Normally we’d be in the midst of starting up another hockey season now, 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 December 8th, featuring Ron Hextall.
Today in Hockey History
Ron Hextall Gets Goalie Goal
1987: The Philadelphia Flyers goalie scores the first player at his position to score by shooting into the net. Hextall grabs a lose puck while his team is leading the Boston Bruins, 4-2, in the third period. The Flyers netminder lifts a shot from the left side of his net and it goes into the Bruins’ goal.
New York Islanders goalie Billy Smith was the first goalie credited with a goal. However, he was the last player from his team to touch the puck before a Colorado Rockies back pass went into the net.
Other Notable Events
1931: Boston loses 3-2 to the New York Americans and that ends the team’s 24-game unbeaten streak. The Bruins go 19-0 with five ties during the run.
1974: Toronto Maple Leafs player Norm Ullman becomes the fourth player to get 1,200 points. He reaches the mark with a goal against Tony Esposito in a 4-1 win over the Chicago Black Hawks.
1979: The St. Louis Blues name birthday boy Red Berenson as the team’s new head coach. He replaces Barclay Plager one year after retiring as a player.
1993: Los Angeles Kings forward Jari Kurri becomes the highest-scoring European player in a 6-5 loss to the Florida Panthers. Kurri passes Peter Stastny with a goal ad two assists. The Finn ends his NHL career with 1,398 points.
1997: Toronto plays its 5,000th game in franchise history and gets a 3-0 win over the Dallas Stars. Ed Belfour makes 25 saves and Mats Sundin gets two goals in the Leafs’ milestone game.
1999: Brothers Paul Kariya and Steve Kariya oppose each other for the first time in the pros. Paul gets a goal and Steve hands out an assist in a 2-2 Mighty Ducks of Anaheim tie with the Vancouver Canucks.
2014: New Jersey Devils forward Jaromir Jagr marks his 1,500th career game with a goal and an assist. Jagr powers the Devils to a 2-1 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes.
2017: It’s more brotherly love as P.K. Subban of the Nashville Predators takes on Malcolm Subban of the Vegas Golden Knights. Malcolm makes 41 saves and stops six shootout attempts in Vegas’ 4-3 win.
Happy Birthday to You
1905: Marty Barry
1939: Red Berenson
1944: Ted Irvine
1969: Darrin Shannon
1989: Drew Doughty
1992: Mattias Janmark
1995: Thatcher Demko
