THIS DATE IN NHL HISTORY, APRIL 11:
1975: The New York Islanders establish their own identity by stunning the New York Rangers when J.P. Parise scores 11 seconds into overtime for a 4-3 victory in the third and deciding game of their Preliminary Round series at Madison Square Garden.
The Islanders are in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time two years after setting NHL records for fewest victories and points in a season as an expansion team. They shock the Rangers with a 3-2 win in Game 1 at the Garden and lose 8-3 at Nassau Coliseum in Game 2.
But they show no ill effects from the loss, taking a 3-0 lead into the locker room after two periods in the deciding game, only to see the Rangers score three times in the third to force overtime. The Islanders control the faceoff at the start of OT, and Jude Drouin wheels a pass from the right corner to the front of the net, where Parise jams it past Ed Giacomin to silence the Garden crowd.
It's the fastest overtime goal in playoff history, a mark that stands until 1989.
Islanders general manager Bill Torrey said Parise's goal is more important to the franchise than the overtime goal by Bob Nystrom that won the Stanley Cup in 1980. "That goal put us on the map," Torrey recalled years later.
It's also a turning point for each franchise. The Islanders become one of the NHL's elite teams, winning four consecutive Stanley Cup championships from 1980-83. For the Rangers, it's the end of the line for a core group that has made the playoffs every year since 1967 but was unable to win the Cup.
MORE MOMENTS:
1936: The Detroit Red Wings become the last of the Original Six teams to win the Stanley Cup when they defeat the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-2 at Maple Leaf Gardens to win the best-of-5 Final in four games. The Red Wings win seven of their eight playoff games and score 18 goals in the Final. Pete Kelly gets the winning goal midway through the third period.
1964: Toronto's Bob Pulford scores the latest game-winning goal in playoff history when he beats Detroit's Terry Sawchuk at 19:58 of the third period for a 3-2 victory in Game 1 of the Final at Maple Leaf Gardens. Toronto wins the series in seven games to win the Stanley Cup for the third consecutive season.
1971: Bobby Orr of the Boston Bruins becomes the first defenseman since 1922 to have a hat trick in the playoffs when he scores three goals in a 5-2 win against the Montreal Canadiens at the Forum in Game 4 of the Quarterfinals. Orr ties the game at 1-1 midway through the second period and scores twice in the third to help the Bruins even the series at 2-2.
1980: Gordie Howe and Bobby Hull appear in their final NHL games, though neither gets a point in the Hartford Whalers' 4-3 overtime loss to the Canadiens in Game 3 of their first-round playoff series at the Civic Center. Howe, 52, has a goal and an assist in the three-game series; Hull, 41, goes scoreless. Yvon Lambert completes a sweep for the Canadiens when he scores 29 seconds into OT.
1981: Wayne Gretzky scores the first playoff hat trick of his career to help the Edmonton Oilers defeat the Montreal Canadiens 6-2 in Game 3 of the best-of-5 Preliminary Round series. His first goal at 8:15 in the second period extends the Oilers' lead to 3-0. Montreal gets within 3-2 at 15:33 in the second, but Gretzky's second goal at 18:56 of the period gives Edmonton a lead it doesn't relinquish. Gretzky completes his hat trick with seven seconds remaining in the game to lead the Oilers to a series sweep.
1989: Ron Hextall becomes the first goalie in NHL history to score a playoff goal. With the Philadelphia Flyers shorthanded, Hextall shoots the puck the length of the ice into an empty net with 1:02 remaining to wrap up an 8-5 win against the Washington Capitals in Landover, Md., in Game 5 of the Patrick Division Semifinals. He also becomes the first goaltender to score in the regular season and the playoffs.
1996: Sandy Moger scores midway through the third period to give the Bruins a 3-2 victory against the visiting Whalers and extend their consecutive playoff streak to 29 seasons. It's still the longest streak by any pro sports team.
1997: Mario Lemieux reaches the 50-goal mark for the sixth time when he scores a third-period penalty shot against John Vanbiesbrouck in a 4-2 loss to the Florida Panthers at Miami Arena. Lemieux becomes the first player in NHL history to score his 50th goal of the season on a penalty shot.
Entertainment Plaza - TV, Movies, Sports, Music, Soaps
http://members.shaw.ca/almosthuman99
Babe Of The Month - Vote Now!
http://members.shaw.ca/almosthuman99/babeofthemonth.html
Hunk Of The Month - Vote Now!
http://members.shaw.ca/almosthuman99/babeofthemonthman.html
No comments:
Post a Comment