Dave Keon Ends Nine-Game Goal Drought With Natural Hat Trick (1966)

Dave Keon found a welcome scoring breakthrough on March 5, 1966. Entering the Toronto Maple Leafs’ matchup with the Chicago Blackhawks at Maple Leaf Gardens, he had gone nine consecutive games without a goal. That drought ended emphatically as Keon scored a natural hat trick to lead Toronto to a 5–0 victory.

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Highlights

• Keon entered the game with a nine-game goal drought.

• His opening goal at 1:07 stood as the game-winner.

• He completed a natural hat trick at 12:17 of the second period.

• George Armstrong and Ron Ellis added third-period goals.

• Bruce Gamble stopped all 33 Chicago shots.

• Bob Pulford led Toronto with eight shots but recorded no points.

• Bobby Hull led Chicago with six shots.

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Keon Strikes Early Against Glenn Hall

Keon needed just 1:07 to score his 19th goal of the 1965–66 NHL season. Bob Baun and Allan Stanley assisted on the opening goal against Chicago goaltender Glenn Hall. It proved to be the only goal of the first period and, with Bruce Gamble keeping the Blackhawks off the scoreboard, the eventual game-winner.

A Natural Hat Trick in the Second Period

A cross-checking penalty assessed to Stan Mikita at the end of the first period gave Toronto a power play to begin the second. Keon capitalized just 50 seconds after the intermission, scoring with assists from Kent Douglas and George Armstrong. At 12:17, he struck again, this time with help from Larry Hillman. By scoring the game’s first three goals, Keon completed a natural hat trick and put the Maple Leafs firmly in control.

Armstrong and Ron Ellis added third-period goals to complete the 5–0 win. Keon finished with six shots on net, converting half of them. Bob Pulford was even busier around the Chicago goal, recording eight shots, although he finished without a point.

Bruce Gamble Keeps Chicago Quiet

At the other end, Gamble stopped all 33 shots he faced to earn the shutout. Bobby Hull led Chicago with six shots, but even the Blackhawks’ most dangerous scorer could not find a way through Toronto’s goaltender.

The hat trick stood out during an otherwise lean scoring stretch for Keon. After going nine games without a goal before facing Chicago, he scored just three more over Toronto’s final 14 games of the season. On this night, however, his finishing touch and Gamble’s perfect performance combined for a decisive Maple Leafs victory.

Keon and Me: My Search For The Lost Soul Of The Leafs

A heartfelt journey through the legacy of Dave Keon and the soul of the Toronto Maple Leafs franchise.

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Number 23 Scores No. 23: Bob Gainey’s Career-Best Goal Total

Bob Gainey built his reputation as one of the NHL’s finest defensive forwards, but Montreal’s number 23 could contribute at the other end of the ice, too. The Peterborough, Ontario native scored 239 regular-season goals during his career and reached the 20-goal mark four times. His personal best came in 1980-81, when he scored 23 times. Fittingly, goal number 23 was a game-winner against the New York Islanders.

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Highlights

• Gainey scored a career-high 23 goals in 1980-81.

• His 23rd came against the Islanders on March 31, 1981.

• Rod Langway and Doug Jarvis assisted on the milestone goal.

• The second-period tally was the winner in Montreal’s 3-1 victory.

• Gainey’s 47 points that season also represented a career high.

• Montreal retired his number 23 on February 23, 2008.

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On March 31, 1981, the Canadiens hosted the Islanders at the Montreal Forum. The teams exchanged first-period goals, then remained tied at 1-1 through much of the second. With two of the league’s top clubs locked in a tight contest, Gainey supplied the breakthrough.

At 16:52 of the second period, Gainey beat Islanders goaltender Roland Melanson for his 23rd goal of the season. Rod Langway and Doug Jarvis earned the assists as Montreal moved ahead 2-1. The Canadiens went on to win 3-1, leaving Gainey’s milestone goal as the deciding tally.

Gainey also established a career high with 47 points that season. Montreal finished first in the Norris Division and third in the NHL’s overall standings, behind the Islanders and St. Louis Blues. That regular-season success did not carry into the playoffs, however. The Edmonton Oilers swept the Canadiens in their opening-round series.

From 1973-74 through 1988-89, Gainey played 1,160 regular-season games and another 182 playoff contests, all with Montreal. His career included five Stanley Cup championships and four Selke Trophy wins, followed by induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1992. The Canadiens retired his number 23 on February 23, 2008, another fitting numerical connection for a player whose best goal-scoring season peaked at 23.

A Great Game: The Forgotten Leafs & the Rise of Professional Hockey

Explore the fascinating early history of professional hockey, including the forgotten Toronto teams, personalities, and events that helped shape the game into Canada's national winter obsession.

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Finding His Footing in New York: Bruce MacGregor’s Five-Point Breakout

Bruce MacGregor needed a little time to find his footing with the New York Rangers. On February 1, 1971, the Detroit Red Wings traded the veteran forward and Larry Brown to New York for Arnie Brown, Tom Miller and Mike Robitaille. After 673 regular-season games with Detroit, MacGregor was adjusting to unfamiliar surroundings. Through his first 12 games as a Ranger, he had two goals and five assists, with three of those assists coming against his former club.

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Highlights

• Detroit traded Bruce MacGregor to the Rangers on February 1, 1971.

• He recorded seven points through his first 12 games with New York.

• On March 3, he scored three goals and added two assists against California.

• His first goal was the game-winner; his third came shorthanded.

• Pete Stemkowski also finished with five points: two goals and three assists.

• New York outshot California 46-20 in the 8-1 victory.

• Ed Giacomin stopped 19 shots, allowing only a Norm Ferguson power-play goal.

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On March 3, 1971, everything clicked. With the California Golden Seals visiting Madison Square Garden, MacGregor delivered a hat trick and two assists in an 8-1 Rangers victory. His five-point performance more than doubled his goal total with New York and gave the home crowd a memorable introduction to what their recent acquisition could contribute.

Walt Tkaczuk opened the scoring at 4:50 of the first period before MacGregor made it 2-0 at 14:19. Larry Brown and Pete Stemkowski assisted on the goal, MacGregor’s ninth of the season, against California goaltender Gary Smith. It ultimately stood as the game-winner. MacGregor struck again at 14:01 of the second period, with Stemkowski supplying another assist, to send the Rangers into the intermission ahead 4-1.

MacGregor completed his hat trick at 5:37 of the third period, this time while the Rangers were shorthanded. With Jim Neilson serving a tripping penalty, MacGregor beat Smith with help from Stemkowski and Andre Dupont. He then returned the favour to Stemkowski, assisting on two of his teammate’s goals to finish with three goals and two assists. Stemkowski also recorded five points, combining two goals with three assists and leading the Rangers with seven shots.

The Rangers kept Smith under pressure throughout the evening, firing 46 shots and forcing the California goalie to make 38 saves. At the other end, Ed Giacomin stopped 19 of 20 shots, beaten only by a Norm Ferguson power-play goal in the second period. Just over a month after leaving Detroit, MacGregor had delivered his biggest offensive night yet as a Ranger.

Deal With It: The Trades That Shook Hockey & How They Changed The Game

A fascinating look at the blockbuster trades that reshaped NHL history, revealing the stories, strategies, and consequences behind the deals that changed teams — and the game itself.

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