Normally we’d be in the midst of starting up another hockey season now, but 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 November 22nd, featuring the first Heritage Classic.
Today in Hockey History
Canadiens Take First Heritage Classic
2003: The Montreal Canadiens top the Edmonton Oilers, 4-3, in front of 57,167 fans at Commonwealth Stadium. It’s the first outdoor hockey game in the 86-year history of the NHL. Richard Zednik and Yanic Perreault each score twice to power the Habs to victory.
The weekend is billed as a celebration of hockey with an alumni game between greats from the two teams. Current New York Rangers player Mark Messier gets permission to part of Edmonton’s 2-0 win.
Other Notable Events
1927: The Ottawa Senators beat the Detroit Cougars (later Detroit Red Wings), 2-1, in the first game at Olympia Stadium. Detroit plays their home games at the arena until moving to Joe Louis Arena in 1979.
1930: The Toronto Maple Leafs are the first team to open the season with five straight shutouts. Lorne Chabot is in net to help the Leafs to a 2-0 win over the Senators.
1962: Toronto’s Red Kelly is the third player to play in 1,000 NHL games.Kelly plays in a total of 1,316 games split between Detroit and Toronto.
1970: Chicago Black Hawks forward Bobby Hull gets a hat trick and Tony Esposito gets his 20th shutout in a 9-0 rout of the Oakland Seals.
Ken Hodge scores twice as the Boston Bruins start a 26-game home winning streak with a 4-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins.
1986: Wayne Gretzky scores three goals to reach the 500-goal mark in Edmonton’s 5-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks. Gretzky gets it done in 575 games, which is the fastest that feat has been done. He enters the Hockey Hall of Fame exactly 13 years later.
1999: Atlanta Thrashers rookie Dean Sylvester gets the first three goals of his career in a 6-3 victory over Vancouver. It’s the first hat trick in Thrashers’ franchise history.
2016: New York Islanders defenceman Nick Leddy ends a long shootout in the 14th round with a goal to beat the Anaheim Ducks, 3-2. It’s the longest shootout in the history of both teams.
2017: The Vegas Golden Knights beat Anaheim, 4-2, to set a record for most wins for a team in the first 20 games of its inaugural season. Vegas goes 13-6-1 in its first 20 games.
Happy Birthday to You
1941: Jacques Laperrière
1943: Yvan Cournoyer; Bert Marshall
1973: Cassie Campbell
1992: Vladislav Namestnikov
1998: Casey Mittelstadt
