Errol Thompson’s Five-Point Night Fuels 18-Goal Leafs vs. Blackhawks Shootout in 1977

When the Toronto Maple Leafs visited the Chicago Blackhawks at Chicago Stadium on February 20, 1977, fans expecting a tight defensive contest were quickly proven wrong. The two clubs combined for an astonishing 18 goals in one of the highest-scoring games of the modern NHL era.

Leading the offensive parade was Summerside, Prince Edward Island native Errol Thompson, who delivered a spectacular performance for Toronto. Thompson recorded a hat trick and added two assists, factoring into five Maple Leafs goals. He set up tallies by Lanny McDonald and Darryl Sittler, helping power Toronto through a wild back-and-forth contest.

One of the most explosive stretches came early in the third period. Chicago’s Pit Martin opened the scoring surge at 1:04. Just 25 seconds later, Sittler buried his 25th goal of the season. Thompson followed with his 14th of the 1976-77 campaign at 2:07 before Grant Mulvey answered for Chicago at 2:40. The four goals in just 1 minute and 36 seconds rank among the fastest scoring bursts in NHL history, though they did not quite set the record.

At the time, the game’s 18 combined goals stood as the highest total in the “modern era” of the NHL. Only a pair of games during the offense-heavy 1943-44 season had surpassed it with 19 goals. The all-time NHL record remains the 21 goals scored in a 1920 matchup between the Toronto St. Pats and the Montreal Canadiens, a very different era of hockey.

Despite the offensive fireworks, the goaltenders faced a heavy workload. Toronto’s Wayne Thomas stopped 38 of 46 shots, while Chicago’s Gilles Villemure surrendered nine goals on 37 shots, with the final tally coming into an empty net.

The night also featured another standout performance from Toronto’s Ian Turnbull, who recorded a goal and four assists for a five-point effort of his own. McDonald added two goals, including the game winner, and two assists for a four-point game.

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.

Buy on Amazon

The PDF versions of some of our hockey books are now available for free download: Take a look!

Pete Mahovlich Scores Two Goals in Five Seconds for Canadiens Record in 1971

On February 20, 1971, Pete Mahovlich etched his name into the NHL record book with one of the fastest scoring bursts the league had ever seen.

Before that night, the record for the fastest two goals by the same player belonged to Nels Stewart, who scored twice in just four seconds during a 1931 game between the Montreal Maroons and Boston Bruins. The next fastest belonged to Howie Meeker, who scored two goals six seconds apart in 1952.

Mahovlich didn’t quite break Stewart’s record, but he came incredibly close. During a matchup between the Montreal Canadiens and Chicago Blackhawks at the Montreal Forum, Mahovlich scored twice in five seconds, placing himself between Stewart and Meeker in the NHL record books.

The game itself offered little suspense for the Montreal crowd. The Canadiens dominated early, jumping out to a 3-0 lead in the first period before the frame was halfway finished. They extended the lead to 4-0 early in the second period and carried a 5-1 advantage into the third.

Rejean Houle got Montreal rolling with the first two goals of the game. Phil Roberto followed with three consecutive tallies, with Jean Béliveau assisting on all three.

Then came Mahovlich’s historic moment.

At 12:16 of the third period, Mahovlich beat Blackhawks goaltender Tony Esposito for his 26th goal of the 1970-71 season, assisted by John Ferguson. Just five seconds later, at 12:21, Mahovlich struck again, once more with Ferguson setting him up, for his 27th goal of the season.

While it fell just short of the NHL record, Mahovlich’s rapid-fire scoring remains the fastest two goals in Montreal Canadiens franchise history. Remarkably, those two goals were also Mahovlich’s only shots on net in the entire game.

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.

Buy on Amazon

The PDF versions of some of our hockey books are now available for free download: Take a look!

Two Shorthanded Goals Highlight Darryl Sutter’s First NHL Hat Trick

On October 18, 1981, Darryl Sutter delivered the first hat trick of his NHL career, and he did it in memorable fashion. The Chicago Blackhawks forward scored three times against the Edmonton Oilers at Chicago Stadium, with two of the goals coming while his team was shorthanded.

The night began with the Oilers striking first when Wayne Gretzky opened the scoring just 1:36 into the game. Chicago answered quickly. At 3:21 of the first period, Sutter scored his first goal of the 1981-82 season on Edmonton goaltender Andy Moog, with assists from Tom Lysiak.

Later in the period, Sutter struck again. With Denis Savard serving a slashing penalty, Sutter tied the game 2-2 at 16:33 with a shorthanded goal. The tally, assisted by Doug Wilson and Keith Brown, showcased Sutter’s ability to create offense even while killing penalties.

The game remained tight into the third period before Chicago gained the edge. Rich Preston gave the Blackhawks a 6-5 lead late in regulation. Moments later, with Ted Bulley in the penalty box and Edmonton pulling Moog for an extra attacker, Sutter sealed the night in dramatic style. He fired the puck into the empty net, completing his hat trick and scoring his second shorthanded goal of the game.

Sutter was the most active Chicago shooter that night, leading all Blackhawks with eight shots among the team’s 44 attempts. Goaltender Tony Esposito stopped 30 of 35 Oilers shots to earn the victory. Doug Wilson also contributed a strong performance with a goal and two assists, while Gretzky paced Edmonton with four points on a goal and three assists.

For Sutter, it was the first of three hat tricks in his NHL career and a highlight moment during a season shortened for him by injuries.

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.

Buy on Amazon

The PDF versions of some of our hockey books are now available for free download: Take a look!