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 29th, featuring Claude Lemieux.
Today in Hockey History
Claude Lemieux First Rookie to Get a Game 7 Overtime Winner
1986: The Montreal Canadiens rookie scores 5:55 into overtime to help the Habs beat the Hartford Whalers, 2-1, in the Adams Division Final. Lemieux beats Whalers goalie Mike Liut with a backhander that gets just under the crossbar.
The goal sends the 17,546 fans at the Montreal Forum home happy. It was Lemieux’s sixth goal of the post-season after he spent most of the year in the minors. Hartford had tied the game thanks to Dave Babych, who scored with 2:48 left in regulation.
Other Notable Events
1959: The New York Rangers and Boston Bruins start a 23-game tour of Europe that takes 26 days. Chicago Blackhawks forward Bobby Hull substitutes for Andy Bathgate and transforms his game. Hull flourishes on the larger surfaces and becomes a prolific scorer. New York goes 11-9-3 on the trip against Boston.
1978: Lanny McDonald scores 4:13 into overtime as the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the New York Islanders in Game 7 of the Quarter-finals.
1989: Ken Wregget comes to the rescue of the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 7 of the Patrick Division Final. Wregget makes 39 saves for an injured Ron Hextall as the Flyers beat the Pittsburgh Penguins, 4-1.
1993: Dino Ciccarelli is the first player to score a playoff hat trick for three different teams. Ciccarelli scores a record-tying three power-play goals in the Detroit Red Wings 7-3 win over Toronto. He’d netted hat tricks with the Washington Capitals and Minnesota North Stars, previously.
1997: The Mighty Ducks of Anaheim win their first playoff series with a 3-0 win in Game 7. Guy Hebert makes 31 saves as the Ducks blank the Phoenix Coyotes in the Western Conference Quarter-finals.
Derek Plante is the first to get the game-tying and game-winning goals in a Game 7. Plante leads the Buffalo Sabres to a 3-2 win over the Ottawa Senators in the Eastern Conference Quarter-finals.
2011: Benn Ferriero scores the winning goal in a 2-1 overtime win for the San Jose Sharks over the Red Wings in Game 1 of the Western Conference Semi-finals.
2017: Jean-Gabriel Pageau scores four goals as the Senators rally past the Rangers, 6-5. Pageau gets the game-winner 2:54 into the second overtime.
Happy Birthday to You
1961: Doug Shedden
1962: Bruce Driver
1963: Jim Benning
1967: Curtis Joseph
1984: Dan Girardi
1986: Brandon Dubinsky
1988: Jonathan Toews
1995: Tristan Jarry
