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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Rosaire Paiement Records the First Four-Goal Game in Vancouver Canucks History

Rosaire Paiement gave Vancouver fans a franchise first on February 9, 1971. Facing the Buffalo Sabres at Pacific Coliseum, he scored four goals to power the Canucks to a 6–3 victory. Orland Kurtenbach had recorded Vancouver’s first NHL hat trick, but Paiement became the first Canuck to take it one goal further.

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Highlights

• Paiement recorded Vancouver’s first four-goal NHL game on February 9, 1971.

• The Canucks defeated fellow expansion club Buffalo 6–3 at Pacific Coliseum.

• Dick Duff scored twice for the Sabres, including the third-period tying goal.

• Ray Cullen scored the winner before Paiement added Vancouver’s final two goals.

• Paiement had eight shots; George Gardner made 30 saves.

• Rosie recorded another hat trick exactly one week later against Boston.

• He led Vancouver with 34 goals and 152 penalty minutes in its inaugural season.

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The meeting between the NHL’s two newest teams began with Dick Duff and Paiement trading first-period goals. Murray Hall put Vancouver ahead 2–1 in the second, and Paiement extended the lead with his second of the night and 14th of the season at 19:43. Buffalo answered before the intermission, however, as Ron Anderson scored with just one second remaining to cut the deficit to 3–2.

Duff struck again in the third period, pulling the Sabres even at 3–3. Vancouver responded with three unanswered goals. Ray Cullen supplied what proved to be the winner before Paiement scored twice more to complete his historic four-goal performance and secure the 6–3 final.

Paiement was Vancouver’s busiest shooter, directing eight of the team’s 35 shots at Buffalo goaltender Roger Crozier. At the other end, George Gardner made 30 saves to earn the victory. Exactly one week later, Paiement recorded another hat trick against the Boston Bruins, giving him the second and third hat tricks in Canucks history.

Originally a Boston Bruins prospect, Paiement began his NHL career with the Philadelphia Flyers. Opportunities were limited: over three seasons, he appeared in just 43 regular-season games and three playoff contests for Philadelphia. Vancouver selected him in the 1970 NHL Expansion Draft, opening the door to a much larger role.

Paiement made the most of that opportunity during the Canucks’ inaugural season. He led Vancouver with 34 goals and 152 penalty minutes in 1970–71, establishing himself as both a scoring threat and a physical presence. His four-goal night against Buffalo remains a memorable milestone from the franchise’s first NHL campaign.

Never Boring: The Up and Down History of the Vancouver Canucks

A rollercoaster journey through Vancouver Canucks history, capturing the highs, lows, and unforgettable moments that have defined one of hockey’s most unpredictable franchises.

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