiens would go on to win the Stanley Cup for the fourth straight season.
Gilbert also was the goalie for the Red Wings against the Vancouver Canucks on Feb. 11, 1982, when Vancouver became the first NHL team to score two penalty shot goals in the same game.
Gilbert was 17-15 with a 3.04 GAA, .895 save percentage and three shutouts in 32 playoff games (31 starts). He was the starting goalie for the Bruins when they reached the Cup Final in 1974 but lost in six games to the Philadelphia Flyers.
