{"id":72818,"date":"2020-04-08T09:32:52","date_gmt":"2020-04-08T13:32:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonhockey.com\/?p=72818"},"modified":"2025-12-01T20:19:10","modified_gmt":"2025-12-02T01:19:10","slug":"today-in-hockey-history-phil-esposito-powers-boston-bruins","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/2020\/04\/08\/today-in-hockey-history-phil-esposito-powers-boston-bruins\/","title":{"rendered":"Today in Hockey History: Phil Esposito Powers Boston Bruins"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">During the NHL\u2019s hiatus, we at the Last Word on Hockey are going to look back at each date\u2019s historical <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">significance<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> to the game. We\u2019ll <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">remember the moments that shaped the sport of hockey that happened on this day. Here\u2019s our look at this date in hockey history for April 8th, featuring <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/e\/esposph01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Phil Esposito<\/a><\/strong>.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Today in Hockey History<\/h2>\n<h3><a href=\"http:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/e\/esposph01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Phil Esposito<\/a> Leads Bruins Barrage<\/h3>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Phil Esposito was record-setting goal scorer\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/NWV7PlS2t_I?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>1970:<\/strong> The <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonhockey.com\/nhl-teams\/bruins\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Boston Bruins<\/a> forward scores three goals and doles out two assists in a Game 1 quarterfinal final. Boston would score five goals in 10:21 and two shorthanded goals in 44 seconds. The Bruins would rout the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonhockey.com\/nhl-teams\/rangers\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">New York Rangers<\/a> 8-2 on their way to a four games to two series win.<\/p>\n<p>Esposito and the Bruins would win the Stanley Cup to be the first American team to do so since 1961. Boston would sweep the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonhockey.com\/nhl-teams\/blues\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">St. Louis Blues<\/a> in four straight with <a href=\"http:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/o\/orrbo01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Bobby Orr<\/a>&#8216;s iconic overtime-goal.<\/p>\n<h3>Other Notable Events<\/h3>\n<p><strong>1961: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/h\/howego01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Gordie Howe<\/a><\/strong> of the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonhockey.com\/nhl-teams\/red-wings\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Detroit Red Wings<\/a> sets a post-season record for assists with 61. Howe has two helpers in the Wings&#8217; 3-1 win over the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonhockey.com\/nhl-teams\/blackhawks\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Chicago Blackhawks<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>1971:<\/strong> The<a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonhockey.com\/nhl-teams\/canadiens\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> Montreal Canadiens<\/a> rally from four goals down to beat Boston, 7-5, in Game 2 of the quarterfinals. <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/r\/richahe01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Henri Richard<\/a>&#8216;<\/strong>s goal starts the Habs&#8217; rally to even the series.<\/p>\n<p><strong>1973: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/g\/giacoed01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Ed Giacomin<\/a><\/strong> gets only playoff shutout in a 33-save effort in the Rangers 4-0 win over the Bruins in Game 4 of the quarterfinals.<\/p>\n<p><strong>1980:<\/strong> Howe makes the post-season for the 20th year in the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonhockey.com\/nhl-teams\/hurricanes\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Hartford Whalers<\/a> 6-1 loss to the Canadiens.<\/p>\n<p><strong>1982: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/l\/leinomi01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Mikko Leinonen<\/a><\/strong> sets a record with six assists in the Rangers&#8217; 7-3 win over the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonhockey.com\/nhl-teams\/flyers\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Philadelphia Flyers<\/a>. New York evens the Patrick Division semifinal series at one.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/h\/hawerda01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Dale Hawerchuk<\/a><\/strong> supplies four assists as the<a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonhockey.com\/nhl-teams\/coyotes\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> Winnipeg Jets<\/a> win their first playoff game in club history. Winnipeg beats St. Louis 5-2 in Game 2 of the Norris Division semi series.<\/p>\n<p><strong>1996: <\/strong>The Jets unveil their new logo and will go by the Phoenix Coyotes after they relocate to Arizona for the next season.<\/p>\n<p><strong>2000:<\/strong> Toronto cracks 100 points in a season for the first time in a 4-2 win against the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonhockey.com\/nhl-teams\/lightning\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Tampa Bay Lightning.<\/a> The Leafs are the last Original Six team to reach that milestone.<\/p>\n<p><strong>2014:<\/strong> <strong>Mike Babcock<\/strong> becomes the winningest coach in Red Wings&#8217; history with his 414th victory. Detroit beats the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonhockey.com\/nhl-teams\/sabres\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Buffalo Sabres,<\/a> 4-2, as Babcock passes <a href=\"http:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/a\/adamsja01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Jack Adams<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3>Happy Birthday to You<\/h3>\n<p><strong>1960: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/r\/richtda01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Dave Richter<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>1993: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/a\/arvidvi01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Viktor Arvidsson<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>1995: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/c\/comphj.01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">J.T. Compher<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lastwordonhockey.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/11\/2018\/07\/502543599-594x594.jpg\" alt=\"\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>During the NHL\u2019s hiatus, we at the Last Word on Hockey are going to look back at each date\u2019s historical significance to the game. We\u2019ll remember the moments that shaped the sport of hockey that happened on this day. Here\u2019s our look at this date in hockey history for April 8th, featuring Phil Esposito. Today [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2352,"featured_media":32848,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5,8245,6331],"tags":[2118,90,2103,2245,757,3534,2015,231,4819,2115,1143],"class_list":["post-72818","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bruins","category-history","category-today-in-hockey-history","tag-bobby-orr","tag-boston-bruins","tag-dale-hawerchuk","tag-ed-giacomin","tag-gordie-howe","tag-hockey-history","tag-j-t-compher","tag-mike-babcock","tag-mikko-leinonen","tag-phil-esposito","tag-viktor-arvidsson"],"modified_by":"Michael Kovacs, ADMIN","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/72818","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2352"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=72818"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/72818\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":479042,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/72818\/revisions\/479042"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/32848"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=72818"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=72818"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=72818"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}