MORE MOMENTS
1892: Canada's sixth Governor General, Sir Frederick Arthur Stanley, proposes the creation of what will become the Stanley Cup. Ottawa wins the 1892 Ontario Hockey Association title, and Lord Stanley of Preston, unable to attend the March 18 banquet, sends a letter to Lieutenant Viscount Frederick Rudolph Lambart Kilcoursie, his aide-de-camp, to be read at the event. His proposal is met with tremendously positive reaction. The Cup is awarded for the first time in 1893.
1930:
Howie Morenz
scores five goals for his 10th NHL hat trick. That's more than enough to power the Montreal Canadiens to an
8-3 win against the New York Americans
at the Forum. Morenz scores twice in the first period, once in the second and twice in the third.
1940: The Chicago Blackhawks take the first chartered flight in NHL history when they fly to Toronto for the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
1944: The Canadiens became the first NHL team to go undefeated at home for an entire regular season when Phil Watson has four assists in the third period of an
11-2 win against the New York Rangers
. Montreal finishes the season 22-0 with three ties at the Forum. The Canadiens lose their playoff opener at home to Toronto, then win four in a row from the Maple Leafs and sweep Chicago to win the Stanley Cup for the first time since 1931.
1956: Montreal sets an NHL single-season record with its 45th victory, a
3-1 win against the Rangers
at Madison Square Garden. The Canadiens surpass the mark of 44 wins set by the Detroit Red Wings in 1950-51. Montreal forward
Bert Olmstead
makes history of his own with his 56th assist of the season, setting an NHL record for left wings.
1967: While sitting out with a bruised shoulder,
Gordie Howe
makes his NHL coaching debut with the Red Wings (coach Sid Abel observes from the stands). The Red Wings
lose 5-3 to the Bruins
at Olympia Stadium, and Howe returns to his regular role at right wing for the next game.
1971:
Gilbert Perreault
scores his 35th goal of the season, setting an NHL record for rookies, to help the Buffalo Sabres
defeat the St. Louis Blues 5-3
at Memorial Auditorium. He surpasses the previous mark of 34 set by
Nels Stewart
of the Montreal Maroons in 1925-26 and equaled in 1968-69 by
Danny Grant
of the Minnesota North Stars and
Norm Ferguson
of the Oakland Seals.
1973:
Bobby Orr
scores a goal and has two assists to help the Bruins to a
7-1 win against the Atlanta Flames
in Boston. The goal is the 600th point of his career; it comes in his 461st NHL game.