Normally we’d be closing in on the final push of the 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 March 11th, featuring Phil Esposito.
Today in Hockey History
Phil Esposito Scores 60th Goal of Season
1971: The Boston Bruins forward breaks Bobby Hull’s single-season mark for goals with a pair in a 7-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings. Esposito beats Denis DeJordy for a pair of goals to get to the milestone.
John Bucyk breaks another one of Hull’s marks with two goals of his own. The markers help him get to 99 points, which helps him surpass Hull’s record for most points by a left wing in a single season.
Other Notable Events
1918: The Toronto Arenas top the Montreal Canadiens 7-3 in the first all-NHL Stanley Cup playoff game at Mutual Street Arena. Harry Meeking nets a hat trick in Toronto’s victory witnessed by 4,000 people.
1930: Cooney Weiland gets a hat trick as Boston extends its record home winning streak to 20 games with a 4-3 win over the Chicago Blackhawks.
1934: The Montreal Maroons set an NHL record by scoring four goals in the 10-minute overtime period in a 7-3 victory over the New York Rangers. Overtime periods didn’t go to sudden death until OT returned for the 1983-84 season.
1937: Bruins forward Milt Schmidt scores his first two NHL goals in a 6-2 win over the Blackhawks.
1951: Detroit Red Wings goalie Terry Sawchuk gets his record-setting 39th win in a single season. George Gee’s three goals power Sawchuk to his 10th shutout of the season.
1986: New York Islanders forward Mike Bossy scores four goals to get to 50 for the ninth straight season. Bossy’s 36th career hat trick leads the Isles to an 8-4 win over the Calgary Flames.
1987: Edmonton Oilers star Wayne Gretzky reaches 1,500 points with a goal and three assists in their 6-3 victory over Detroit.
1997: The Canadiens play their final game in the vaunted Montreal Forum. Andrei Kovalenko scores the final goal in the building’s history in a 4-1 win over the Dallas Stars.
1998: Colorado Avalanche goalie Patrick Roy becomes the active leader in wins with 376 in a 3-2 win over the St. Louis Blues.
2001: Colorado defenseman Ray Bourque becomes the third player in NHL history to appear in 1,600 games.
Happy Birthday to You
1890: Sprague Cleghorn
1907: Earl Robinson
1924: Bill Ezinicki
1943: Bob Plager
1957: Tom Gorence
1967: Bill Houlder
1966: Ken Baumgartner
1971: Martin Rucinsky
1976: Nils Ekman
1977: Michal Handzus
1985: Paul Bissonnette
1996: Conor Garland
1997: Travis Konecny
