Hockey is finally back! Normally we’d be 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 27th featuring Glenn Hall.
Today in Hockey History
Glenn Hall Starts 329th Straight Game
1960: The Chicago Blackhawks goalie appears in a record 329th straight game in a 2-1 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Hall breaks the mark set by Montreal Canadiens great Georges Vezina.
His record streak comes to an end in 1963 after suffering a back injury against the Boston Bruins. Hall appears in 502 consecutive games, which is a streak that spans eight seasons. He enters the Hall of Fame in 1975.
Other Notable Events
1951: Jean Beliveau scores his first goal and gets an assist for Montreal in 4-2 win over Chicago. Beliveau is on an amateur tryout contract and wearing the No. 20 sweater in his second NHL game.
1955: Detroit Red Wings great Gordie Howe fires 19 shots, but New York Rangers goalie Gump Worsley stops all of them in a 3-3 tie. Howe outshoots the entire Rangers’ team, who could only muster 18 against the Red Wings.
1965: Ulf Sterner becomes the first player born in Sweden and the first who trained in Europe to play in an NHL game. Sterner takes the ice for the Rangers in a 5-2 win over the Bruins and doesn’t manage a point in four games. He’s sent back to the minors after that stint, but plays in Sweden until the 1977-78 season.
1982: The Los Angeles Kings set a record by playing in their sixth consecutive tie in a 4-4 draw with the Philadelphia Flyers. Marcel Dionne and Mike Murphy get third-period goals to forge the tie at the Great Western Forum.
1984: Edmonton Oilers centre Wayne Gretzky extends his point streak to a record 51 games. Gretzky gets a goal in the 3-3 tie with the New Jersey Devils at Northlands Coliseum.
1989: Detroit centre Steve Yzerman gets a goal and two assists in his 50th game of the season in an 8-1 rout of Toronto, Yzerman joins Gretzky and Bernie Nicholls as the only players to get 100 points in 50 games or less.
2008: The Eastern Conference can’t hold a 5-1 lead but scores two late goals to defeat the Western Conference 8-7. Carolina Hurricanes Eric Staal gets MVP honours with the tying goal and game-winning assist.
Happy Birthday to You
1940: Terry Harper
1950: Jiri Bubla
1955: Brian Engblom
1967: Dave Manson
1971: Patrice Brisebois
1983: Carlo Colaiacovo; Paulo Colaiacovo
1991: Tim Heed
