Pierre Jarry Scored His First 2 NHL Goals Just 8 Seconds Apart

There was plenty of history made at Madison Square Garden on November 21, 1971, when the New York Rangers overwhelmed the California Golden Seals 12-1. The 12 goals remain the most ever scored by the Rangers in a single game, while Jean Ratelle enjoyed the only four-goal game of his NHL career. But buried within the blowout was another unusual piece of Rangers history involving Pierre Jarry.

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Highlights

• New York beat the California Golden Seals 12-1 on November 21, 1971.

• The Rangers scored a franchise-record 12 goals in the game.

• Jean Ratelle recorded the only four-goal game of his NHL career.

• Pierre Jarry scored the first NHL goal of his career in the third period.

• His goal chased Gilles Meloche from the California net.

• Jarry scored again on replacement Lyle Carter just eight seconds later.

• The eight-second span established a Rangers record later tied by Don Maloney.

• Jarry scored only three goals as a Ranger, meaning two came within eight seconds of each other.

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Jarry entered the night still looking for the first goal of his NHL career. He finally got it at 11:03 of the third period, scoring with assists from Walt Tkaczuk and Jim Neilson. It was the fifth of an incredible eight Rangers goals in the final period and pushed New York's lead to 9-1.

That goal also ended the night for California goaltender Gilles Meloche, who had allowed nine goals on 42 shots. Lyle Carter came in to finish the game, but he barely had time to settle into the crease. Just eight seconds after scoring his first NHL goal, Jarry struck again, this time against Carter.

The two goals in eight seconds established a Rangers record that would later be matched by Don Maloney. What makes Jarry's accomplishment even more unusual is that the two goals came against two different goaltenders. Scoring twice in eight seconds is rare enough; doing it against two goalies makes the sequence one of the more curious scoring feats in NHL history.

Remarkably, those two goals accounted for two-thirds of Jarry's entire goal total as a Ranger. He scored just once more for New York before being traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs for Jim Dorey on February 20, 1972.

Jarry went on to appear in 344 NHL regular season games and five playoff contests from 1971-72 through 1977-78 with the Rangers, Maple Leafs, Detroit Red Wings and Minnesota North Stars. He also played 23 WHA games with the Edmonton Oilers in 1977-78 before his professional career came to an end.

Tales from the New York Rangers Locker Room

A collection of the greatest Rangers stories ever told — insider tales featuring legends past and present.

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One Year After His 6 Goal Game, Red Berenson Lit Up The Flyers Again

When hockey fans think of Red Berenson and the Philadelphia Flyers, one game immediately comes to mind: his unforgettable six-goal performance during the 1968-69 season. While that historic night remains one of the greatest individual performances in NHL history, Berenson wasn't finished tormenting Philadelphia.

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Highlights:

• Red Berenson records a hat trick in an 8-0 win over Philadelphia.

• Scored the first goal in all three periods.

• Added an assist for a four-point night.

• Frank St. Marseille contributed five points (2G, 3A).

• Jacques Plante posted a 23-save shutout.

• Berenson finished with 12 points in seven games against the Flyers that season.

• Also assisted on all four Blues goals in a March 1970 victory over Philadelphia

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Less than a year later, on November 1, 1969, the St. Louis Blues star delivered another memorable performance against the Flyers. This time it was "only" a hat trick, but it helped power the Blues to a commanding 8-0 victory at St. Louis Arena. Berenson opened the scoring in every period, netting his third, fourth and fifth goals of the young 1969-70 campaign.

The first two goals came on the power play against Bernie Parent. Bobby Clarke was serving a tripping penalty when Berenson converted the game's opening goal, with assists from Frank St. Marseille and Larry Keenan. Later, after Earl Heiskala picked up an extra minor for elbowing following a fight with Ray Fortin, Berenson struck again with the man advantage. His third goal came just 29 seconds into the final period, beating Doug Favell after Parent had been replaced to start the third.

Berenson wasn't done there. He also picked up a first-period assist on one of Larry Keenan's goals to finish with four points. Frank St. Marseille enjoyed an even bigger offensive explosion, recording two goals and three assists for a five-point evening. In goal, veteran Jacques Plante turned aside all 23 Philadelphia shots to earn the shutout as the Blues completely dominated from start to finish.

Philadelphia simply couldn't find an answer for Berenson during the 1969-70 season. In seven games against the Flyers, he totaled five goals and seven assists for 12 points. His most remarkable playmaking performance came on March 12, 1970, when he assisted on all four St. Louis goals in a 4-2 victory. Although he didn't score that night, Berenson still led both teams with six shots on Bernie Parent, once again proving that few players enjoyed facing the Flyers more than Red Berenson during that era.

The Franchise: St. Louis Blues (A Curated History of the Blues)

A curated history celebrating the St. Louis Blues — their iconic players, historic moments, and lasting impact on hockey culture.

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Dennis Maruk Did Everything He Could In 1986... But The North Stars Fell Short

Dennis Maruk Shines In 1985-86 Playoffs But Can't Help North Stars Out Of 1st Round

Highlights

• Dennis Maruk became the first Washington Capitals player to score 50 and 60 goals in a season.

• Despite his offensive success, Maruk played only 34 NHL playoff games during his career.

• His best postseason performance came with the Minnesota North Stars in the 1985-86 playoffs.

• Minnesota faced the St. Louis Blues in a tightly contested best-of-five opening-round series.

• The Blues advanced in five games, but the North Stars actually outscored St. Louis 20-18 in the series.

• Maruk recorded 13 points (4 goals, 9 assists) and contributed to 65% of Minnesota's goals.

• No other North Stars player recorded more than five points in the series.

• Maruk recorded at least one point in all five playoff games.

• His best performance came in Game 2, when he scored twice and added two assists in Minnesota's 6-2 victory.

• Game 5 marked the final Stanley Cup playoff appearance of Dennis Maruk's NHL career.   

Dennis Maruk is best known for becoming the first player in Washington Capitals history to score both 50 and 60 goals in a season. Despite his offensive brilliance, however, he experienced a career similar to Marcel Dionne's in one respect: limited playoff success. Maruk appeared in just 34 Stanley Cup playoff games during his NHL career.

Nearly half of those postseason games came with the Minnesota North Stars during the 1983-84 playoffs, but his greatest playoff performance arrived two years later in the spring of 1986.

A Closely Contested Norris Division Battle

The North Stars faced the St. Louis Blues in a best-of-five opening-round series after the two Norris Division rivals finished only two points apart in the regular-season standings. The series was every bit as competitive as expected.

Although the Blues won the series in five games, Minnesota actually outscored St. Louis 20-18. Maruk was the driving force behind the North Stars' offense, recording 13 points on four goals and nine assists. He factored into an incredible 65 percent of Minnesota's goals, while no other teammate recorded more than five points.

Maruk's Best Performance

Maruk registered at least one point in all five games, but his finest outing came in Game 2. Minnesota earned a convincing 6-2 victory on home ice to even the series at one game apiece.

He scored twice, added assists on goals by Tony McKegney and Brian Bellows, and finished the night with an outstanding +5 rating.

The Final Playoff Game

The deciding Game 5 ended in a 6-3 victory for the Blues, eliminating the North Stars despite Minnesota's strong offensive showing throughout the series.

Maruk contributed two more assists on goals by Brian Bellows and Ron Wilson in the loss. It would prove to be the final Stanley Cup playoff game of his NHL career, bringing the curtain down on one of the most productive yet often overlooked postseason performances of the 1980s.

Dennis Maruk: Hockey Biography

The story of Dennis Maruk — a prolific scorer whose 60-goal season remains one of the great NHL achievements.

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