Hockey is back! Normally we’d be closing in on the NHL trade deadline for 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 February 26th, featuring Team Sweden taking gold at the 2006 Winter Olympics.
Today in Hockey History
Team Sweden Gets Gold in 2006 Winter Olympics
2006: Sweden edges Scandinavian rival Finland, 3-2, in the Olympic men’s hockey gold medal game in Torino, Italy. Detroit Red Wings defenceman Nicklas Lidstrom scores 10 seconds into the third period to give his home country the gold. New York Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist stops 25 shots, including a huge one on Olli Jokinen.
It’s Sweden’s second all-time gold medal and first since 1992 in Albertville, France when Peter Forsberg made his famous shootout goal.
Other Notable Events
1947: Chicago Blackhawks brothers Doug Bentley and Max Bentley combine for 10 points in a 9-7 win over the Rangers. Doug gets four goals and two assists while Max nets three goals and an assist.
1955: Montreal Canadiens defenceman Doug Harvey dishes out his 41st assist of the season in a 4-1 win over the Boston Bruins. Harvey surpasses Babe Pratt‘s record of most assists by a defenceman in a single season.
1967: The Canadiens get creative in how they get to their game with the Blackhawks with a taxi, a police paddy wagon and a couple of police cruisers. Montreal’s chartered bus doesn’t arrive in time, but find a way to get to the arena for their 2-2 tie with Chicago.
1984: Quebec Nordiques goalie Mario Gosselin is the 16th netminder to get a shutout in his NHL debut. He makes 26 stops in a 5-0 win over the St. Louis Blues.
1989: Pittsburgh Penguins centre Mario Lemieux gets three assists to become the third player with 100 points in a season. He joins Bobby Orr and Wayne Gretzky, but the Pens lose 8-6 to the Hartford Whalers.
1990: Rangers rookie Darren Turcotte gets his second career hat trick in their 6-1 win over the Bruins. It’s the first time since entering the league in 1926 that the Rangers sweep the B’s in a season series.
2001: Mark Messier becomes the fourth player over 40 to have a 20-goal season. However, the Blueshirts lose 3-2 to the Ottawa Senators.
2018: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin passes Calle Johansson for most games played in franchise history with his 984th. Ovechkin scores in a 5-1 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets.
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Happy Birthday to You
1957: Joe Mullen
1966: Marc Fortier
1975: P.J. Axelsson
1977: Marty Reasoner
1992: Mikael Granlund
1993: Barclay Goodrow
1994: Jacob Trouba
2000: Alex Turcotte
