1971: Bruins goalie
Gerry Cheevers
begins an NHL-record 32-game unbeaten streak (24-0 with eight ties) with an 11-2 victory against the Los Angeles Kings at Boston Garden. Cheevers
finishes with 29 saves
, defenseman
Bobby Orr
has his second NHL hat trick and three assists, and
Phil Esposito
scores twice and has three assists.
1979:The Washington Capitals name 26-year-old Gary Green as their new coach, replacing Dan Belisle. Green becomes the youngest coach in NHL history. Washington does not qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs under Green, who is fired after the Capitals start the 1981-82 season by going 1-12-0 in their first 13 games.
2001:
Patrick Roy
becomes the first goalie in NHL history to earn 200 victories with two teams (Canadiens, Colorado Avalanche) when he
makes 26 saves
in Colorado's 1-0 victory against the Minnesota Wild at Pepsi Center. It's Roy's 54th NHL shutout. He finishes his career with 551 victories, 289 with Montreal and 262 with Colorado.
2009:
Tim Jackman
of the New York Islanders scores the fastest goal in NHL history by a player celebrating his birthday. Jackman, playing on his 28th birthday,
scores 16 seconds
into a 5-4 shootout loss to the Florida Panthers.
2013:Jamie Benn
has six points
to help the Stars defeat the Calgary Flames 7-3 at Scotiabank Saddledome. Benn scores one goal and has five assists, including one on each of the four goals scored by linemate Tyler Seguin.
2017:Sidney Crosby ends an 11-game goal-scoring drought before setting up Conor Sheary for the game-winner 16 seconds into overtime as the
Pittsburgh Penguins defeat the Buffalo Sabres 5-4
at PPG Paints Arena. The goal ends the second-longest drought of Crosby's career; his longest is a 12-game slump in 2011-12. The Penguins improve to 12-0-1 in their past 13 games against the Sabres.
On the same night, the expansion Vegas Golden Knights use their fifth goalie in 17 games during an
8-2 loss to the Edmonton Oilers
at Rogers Place.
Dylan Ferguson
, an emergency call-up from junior hockey after Vegas' top three goalies go down with injuries, enters with 9:33 remaining in the third period after rookie Maxime Lagace allows seven goals.
2019: Connor McDavid has the biggest night of his NHL career with six points (three goals, three assists) for the Oilers in a
6-2 victory against the Colorado Avalanche
at Rogers Place. The hat trick is his second in three games; he's the first Oilers player to accomplish that feat since
Glenn Anderson
in 1987-88. Linemate Leon Draisaitl has a big night of his own, finishing with five assists. Draisaitl becomes the 20th different player to have at least 41 points in the first 21 games of a season, and the first since
Mario Lemieux
of the Penguins in 2002-03.