Normally we’d be in the closing in on the mid-way point of the regular season, however, 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 January 6th, featuring Jacques Plante.
Today in Hockey History
Jacques Plante Gets 300th Win
1963: The Montreal Canadiens goalie is the first netminder in team history to win 300 games. Plante backstops the Habs to a 6-0 shutout win over the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden. He finished with 314 wins in the crease for Montreal.
Plante finishes his career with 437 NHL victories and ended his career with the Edmonton Oilers in the WHA. He enters the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1978 after winning six Stanley Cups.
Other Notable Events
1942: Fans were asked to return any stray pucks that went out of play during the Boston Bruins and Chicago Blackhawks game. The announcement was made due to a shortage of rubber due to World War II.
1962: Toronto Maple Leafs goalie Johnny Bower is the fourth goalie to win franchise history to win 100 games. He leads Toronto to a 6-3 win over Chicago.
1980: The Philadelphia Flyers get goals from Bill Barber and Rick MacLeish to help extend their unbeaten streak to 35 games. Philadelphia beats the Buffalo Sabres, 4-2, to go 25-0 with 10 ties.
1981: John Tonelli scores a team-record five goals as the New York Islanders beat the Maple Leafs, 6-3. Mike Bossy also sets a team record by assisting on all six goals.
1993: Wayne Gretzky of the Los Angeles Kings makes his season debut and appears in his 1,000th career game. He returns after a back injury in a 6-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
2000: Larry Murphy of the Detroit Red Wings becomes the third defenceman to get 900 career assists. He gets two helpers in a 5-2 win over the Nashville Predators.
2002: Nikolai Khabibulin gets his sixth shutout of the season in a 3-0 win over the Phoenix Coyotes. The Russian breaks a franchise record held by Daren Puppa during the 1995-96 season.
2015: Colorado Avalanche goalie Semyon Varlamov stops 54 shots in a 2-0 win at Chicago. It’s the most saves in a road shutout since shots were an official statistic in 1955-56.
New Jersey Devils forward Patrik Elias gets 600 assists and 1,000 career points with two assists in a 4-2 win over Buffalo.
2018: Rangers goalie Henrik Ludqvist passes Tony Esposito with his 424th win in a 5-4 victory over the Coyotes.
Happy Birthday to You
1907: Carl Voss
1931: Dickie Moore
1959: Keith Crowder
1960: Paul Reinhart
1976: Richard Zednik
1994: Brett Kulak
1995: Will Butcher
