We’re normally getting ready for another hockey season, but we’re in a different world. Last Word on Hockey is still 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 October 3, featuring Glenn Hall.
Today in Hockey History
Goalie Glenn Hall Born
1931: The Hall of Fame goalie is born in Humbolt, Saskatchewan. Hall won 407 games in an 18-year NHL career with three teams. He played for the Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Black Hawks and St. Louis Blues over his storied tenure.
Hall was a key part of Chicago’s 1961 Stanley Cup victory with an 8-4 record and 2.02 goals-against-average. He also starts a seemingly unbreakable record of 502 consecutive games. Hall enters the Hall of Fame in 1975 with Pierre Pilote, George Armstrong, Ace Bailey and Gordie Drillon.
Other Notable Events
1953: The Montreal Canadiens sign forward Jean Beliveau to his first professional contract. He gets a goal and an assist later that night in his debut against the NHL All-Stars. Beliveau’s road to the Habs is an unusual one as the team bought out the Quebec Senior Hockey League. This allows Montreal to get him because they had his professional rights. The Canadiens tried for three seasons to land the future Hall of Famer who went on to win 10 Stanley Cups.
1996: The Los Angeles Kings name Rob Blake as their 11the team captain. Blake replaces Wayne Gretzky in the role after he was traded to the St. Louis Blues at last season’s trade deadline. He dons the “C” until the 2001 deadline when he’s traded to the Colorado Avalanche. The Simcoe, Ontario native retires in 2010 and enters the Hall of Fame in 2014.
1997: The Vancouver Canucks beat the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, 3-2, at Yoyogi Arena in Tokyo in the first regular season game played outside North America. Scott Walker, Mark Messier and Pavel Bure score goals to give the Canucks the win. Anaheim’s Espen Knutsen is the first player born and trained in Norway to play an NHL game. The Mighty Ducks win the rematch, 3-2, the next day.
Patrick Roy is the eighth goalie to reach 350 wins in a 4-1 win over the Calgary Flames. Roy stops 26 shots in the victory for Colorado.
2009: New Jersey Devils goalie Martin Brodeur sets a record for his 15th straight opening night start. The 5-2 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers is also his 1,000th appearance.
Happy Birthday to You
1929: Andy Hebenton
1931: Glenn Hall
1940: Jean Ratelle
1963: Pat Flatley
1968: Daniel Marois
1972: Michael Nylander
1974: Mike Johnson
1983: Mark Giordano
1994: Seth Jones
1996: Adam Gaudette
