Steve Kasper Scores Twice on the Same Penalty Kill Against Toronto

The Toronto Maple Leafs had an early power play. Steve Kasper turned it into a two-goal lead for the Boston Bruins. On January 9, 1985, at Maple Leaf Gardens, Kasper scored two unassisted shorthanded goals just 50 seconds apart, with both coming before the game was three minutes old.

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Highlights

• Boston defeated Toronto 5–3 at Maple Leaf Gardens on January 9, 1985.

• Steve Kasper scored shorthanded at 1:57 and 2:47 of the first period.

• Both goals were unassisted and came during Frank Simonetti’s interference minor.

• Rick St. Croix was replaced after allowing two goals on two shots.

• Tim Bernhardt stopped 37 of 40 shots in relief.

• The game’s first three goals were scored shorthanded.

• Russ and Geoff Courtnall both scored in their first NHL meeting.

• Butch Goring scored the eventual winning goal.

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Boston defenceman Frank Simonetti went to the penalty box for interference at 0:55 of the first period. Kasper opened the scoring at 1:57, beating Toronto goaltender Rick St. Croix. With Simonetti still serving the same minor, Kasper struck again at 2:47. St. Croix had faced only two shots, and both had found the net. Toronto replaced him with Tim Bernhardt.

Kasper had already established his defensive credentials by winning the Selke Trophy in 1981–82. This time, his penalty killing provided Boston’s early offence. Bernhardt gave the Maple Leafs a chance to recover, stopping 37 of the 40 shots he faced over the remaining 57:13.

Remarkably, the game’s third goal was also scored shorthanded. With Toronto’s Bob McGill off for holding, Russ Courtnall beat Pete Peeters at 18:34, assisted by Dan Daoust. Al Iafrate then tied the game with just 14 seconds remaining in the opening period. After Kasper’s stunning start, the teams went to the dressing rooms even at 2–2.

Toronto briefly moved ahead when Rick Vaive scored 49 seconds into the second period. Boston answered through Ken Linseman at 3:09, before Butch Goring put the Bruins back in front at 10:29. Goring’s goal proved to be the winner in Boston’s 5–3 victory.

The night also marked the first NHL meeting between brothers Russ and Geoff Courtnall, and both scored. After Russ helped launch Toronto’s comeback, Geoff supplied Boston’s final goal at 10:25 of the third period, assisted by Mike O’Connell and Tom Fergus. The brothers added a memorable subplot, but Kasper’s two goals on one penalty kill gave the game its defining moment.

Boston Bruins: Greatest Moments and Players

A celebration of the iconic history of the Boston Bruins — from legendary players to unforgettable moments.

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Marc Tardif Scores in Every Period for His First NHL Hat Trick

Marc Tardif needed just one night in Philadelphia to match his entire goal total from his first NHL season. On December 27, 1970, the Montreal Canadiens winger scored once in each period at the Spectrum, recording his first NHL hat trick and leading the Canadiens to a 4–2 victory over the Flyers.

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Highlights

• Marc Tardif recorded his first NHL hat trick on December 27, 1970.

• He scored once in each period of Montreal’s 4–2 victory at the Spectrum.

• His second goal, at 4:34 of the middle period, stood as the game winner.

• Yvan Cournoyer assisted on all three goals; Jean Béliveau helped on two.

• Tardif scored three times on just four shots against Doug Favell.

• Phil Myre made 25 saves for the Canadiens.

• Tardif finished his first full NHL season with 19 goals in 76 games.

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Tardif had made his NHL debut the previous season, scoring three goals in 18 appearances with Montreal. Now playing his first full NHL campaign, he opened the scoring against Philadelphia at 7:47 of the first period. Yvan Cournoyer and Terry Harper assisted as Tardif put his seventh goal of the season past Doug Favell. Bill Collins added another Montreal goal later in the period, giving the visitors a 2–0 lead.

At 4:34 of the second period, Tardif struck again. This time, Jean Béliveau and Cournoyer supplied the assists on the goal that extended Montreal’s lead to 3–0 and ultimately stood as the winner. Philadelphia made the game considerably tighter before the intermission, with Jim Johnson and Jean-Guy Gendron scoring just 34 seconds apart to cut the deficit to one.

Tardif restored Montreal’s two-goal cushion at 5:51 of the third period, completing his hat trick with the only goal of the final frame. Béliveau and Cournoyer again assisted, giving Cournoyer a hand in all three Tardif goals. Marc finished with three goals on four shots, leading the Canadiens in shots on goal. Philadelphia’s Gendron, Larry Hillman and André Lacroix also had four shots apiece, while Phil Myre stopped 25 of the Flyers’ 27 attempts.

Tardif finished the 1970–71 season with 19 goals in 76 games and increased that total to 31 the following year. His best NHL season for goals came with the Quebec Nordiques in 1981–82, when he scored 39. His greatest scoring totals, however, came during six seasons in the World Hockey Association. Tardif reached at least 40 goals in every WHA campaign, leading the league with 71 in 1975–76 and 65 in 1977–78.

Hockey’s Best Team Ever: A Chronicle of the 1976-77 Montreal Canadiens' Record-Breaking Season

Relive the legendary 1976-77 Montreal Canadiens season, when a powerhouse roster led by Guy Lafleur, Ken Dryden, and Larry Robinson set an NHL record with 60 regular season wins before capturing the Stanley Cup.

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Charlie Burns Scores Twice Shorthanded as Bruins Beat Chicago in 1960

Charlie Burns made the Chicago Black Hawks pay for having the man advantage on December 8, 1960. The Boston forward scored two shorthanded goals against Glenn Hall at Boston Garden, helping the Bruins cruise to a 5–1 victory. Those two goals would account for half his league-leading shorthanded total that season.

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Highlights

• Boston defeated Chicago 5–1 at Boston Garden on December 8, 1960.

• Charlie Burns scored two shorthanded goals against Glenn Hall.

• His first came while Dallas Smith served an interference penalty.

• Burns scored his second at 6:20 of the third period with Doug Mohns in the box.

• Ken Wharram scored Chicago’s only goal against Bruce Gamble.

• Burns led the NHL with four shorthanded goals in 1960–61.

• Don Marshall and Claude Provost finished one behind Burns with three apiece.

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John Bucyk and Don McKenney scored to give Boston a 2–0 first-period lead before Dallas Smith received an interference minor with six minutes remaining. Chicago had an opportunity to cut into the deficit, but Burns struck instead. With Doug Mohns assisting, he scored 1:20 into the penalty kill to put the Bruins ahead 3–0.

Boston held a 4–1 lead when Burns delivered his second shortie at 6:20 of the third period. This time, Mohns was serving a hooking penalty when Charlie beat Hall for his sixth goal of the season. Burns then took a hooking minor himself a little over a minute later, but Chicago failed to capitalize, and Boston finished with a comfortable four-goal victory.

Burns scored twice on five shots, while Jim Bartlett led the Bruins with seven shots without finding the net. Ed Litzenberger also recorded seven shots for Chicago, but Ken Wharram was the only Black Hawk to beat Boston goaltender Bruce Gamble.

Burns finished the 1960–61 season with four shorthanded goals, one more than Montreal Canadiens forwards Don Marshall and Claude Provost. His performance against Chicago was the centrepiece of that achievement: two successful penalty kills that also produced goals for Boston.

Between 1958–59 and 1972–73, Burns played 749 regular-season games and another 31 playoff games in the NHL. His career included stops with the Detroit Red Wings, Boston Bruins, Oakland Seals, Pittsburgh Penguins and Minnesota North Stars.

Boston Bruins: Greatest Moments and Players

A celebration of the iconic history of the Boston Bruins — from legendary players to unforgettable moments.

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