During the NHL’s hiatus, we at the Last Word on Hockey are going to look back at each date’s historical significance to the game. We’ll remember the moments that shaped the sport of hockey that happened on this day. Here’s our look at this date in hockey history for April 14th, featuring the 1995-96 Detroit Red Wings.
Today in Hockey History
1995-96 Detroit Red Wings Get 62nd Victory
1996: Vyacheslav Kozlov scores twice and Chris Osgood makes 21 saves as the Wings down the Dallas Stars, 5-1. The victory gives Detroit its 62nd win on the season, which is the new standard in an 82-game season. They eclipsed the mark of 60 wins in 80 games by the 1976-77 Montreal Canadiens.
Post-season success would not follow the team as the Colorado Avalanche would upend the Red Wings in six games in the Western Conference Final. Colorado would win the Stanley Cup, but Detroit would break the drought next season. The title in 1997 would be the first since 1955.
Other Notable Events
1928: The New York Rangers win their first Stanley Cup with a 2-1 win over the Montreal Maroons in Game 5. Frank Boucher scores both goals as the Rangers are the second American team to win the trophy.
1942: The Toronto Maple Leafs tie a record for most goals in a Final game with nine. Toronto would down Detroit, 9-3, in Game 5. Don Metz would get three goals and two assists for the Leafs.
1955: Detroit repeats as Stanley Cup champs after besting Montreal in Game 7. Alex Delvecchio scores twice for the Red Wings in the 3-1 win.
1960: Montreal lifts its fifth straight Stanley Cup in a 4-0 shutout over Toronto in Game 4. Jean Beliveau scores twice and Jacques Plante makes 30 saves in the victory. It would also be the final game for Maurice Richard.
1993: The Pittsburgh Penguins 17-game winning streak ends with a 6-6 with the New Jersey Devils. Mario Lemieux scores twice and adds an assist for the Pens.
2003: Patrick Roy is the first goalie to get 150 playoff wins in a 3-0 victory for Colorado over the Minnesota Wild.
2004: Nikolai Khabibulin gets his second straight shutout and third in a series as the Tampa Bay Lightning blank the New York Islanders, 3-0, in Game 4 of the Eastern quarterfinals.
2017: Cam Talbot makes 16 saves as the Edmonton Oilers beat the San Jose Sharks for their first post-season win in 11 years.
2018: David Pastrnak of the Boston Bruins is the youngest player (21 years, 324 days) to get six points in a playoff game. Boston beats Toronto, 7-3, after three goals and three assists from the Czech.
Happy Birthday to You
1902: Sylvio Mantha
1955: Steve Jensen
1963: Paul MacDermid
1967: Steve Chiasson
1976: Jason Wiemer
