We’re normally starting up 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 18th, featuring Sidney Crosby.
Today in Hockey History
Sidney Crosby Bags 500th Assist
2014: The Pittsburgh Penguins centre gets a pair of assists in a 3-1 home win over the New York Islanders. Crosby sets up Evgeni Malkin for No. 499 and then Patric Hornqvist on the milestone assist. He currently has over 800 assists as of the start of the 2020-21 season.
The Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia native gets his 500th helper in his 533rd career game. Only Wayne Gretzky (352 games), Mario Lemieux (433), Peter Stastny (507), Bobby Orr (522) and Peter Forsberg (551) did it faster.
Other Notable Events
1930: The Detroit Cougars change their name to the Falcons after a newspaper poll. However, that name lasts only two seasons before they become the Detroit Red Wings.
1967: The Philadelphia Flyers win their first game after starting the season with two straight loses. Doug Favell makes 34 saves and Ed Hoekstra scores the game-winner in a 2-1 victory over the St. Louis Blues.
1977: Rogie Vachon stops 41 saves and Glenn Resch turns aside 28 for a scoreless tie between the Los Angeles Kings and New York Islanders. It’s the first scoreless tie in Isles’ history.
1979: Phil Esposito gets his 32nd and final hat trick for the New York Rangers. “Espo” has a five-point night in a 6-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks.
1984: The Flyers tie their single-game record for goals in a 13-2 victory over the Canucks. Brian Propp and Ilkka Sinisalo each net three goals in Philadelphia’s second 13-goal game of the calendar year. The Flyers beat the Penguins, 13-4, on March 22nd.
1989: Brett Hull gets his first Blues’ hat trick in a 9-3 win over the Penguins. It’s the first of his five hat tricks for the 1989-90 season.
2000: The Minnesota Wild earn their first win in franchise history with a 6-5 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Marian Gaborik scores a pair of goals in the final 2:28 to give the Wild their first win in five games (0-4-1).
2014: Jonathan Toews scores the first overtime-shorthanded goal since 2007 in the Chicago Blackhawks 2-1 win over the Nashville Predators. Glen Wesley last accomplished the feat for the Carolina Hurricanes in Feb. 2007.
Happy Birthday to You
1950: Hilliard Graves
1958: Kjell Samuelsson
1960: Doug Lidster
1964: Normand Lacombe
