Chuck Lefley’s Shorthanded Game-Winner Caps Canadiens Rout of Red Wings in 1974

On February 15, 1974, the Montreal Canadiens wasted no time electrifying the crowd at the Montreal Forum, jumping on the Detroit Red Wings almost immediately. Just ten seconds into the game, Yvan Cournoyer lit the lamp, beating Detroit goaltender Doug Grant with assists from Chuck Lefley and Guy Lapointe. It was another lightning-fast strike for Cournoyer, who had tied the Canadiens’ franchise record earlier that season with a goal just nine seconds into a game.

Montreal kept the pressure on throughout the opening period, building a commanding lead with a relentless offensive surge. By the late stages of the first, the Canadiens had already piled up four goals, overwhelming Detroit with their speed and precision. Then, in an unusual twist, Cournoyer found himself in the penalty box for a hooking minor at 18:55.

What followed only added to Montreal’s dominance. Just 20 seconds into the penalty kill, Lefley struck shorthanded for his 15th goal of the 1973-74 season, finishing a play set up by Pete Mahovlich. The goal pushed the score to 5-0 and ultimately stood as the game-winner in a wide-open 9-4 Canadiens victory.

The chemistry between Lefley and Cournoyer resurfaced early in the third period. Cournoyer netted his 33rd goal of the season, this time with assists from Lefley and goaltender Wayne Thomas. It was part of a remarkable night for Montreal’s offense, with six players recording three-point performances, including Guy Lafleur, Lapointe, Frank Mahovlich, Pete Mahovlich, and Henri Richard.

Selected sixth overall in the 1970 NHL Amateur Draft, Lefley carved out a solid NHL career spanning over a decade. He appeared in 407 regular season games and added 29 playoff contests between 1970-71 and 1980-81 with the Canadiens and the St. Louis Blues. A two-time Stanley Cup champion, Lefley recorded four 20-goal seasons, highlighted by a career-best 43 goals and 85 points with St. Louis in 1975-76.

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Bobby Hull’s 6-Point Explosion vs. Leafs Help Power Historic 1965-66 Season

During the 1965-66 NHL season, Bobby Hull delivered one of the most dominant offensive performances of his legendary career. The Chicago Blackhawks superstar shattered his own single-season goal record with 54 goals, capturing both the Art Ross Trophy and the Hart Trophy. A significant portion of that success came at the expense of the Toronto Maple Leafs, who struggled to contain “The Golden Jet” all season long.

Hull wasted no time making his presence felt against Toronto, recording a hat trick in the season opener. But it was his unforgettable six-point performance later in the year that truly stood out. Across 14 games versus the Leafs, Hull piled up an incredible 21 points, scoring 11 goals and adding 10 assists in a display of pure offensive dominance.

On November 7, 1965, the Blackhawks, still undefeated, hosted Toronto at the iconic Chicago Stadium. The game quickly turned into a rout, as Chicago stormed out to a 5-0 lead after just one period. Hull set the tone early, assisting on a goal by Phil Esposito, which stood as the game-winner, and later adding another helper on a shorthanded tally by Chico Maki.

The second period saw Hull take over offensively. He scored twice against legendary goaltender Terry Sawchuk, with assists from Esposito, Stan Mikita, and Pierre Pilote. In between those goals, Hull added yet another assist, this time on Mikita’s second goal of the season, bringing his point total to five through two periods.

Hull capped off his incredible night in the third period, scoring his third goal of the game at 12:55 to complete the hat trick and reach six points. He led all skaters with eight shots on goal, showcasing his relentless attack. Meanwhile, Glenn Hall was equally impressive in net, turning aside 40 shots to secure the shutout in a dominant 9-0 victory.

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A One-Man Offense: Eddie Joyal’s Hat Trick Heroics with the 1968-69 Los Angeles Kings

During the 1968-69 NHL season, Eddie Joyal delivered the finest offensive campaign of his career, leading the Los Angeles Kings with 33 goals. Among those tallies were the only two hat tricks of his NHL career, both remarkable performances in which Joyal accounted for every bit of offense his team produced.

The first came on December 4, 1968, when the Kings hosted the Philadelphia Flyers at the Forum. Philadelphia opened the scoring early in the first period, but Joyal responded with a game-tying goal, his seventh of the season, beating Bernie Parent with assists from Bill White and Real Lemieux. The game remained deadlocked until the third period, when Joyal took over completely.

He broke the tie midway through the final frame with an unassisted marker, then sealed the victory with another goal late in the period to complete the hat trick and secure a 3-1 win for Los Angeles. Joyal led all players with seven shots on goal in the contest, while Kings goaltender Gerry Desjardins turned aside all but one of the 14 shots he faced.

Joyal’s second hat trick came on February 19, 1969, in a road game against the Minnesota North Stars. Once again, he was the driving force offensively, scoring three goals, his 25th, 26th, and 27th of the season, and adding an assist on a Bill Flett goal. Despite his efforts, the Kings fell 7-4 in a high-scoring affair. Joyal fired eight shots on goal, matching Minnesota’s Bill Goldsworthy, who also had a big night for the home side.

Over the course of his NHL career, Joyal appeared in 465 games between 1962-63 and 1971-72, skating with the Detroit Red Wings, Toronto Maple Leafs, Los Angeles Kings, and Philadelphia Flyers. He later extended his professional career in the WHA, playing 239 regular-season games and adding six playoff appearances with the Edmonton Oilers.

Stories From The Epic History Of NHL Hockey (Volume IV)

Dive into unforgettable tales from NHL history — the biggest moments, legendary players, and classic rivalries.

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