THIS DATE IN HISTORY: MAY 15
1967: In a trade that shaped the NHL for years to come, the Boston Bruins acquire centers Phil Esposito and Fred Stanfield, and forward Ken Hodge, from the Chicago Blackhawks for defenseman Gilles Marotte, center Pit Martin and goaltender Jack Norris.
The trade turns out to be a bonanza for the Bruins. Esposito, a three-time 20-goal scorer in Chicago, becomes one of the most feared scorers in NHL history. He has 35 goals and 84 points in his first season with Boston; in 1971, he sets NHL records with 76 goals and 152 points.
Hodge, who finds a home as Esposito's right wing, goes from 10 goals in his last season with Chicago to 25 with Boston in 1967-68, and has 289 goals in nine seasons with the Bruins. Stanfield, who couldn't get any playing time in Chicago, scores 20 or more goals in each of his six seasons in Boston. All three players are part of the Bruins' Stanley Cup-winning teams in 1970 and 1972.
The exchange doesn't go nearly as well for the Blackhawks. Marotte lasts less than three full seasons before being traded, and Norris plays 10 games during parts of two seasons before being claimed off waivers. The one saving grace is Martin, who struggles in his first season with Chicago but goes on to play 11 seasons with the Blackhawks, surpassing 20 goals in seven of them.
MORE MOMENTS
1926: The NHL adds a second team in New York when a franchise is granted to Madison Square Garden president Tex Rickard. The team soon becomes known throughout the city as Tex's Rangers, and the name Rangers sticks. The new team joins the one year after the New York Americans, who made their NHL debut in the 1925-26 season. In addition, the NHL says Chicago and Detroit will have teams for the 1926-27 season provided their home rinks are finished. The Rangers, Chicago and Detroit are placed with Boston and Pittsburgh in the American Division. The Americans, who like the Rangers play their home games at the Garden, join Ottawa, Toronto, the Montreal Canadiens and Montreal Maroons in the Canadian Division.
1979: A pregame accident turns into a lucky break for goalie Ken Dryden and the Canadiens. Coach Scotty Bowman decides to start backup Michel Larocque in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Rangers after pulling Dryden during a 4-1 loss in Game 1. However, Larocque is knocked out cold by a Doug Risebrough shot during warmups, forcing Bowman to play Dryden. The Rangers score twice in the first seven minutes, but Dryden is perfect after that and the Canadiens dominate the rest of the way for a 6-2 win.
1980: Paul Holmgren becomes the first U.S.-born player to have a hat trick in the Stanley Cup Final when he scores three times in the Philadelphia Flyers' 8-3 victory against the New York Islanders at the Spectrum in Game 2. Bobby Clarke has a goal and three assists to help the Flyers even the best-of-7 series 1-1.
1990: Petr Klima scores at 15:13 of the third overtime to give the Edmonton Oilers a 3-2 victory against the Bruins in Game 1 of the Final at Boston Garden. The Oilers score twice in the first period and take a 2-0 lead into the third, but Boston's Ray Bourque scores early in the period, and after a power outage delays the game for 26 minutes, gets the tying goal with 1:29 left. Neither team can score again until Klima, who had been benched for long stretches earlier in the game, beats Andy Moog to end what is still the longest game in Stanley Cup Final history.
1994: Stephane Richer scores his fourth career Stanley Cup overtime goal at 15:23 of the second OT to give the New Jersey Devils a 4-3 win against the Rangers at Madison Square Garden in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final. Claude Lemieux gives Richer the chance to be the hero by scoring the tying goal with 43 seconds remaining in the third period. The Devils win the opener of the best-of-7 series after losing all six of their regular-season games against the Rangers.
1995: The visiting Vancouver Canucks set a Stanley Cup Playoff record for the fastest two shorthanded goals by one team, scoring twice in 17 seconds during a 6-5 overtime win against the St. Louis Blues in Game 5 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals. Christian Ruuttu scores an unassisted goal at 4:31, and Geoff Courtnall beats Curtis Joseph at 4:48 to break the record of 24 seconds set by Montreal in 1978. Cliff Ronning scores the game-winner 1:48 into overtime.
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