Holding the first overall pick in the 1984 NHL Draft, the Pittsburgh Penguins had the privilege of selecting Mario Lemieux out of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The forward was destined for greatness after a standout three-season junior career where he shattered league scoring records as a member of the Laval Voisins.
With the opportunity to select Lemieux, 3,000 eager fans filled Civic Arena on June 9, 1984 to watch a broadcast of the draft from Montreal. After winning just 16 games the season prior, fans had great expectations for Lemieux to save the franchise.
Four months later on October 11, it took just 2:59 minutes for Lemieux to get Penguins fans on their feet and announce his arrival in the NHL.
On his first shift of his first career NHL game at Boston Garden, Lemieux stole the puck from future Hall of Fame defenseman Ray Bourque in the defensive zone to take off on a breakaway versus Bruins goaltender Pete Peeters. With his first shot in the NHL, Lemieux deked Peeters and slid the puck past him into the net for his first career NHL goal.
First shift. First shot. First goal.
"I remember having the puck on the right point and trying to knock it in and he bats it out of the air. He had a breakaway probably from the red line in," Bourque said. "I was chasing him down and I had the best seat in the house to see his first goal."
The goal was memorable for fans, opponents and members of the Penguins' organization alike.
"On the very first shift he scores and I can still remember jumping up off the couch," then the Penguins director of marketing and former broadcaster Paul Steigerwald said. "We were like, see this is what we're talking about. Mario Lemieux is the greatest and he's going to save us."
Although the Penguins lost to the Bruins, 4-3, on Oct. 11, 1984, Lemieux ended the night with his first career goal and assist. Lemieux's goal was the first of 690 goals and 1,723 points he would go on to score in his Hall of Fame career.
