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 21st, featuring Martin Brodeur.
Today in Hockey History
Martin Brodeur Gets 104th Shutout
2009: The New Jersey Devils goaltender gets the league-record for shutouts with his 104th. He makes 35 saves in a 4-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Brodeur breaks a tie with Hall of Fame goalie Terry Sawchuk.
The Montreal native achieves the record in his 1,032nd game, which were all played with the Devils. He also gets his 580th career victory with the shutout of the Penguins. Brodeur retires in 2015 and enters the Hall of Fame in 2018.
Other Notable Events
1947: Paul Thompson of the Chicago Blackhawks is the first player to score against his brother Tiny Thompson of the Boston Bruins. Tiny gets the last laugh as Boston wins, 2-1.
1972: Boston’s Bobby Orr gets his 541st point, which is a record for defencemen. He gets an assist in an 8-1 rout of the Detroit Red Wings to pass Montreal Canadiens blueliner Doug Harvey.
1975: The Buffalo Sabres set a team-record for goals scored with a 14-2 drubbing of the Washington Capitals. Rick Martin scores four goals for Buffalo, Fred Stanfield gets three and Danny Gare finishes with five points.
1991: Buffalo’s Alexander Mogilny ties Doug Smail‘s and Bryan Trottier‘s record for fastest goal to start a game. Mogilny scores five seconds into a 4-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Los Angles Kings star Wayne Gretzky passes another Kings great for second on the all-time list. Gretzky scores his 732nd goal to pass Marcel Dionne in a 5-2 loss to the Red Wings.
2014: Philadelphia Flyers goalie Rob Zepp wins his debut when Jakub Voracek scores 10 seconds into OT. The 33-year-old is the oldest to win his debut since Hugh Lehman in 1926. Philadelphia beats the Winnipeg Jets, 4-3.
2017: Ken Hitchcock becomes the third coach to win 800 games as the Dallas Stars beat the Blackhawks, 4-0. Scotty Bowman and Joel Quenneville are the other two coaches to reach that mark.
Anaheim Ducks defenceman Hampus Lindholm becomes the first defender in team history to get a hat trick. He caps the three-goal night with 57 seconds left in a 5-4 win over the New York Islanders.
Happy Birthday to You
1885: Frank Patrick
1956: Peter Marsh
1964: Joe Kocur
1978: Petr Sykora
1979: Steve Montador
1992: Jamie Oleksiak
1993: Cody Ceci; Alex Iafallo; Malcolm Subban
1997: Charlie McAvoy
