Darcy Rota Lights the Lamp in His First NHL Game

Darcy Rota arrived in the NHL with serious scoring credentials. Drafted 13th overall by the Chicago Blackhawks in the first round of the 1973 NHL Amateur Draft, he was fresh off a massive 73-goal season with the Edmonton Oil Kings. While he would never match those junior numbers at the NHL level, his career high was 42 goals with Vancouver in 1982-83, Rota wasted no time proving he belonged among the pros.

His NHL debut came on October 10, 1973, when the Blackhawks opened their season on the road against the Los Angeles Kings at the famed Forum. The matchup featured two elite goaltenders in Tony Esposito and Rogie Vachon, and for most of the night, both lived up to their reputations. All three goals came in a tight eight-and-a-half-minute stretch of the second period: J.P. Bordeleau opened the scoring at 5:35, Dennis Hull added another at 7:40, and Rota capped the run at 14:13, marking his first NHL goal in his first NHL game and helping seal a 3-0 Chicago win.

Rota’s milestone goal was one of four shots he fired at Vachon that night, with Cliff Koroll and Stan Mikita picking up the assists. It was the first of 21 goals he scored during his rookie campaign, where he totaled 33 points in 74 games. He added three more goals in the postseason, including his first playoff goal, also against the Kings, in his very first playoff game.

Across his NHL career from 1973-74 through 1983-84, Rota was a reliable and consistent scorer. Playing 794 regular-season games and 60 playoff contests with Chicago, Atlanta, and Vancouver, he finished with 256 goals and recorded nine 20-goal seasons. His debut goal was just the opening chapter of a career defined by steady production and timely scoring.

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NHL Hockey Trivia: Darcy Rota

Much more NHL hockey trivia can be found at our website: World's Best Hockey Trivia

1. Which team drafted Darcy Rota 13th overall in the 1973 NHL Amateur Draft?

Chicago Blackhawks
Atlanta Flames
Vancouver Canucks
Detroit Red Wings

2. Darcy Rota scored his first NHL goal against which goaltender?

Rogie Vachon
Bernie Parent
Ken Dryden
Tony Esposito

3. How many 20-goal seasons did Darcy Rota record in his NHL career?

Nine
Five
Eleven
Seven

4. With which team did Darcy Rota record his NHL career-high 42-goal season?

Vancouver Canucks
Chicago Blackhawks
Atlanta Flames
Winnipeg Jets

5. How many regular season goals did Darcy Rota finish with in his NHL career?

256
198
311
227

How Gump Worsley Became Part of Bobby Orr’s First NHL Milestone

Bobby Orr’s legend didn’t take long to spark. After notching an assist in his NHL debut, the Boston Bruins’ rookie phenom waited only two more games before lighting the lamp for the first time. The date: October 23, 1966. The setting: a packed Boston Garden ready to witness the beginning of something special.

The Montreal Canadiens entered the third period with a 2-1 lead, but momentum flipped at 4:13, when Orr ripped home an unassisted goal to tie the game 2-2. It was one of three shots he fired at veteran netminder Gump Worsley, who, unfortunately for him, became the answer to a great hockey trivia question: Who allowed Bobby Orr’s first NHL goal?

Boston couldn’t complete the comeback. Jean-Guy Talbot scored the late game-winner at 17:55, a shorthanded tally against Eddie Johnston while Jim Roberts sat for tripping. Earlier, Pit Martin had given Boston its first goal on a power play in the opening period.

For Orr, though, the night marked the start of a remarkable scoring journey. He finished his rookie year with 13 goals, capturing the Calder Trophy, and ultimately produced 270 career goals across 657 games, despite injuries cutting his career short. His peak came in 1974-75, when he scored an incredible 46 goals from the blue line. He added 26 playoff goals and helped bring two Stanley Cups to Boston.

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NHL Hockey Trivia: Bobby Orr's Rookie Season

Much more NHL hockey trivia can be found at our website: World's Best Hockey Trivia

1. How many goals did Bobby Orr score during his Calder Trophy–winning rookie season?

9
13
17

2. Orr recorded his first NHL point (an assist) in which type of game?

His NHL debut
His third NHL game
His first road game

3. Which goaltender allowed Bobby Orr’s first NHL goal?

Eddie Giacomin
Gump Worsley
Glenn Hall

4. Which Boston Bruins teammate scored the team’s first goal in the game where Orr scored his first?

Johnny Bucyk
Eddie Shack
Pit Martin

5. How many points did Bobby Orr finish with in his rookie season?

34
41
48

Oilers Crush Devils with Three Hat Tricks in Chaotic 1983 Blowout

On November 19, 1983, the Edmonton Oilers delivered one of the wildest offensive eruptions in franchise history and sparked Wayne Gretzky’s legendary “Mickey Mouse organization” quip toward the New Jersey Devils. The Devils entered Northlands Coliseum with a brutal 2-17 record, and although they opened each period with a goal, this was never going to be their miracle turnaround night.

Edmonton rolled to a 13-4 win, and for only the second time in the modern NHL, three players from one team recorded hat tricks in the same game. One of them even went beyond that.

Gretzky, Kurri & Lindstrom Run Wild

Wayne Gretzky put on an eight-point show, three goals and five assists, marking the first of his two career eight-point outings. Only 14 such performances exist in NHL history.

Jari Kurri delivered the night’s biggest explosion with five goals and one assist for six points. Willy Lindstrom completed the rare trifecta with three goals and one assist, including a helper on Kurri’s opening goal.

A Rough Night in the Devils’ Crease

The Devils’ goaltending tandem took a pounding:

Ron Low: 8 goals allowed on 22 shots

Chico Resch: 5 goals allowed on 15 shots

Even Edmonton’s Grant Fuhr had a shaky evening, giving up four goals on just 22 shots, though he certainly had more offensive support than he needed.

The Aftermath: Devils Push Back

Gretzky’s sharp postgame criticism didn’t go unnoticed. In their two remaining 1983-84 meetings, New Jersey came out far stronger:

Jan 15, 1984 – Oilers barely win 5-4

Jan 27, 1984 – Devils rally from 3-0 down to earn a 3-3 tie

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NHL Hockey Trivia: 1983-84 Edmonton Oilers

Much more NHL hockey trivia can be found at our website: World's Best Hockey Trivia

1. Which Edmonton Oiler led the NHL in scoring during the 1983-84 season?
Wayne Gretzky
Mark Messier
Jari Kurri
Glenn Anderson

2. Who scored the Stanley Cup–winning goal for the Oilers in the 1984 Final?
Paul Coffey
Ken Linseman
Charlie Huddy
Dave Hunter

3. Which defenseman won the Norris Trophy during the 1983-84 season?
Charlie Huddy
Paul Coffey
Randy Gregg
Kevin Lowe

4. Which Oiler scored 50 goals for the first time in his career during 1983-84?
Wayne Gretzky
Jari Kurri
Glenn Anderson
Mark Messier

5. Which goaltender earned the majority of starts for the Oilers in 1983-84?
Andy Moog
Grant Fuhr
Ron Low
Bruce Nicholson