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 June 6th, featuring Teemu Selanne.
Today in Hockey History
Teemu Selanne Wins First Stanley Cup with Ducks
2007: The Anaheim Ducks become the first California team to hoist the Stanley Cup. Travis Moen scores twice and the Ducks limit the Ottawa Senators to 13 shots in a 6-2 Game 5 win. Scott Niedermayer gets an assist and earns the Conn Smythe Trophy for playoff MVP.
Selanne wins his first Cup after playing in 1,041 games before getting his hands to the silver chalice. The Finnish Flash would play seven more seasons with the Ducks before retiring after the 2013-14 season. He would be elected to the Hall of Fame in 2017.
Other Notable Events
1956: The NHL Board of Governors passes a rule allowing a player serving a minor penalty to return to the ice after a goal is scored. A player had to serve the full penalty prior to the change.
1996: Peter Forsberg gets his first post-season hat trick in the first period in the Colorado Avalanche‘s 8-1 Game 2 win. Joe Sakic gets four assists in the victory over the Florida Panthers.
2013: Marian Hossa‘s early third-period goal helps the Chicago Blackhawks to a 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings. The Blackhawks take a 3-1 series lead in the Western Conference Final.
2015: Andrei Vasilevskiy comes in for Ben Bishop and the Tampa Bay Lightning win 4-3 in Game 2 of the Final. Jason Garrison breaks the deadlock to give the Russian goalie his first win over Chicago. It’s the fourth time in NHL history that a goalie wins a game in the Final that he doesn’t start, but the first since Frank Pietrangelo of the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 5 in 1991.
2016: Evgeni Malkin and Eric Fehr scores goals in the Penguins 3-1 Game 4 win over the San Jose Sharks. Matt Murray stops 27 shots for the Pens, who are a game away from winning their first cup since 2009.
2019: Jordan Binnington makes 38 saves as the St. Louis Blues beat the Boston Bruins, 2-1. Ryan O’Reilly and David Perron score goals as the Blues take Game 5 in Boston. The win puts the Blues one away from their first championship.
Happy Birthday to You
1939: Ed Giacomin
1946: Bob Kelly
1950: Al McDonough
1958: Wayne Babych
1963: Vladimir Ruzicka
1965: Cam Neely
1971: Mike Craig
1974: Anson Carter
1987: Niklas Hjalmarsson
