Jerry Toppazzini’s Shorthanded Magic Begins Against Terry Sawchuk

Jerry Toppazzini developed into one of the NHL’s most dangerous penalty killers during his years with the Boston Bruins. Of his 163 career NHL goals, 22 came while his team was shorthanded. His finest season in that department came in 1957-58, when Toppazzini led the NHL with eight shorthanded goals, a league record at the time. Add two shorthanded assists, and 10 of his 48 points that season came while Boston was killing a penalty.

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Highlights

• Jerry Toppazzini scored 22 shorthanded goals during his NHL career.

• He led the NHL with a then-record eight SHG in 1957-58.

• His first came against Terry Sawchuk and Detroit on November 10, 1957.

• Toppazzini scored just 15 seconds after Boston went shorthanded.

• He finished that 4-2 Bruins victory with one goal and two assists.

• Toppazzini struck shorthanded against Sawchuk again on Christmas Day.

• His eight SHG broke Cecil Dillon’s previous NHL record of six.

• The Bruins record lasted until Brian Rolston scored nine in 2001-02.

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The first of those eight goals came on November 10, 1957, when the Bruins hosted the Detroit Red Wings at Boston Garden. Early in the second period, Boston defenseman Fern Flaman was sent off for tripping at 1:45. Detroit’s power play lasted only 15 seconds before Toppazzini turned the tables, beating legendary Red Wings goaltender Terry Sawchuk for a shorthanded goal. Fleming Mackell picked up the assist.

Toppazzini wasn’t finished. He added two assists in the game, including a helper on Don McKenney’s game-winning goal as Boston defeated Detroit 4-2. It was an early glimpse of just how dangerous the Bruins could be with Toppazzini on the ice, even when they were supposed to be at a disadvantage.

Detroit and Sawchuk got another look at Toppazzini’s penalty-killing ability when the Red Wings returned to Boston Garden on Christmas Day. With the Bruins facing a five-on-three disadvantage, they survived the first penalty before Allan Stanley scored just three seconds after it expired, with Toppazzini earning an assist. Fleming Mackell was still in the penalty box, leaving Boston shorthanded, when Toppazzini struck again just 59 seconds later. This time he scored unassisted on Sawchuk, giving him two points during the same penalty-killing sequence. Boston went on to win 4-1.

Toppazzini finished 1957-58 with eight shorthanded goals, surpassing the previous NHL record of six set by Cecil Dillon of the New York Rangers in 1934-35. His eight also remained the Boston Bruins single-season record for more than four decades. It finally fell in 2001-02 when Brian Rolston scored nine shorthanded goals, although Rolston had the benefit of an 82-game schedule compared with Toppazzini’s 64-game NHL season.

For Toppazzini, the November 10 goal against Sawchuk was simply the beginning of a remarkable season. By year’s end, few players in hockey were more dangerous when their own team was a man short.

Mucking in the Corners: Unearthing the 1970s' Quirkiest Hockey Tales

Dig into the wonderfully strange side of 1970s hockey with a collection of quirky stories, forgotten characters, unusual moments, and offbeat tales from one of the game’s most colorful decades.

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Doug Jarrett’s Rare Goal Becomes a Shorthanded Game-Winner

Doug Jarrett was never known for putting up big offensive numbers from the blue line. The steady Chicago Blackhawks defenseman scored just 38 goals over 775 NHL regular season games. But on March 17, 1968, Jarrett made one of his rare goals count, scoring the game-winner in a victory over the Oakland Seals at Chicago Stadium.

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Highlights

• Doug Jarrett scored just four goals during the 1967-68 season.

• His fourth and final goal came on March 17, 1968 against the Oakland Seals.

• Jarrett scored the goal shorthanded with Gilles Marotte serving a penalty.

• Chico Maki assisted on Jarrett’s game-winning goal.

• Jarrett also assisted on Bobby Hull’s opening goal at 1:39 of the first period.

• He finished with a goal, an assist and a team-leading +3 rating.

• Jarrett recorded three of Chicago’s 32 shots on Gary Smith.

• He finished his NHL career with 38 goals in 775 regular season games.

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Jarrett was involved in the offense almost immediately. Just 1:39 into the opening period, Bobby Hull beat Oakland goaltender Gary Smith to give Chicago an early lead, with Jarrett picking up an assist. Later in the period, Gilles Marotte was sent to the penalty box for high sticking, putting the Blackhawks a man down.

Instead of Oakland taking advantage, Jarrett struck shorthanded. At 15:41 of the first period, he scored his fourth goal of the 1967-68 season with Chico Maki assisting. The goal ultimately stood as the game-winner and was also Jarrett’s final goal of the season.

Jarrett finished the night with three of Chicago’s 32 shots on Smith and led the Blackhawks with a +3 rating. Jarrett, Hull and Maki each contributed a goal and an assist. At the other end, Dave Dryden turned aside 22 of Oakland’s 23 shots to secure the victory.

The goal was a memorable offensive moment in an NHL career built much more around dependable defense. Jarrett played 775 regular season games and another 99 playoff contests between 1964-65 and 1976-77 with the Chicago Blackhawks and New York Rangers. His association with Chicago stretched back even further, beginning in the organization as a junior with the St. Catharines Teepees in 1960-61.

The Big 50: Chicago Blackhawks (The Men and Moments that Made the Chicago Blackhawks)

Relive the greatest players, personalities, and turning points in Blackhawks history in this countdown of the 50 most influential figures and moments that shaped the franchise.

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Philadelphia Outscores Pittsburgh 19-2 In Two 1977-78 Early-Season Meetings

The Pittsburgh Penguins faced their cross-state rival Philadelphia Flyers twice over their first five games of the 1977-78 NHL season. Neither meeting went remotely according to plan for Pittsburgh. The Penguins were beaten 8-2 at home in the first matchup before suffering an even more lopsided 11-0 loss at the Spectrum. Through it all, goaltender Dunc Wilson remained in the Pittsburgh net, facing an incredible 90 shots over the two games.

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Highlights

• Pittsburgh faced Philadelphia twice over its first five games of 1977-78.

• The Flyers won the two games by scores of 8-2 and 11-0.

• Dunc Wilson played every minute in net for Pittsburgh.

• Wilson faced a combined 90 shots over the two losses.

• Bobby Clarke recorded five points in the first game and four in the second.

• Philadelphia outscored Pittsburgh 19-2 across the two meetings.

• Bernie Parent made 20 saves for the shutout in the 11-0 victory.

• Wilson played 287 NHL games but never appeared in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

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It was a dramatic change of fortune for Wilson after a strong 1976-77 season. He had posted a 2.95 goals-against average and recorded five shutouts, tying Philadelphia's Bernie Parent for third in the NHL. A year later, Wilson appeared in just 21 games for Pittsburgh, finishing with a 4.84 GAA and no shutouts. Over his NHL career, he played 287 regular-season games between 1969-70 and 1978-79 with the Flyers, Vancouver Canucks, Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers and Penguins, but never appeared in a playoff game.

In the first meeting with Philadelphia, Wilson stopped 28 of the 36 shots he faced in an 8-2 defeat. Bobby Clarke powered the Flyers with a goal and four assists for a five-point night, while Bob Kelly contributed two goals and an assist. Tom Bladon added a shorthanded goal and Ross Lonsberry was credited with the game winner as Philadelphia overwhelmed the Penguins.

Things became even more difficult in the rematch at the Spectrum. Philadelphia fired 54 shots at Wilson and rolled to an 11-0 victory. Clarke once again led the attack, recording a goal and three assists. Bob Kelly, Orest Kindrachuk, Rick Lapointe, Reg Leach and Jimmy Watson each finished with three points as the Flyers spread the offense throughout the lineup.

Only Bob Dailey, Gary Dornhoefer, Paul Holmgren and Joe Watson failed to record a point among Philadelphia's skaters in the 11-goal outburst. At the other end, Bernie Parent needed to make just 20 saves to earn the shutout. Over the two games, Philadelphia outscored Pittsburgh 19-2 and fired 90 shots at Wilson, a brutal early-season introduction to the Flyers for the Penguins and their goaltender.

The Pittsburgh Penguins: The First 25 Years

A nostalgic look back at the first quarter-century of Penguins history, highlighting the players, milestones, and moments that shaped the franchise from its early beginnings.

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