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 February 7th featuring Darryl Sittler.
Today in Hockey History
Darryl Sittler Records 10 Points
1976: The Toronto Maple Leafs forward has the greatest offensive performance in a single game. Sittler gets six goals and four assists in a 10-point night in an 11-4 home win over the Boston Bruins. The Toronto captain blows past Montreal Canadiens great Maurice Richard‘s record of eight points.
Sittler sets up two goals by Borje Salming and goals by Ian Turnbull and Lanny McDonald in the victory at Maple Leaf Gardens.
Other Notable Events
1933: Montreal goalie George Hainsworth gets his 71st career shutout in a 2-0 win over Toronto. He moves past Alec Connell for first place on the all-time shutout list.
1956: Detroit Red Wings winger Gordie Howe becomes the third player in league history to net 300 career goals. He scores a power-play goal in a 3-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks to reach the milestone.
1965: Howe becomes the first player to score 100 goals against every team with a goal against the Canadiens. Detroit routs Montreal for a 6-0 home victory.
1971: Chicago’s Bobby Hull ties Richard on the all-tome goal-scoring list with his 544th career goal in a 1-0 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins.
1985: New York Islanders forward Mike Bossy records his 33rd career hat trick in a 7-5 win over the New York Rangers. Bossy breaks Phil Esposito‘s record for most career hat tricks as well.
1989: Los Angeles Kings centre Wayne Gretzky returns to Edmonton and has an MVP performance at the All-Star Game. He has a goal and two assists in a 9-5 Campbell Conference victory.
1995: Pittsburgh’s Joe Mullen becomes the first American-born player to net 1,000 career points. Mullen eclipses the mark with two goals and two assists in a 7-3 win over the Florida Panthers.
1998: The NHL has its busiest day in history to that point with 13 games involving all 26 teams on the eve of the Olympic break. Valeri Bure gets his first career hat trick in Calgary Flames 4-2 win over the Edmonton Oilers.
2019: The League ties a record when eight of the 14 games on the schedule are decided after regulation, matching the mark set on Feb. 22, 2007, and tied on Nov. 27, 2015.
Happy Birthday to You
1947: Ross Lonsberry
1951: Tom Williams
1955: Lee Fogolin
1958: Tim Higgins
1968: Peter Bondra
1969: Yves Racine
1975: Alexandre Daigle
1978: David Aebischer
1990: Steven Stamkos
1991: Ryan O’Reilly; Richard Panik
1996: Aaron Ekblad
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