Chicago’s John Marks Set An NHL Record In Just 33 Seconds

On November 13, 1975, the Chicago Blackhawks stormed into the Spectrum in Philadelphia and made NHL history almost immediately. Forward John Marks needed only 33 seconds from the opening faceoff to score twice against the defending Stanley Cup champion Flyers, setting a new NHL record for the fastest two goals by one player from the start of a game.

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Highlights:

• John Marks scored twice in the first 33 seconds of the game

• The record-setting game took place on November 13, 1975

• Marks broke Bill Hicke’s previous NHL record

• Chicago built an early 5-1 lead over Philadelphia

• Gary Dornhoefer recorded four points for the Flyers

• Philadelphia scored three goals in a 50-second span

• The game ended in a dramatic 5-5 tie

• Mike Knuble later broke the NHL record in 2003

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Marks opened the scoring just 14 seconds into the contest, beating Philadelphia goaltender Wayne Stephenson unassisted for his fourth goal of the 1975-76 season. Before fans had even settled into their seats, he struck again only 19 seconds later. Assisted by Pit Martin and Cliff Koroll, Marks buried his second of the night at the 0:33 mark, breaking the previous NHL record by a full minute.

The old mark had belonged to Bill Hicke of the Oakland Seals, who scored twice within the opening 1:33 of a game back in 1969. Marks’ incredible start stunned the Flyers and helped Chicago build what looked like an insurmountable lead. By the midway point of the game, the Blackhawks were comfortably ahead 5-1.

Philadelphia, however, refused to go quietly. Led by Gary Dornhoefer’s four-point night consisting of one goal and three assists, the Flyers clawed their way back into the contest. Ross Lonsberry and Dornhoefer scored within the final 23 seconds of the second period, and Bill Barber added another just 27 seconds into the third. The Flyers’ rapid-fire comeback featured three goals in only 50 seconds.

Despite Marks’ historic opening burst, the game ultimately ended in a wild 5-5 tie. Ivan Boldirev and Dennis Hull each chipped in with two-point performances for Chicago, but the Flyers’ relentless push erased the early deficit and salvaged a point on home ice.

Marks’ NHL record eventually fell years later when Mike Knuble of the Boston Bruins scored twice within the first 27 seconds of a 2003 game against the Florida Panthers. Interestingly, only a month after Marks set the record, Buffalo Sabres star Rick Martin nearly matched it by scoring two goals in the opening 38 seconds against the Minnesota North Stars.

The Big 50: Chicago Blackhawks (The Men and Moments that Made the Chicago Blackhawks)

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Bill Quackenbush Sets Up Every Bruins Goal In 1955 Shutout Of Toronto

When hockey fans think of high-scoring nights, they usually picture flashy forwards piling up goals. But on January 20, 1955, it was steady defensive defenseman Bill Quackenbush doing all the offensive setup work as the Boston Bruins defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-0 at the historic Boston Garden.

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Highlights:

• Bill Quackenbush assisted on all three Boston Bruins goals

• Boston defeated Toronto 3-0 on January 20, 1955

• Ed Sandford scored the game-winning goal in the first period

• Lorne Ferguson and Leo Labine added the other Boston goals

• Rookie goalie John Henderson recorded the shutout victory

• Harry Lumley took the loss for the Maple Leafs

• Quackenbush finished the 1954-55 season with 20 assists

• Terry Sawchuk’s arrival in Boston soon ended Henderson’s NHL career

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Known as one of the coolest names in hockey history, Quackenbush was never considered a prolific scorer. The smooth blue liner built his reputation on dependable defensive play, but on this particular night he quietly became the offensive catalyst for Boston, assisting on every Bruins goal.

The scoring opened just 6:53 into the first period when Ed Sandford beat Toronto goaltender Harry Lumley for what would stand as the game-winning goal. Quackenbush and Hal Laycoe picked up the assists. Nearly an exact period later, at 6:50 of the second, Lorne Ferguson scored Boston’s second goal with helpers from Quackenbush and Cal Gardner.

Quackenbush completed his three-assist performance late in the third period when Leo Labine scored at 16:35. Don McKenney also assisted on the insurance marker. For Quackenbush, the outing was impressive but not entirely out of character. During the 1954-55 season, he finished with two goals and 20 assists for 22 points in 68 games, numbers that closely reflected the steady production he delivered throughout his NHL career.

Earning the shutout for Boston was rookie goaltender John Henderson, recording the fifth and final shutout of his NHL career. Henderson appeared in 45 regular season games and two playoff contests for the Bruins that season and posted respectable numbers. However, in the era when teams relied heavily on one starting goalie, Boston brought in Terry Sawchuk for the following season. Henderson played just one more NHL game in 1955-56 before his major league career came to an end.

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10 Points, 6 Goals: Blues Duo Quietly Take Over Against Quebec

On January 6, 1981, the St. Louis Blues delivered a strong but somewhat understated 6-3 victory over the Quebec Nordiques, despite a rare offensive explosion from two of their top players. Blake Dunlop and Jorgen Pettersson each recorded five-point performances, combining for 10 points in a game that, surprisingly, never turned into a complete rout.

Highlights

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• Blake Dunlop and Jorgen Pettersson each recorded 5 points

• Combined for 10 points in a 6-3 Blues win

• Involved in 5 of the team’s 6 goals

• Pettersson scored twice and added three assists

• Dunlop had one goal and four assists

• Game played January 6, 1981 vs Quebec Nordiques

• Pettersson finished rookie season with 73 points in 62 games

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Even more remarkable, the duo factored in on all but one of St. Louis’ six goals. It was the kind of statistical dominance that usually results in a lopsided scoreline, but the Nordiques managed to keep things relatively respectable on the scoreboard.

Dunlop’s night included a goal and four assists. His eighth goal of the 1980-81 season came early in the third period, with assists from Pettersson and Wayne Babych. Beyond that, Dunlop played a key setup role, assisting on two of Pettersson’s goals, as well as markers by Babych and Craig Norwich.

Pettersson matched Dunlop point-for-point with two goals and three assists. His 12th goal of the season came midway through the second period to give the Blues a 3-0 lead. He later capped off the scoring late in the third period, once again with Dunlop contributing on the play. Pettersson also added assists on goals by Babych, Norwich, and Dunlop himself.

The performance was part of a standout rookie season for Pettersson, who finished with 37 goals and 73 points in just 62 games. Having already established himself professionally in Sweden, the 24-year-old transitioned seamlessly to the NHL, ultimately finishing sixth in Calder Trophy voting.

Dunlop, meanwhile, was enjoying the best season of his career. He totaled 67 assists and 87 points, placing him among the league’s top playmakers and tying for seventh in assists league-wide. Though this particular game may not be widely remembered, it remains a perfect snapshot of how dominant the Dunlop–Pettersson combination could be on any given night.

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

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