Three Goals, One Scorer: Pronovost Beats Washington in 1975

The Washington Capitals were still searching for their seventh win of their inaugural NHL season when they visited the Pittsburgh Civic Arena on February 26, 1975. Goaltender Michel Belhumeur gave them a fighting chance, stopping 42 of Pittsburgh’s 45 shots. Jean Pronovost, however, supplied all the offence the Penguins needed, scoring three times in a 3-1 victory that handed Washington its 53rd loss of the season.

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Highlights

• Pittsburgh defeated Washington 3-1 on February 26, 1975.

• Jean Pronovost scored all three Penguins goals.

• The performance was his first NHL regular-season hat trick.

• Two of his goals came on the power play.

• Pete Laframboise assisted on all three goals.

• Michel Belhumeur made 42 saves as Pittsburgh outshot Washington 45-23.

• Pronovost completed the hat trick with just two seconds remaining.

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The teams remained scoreless until 8:13 of the second period, when Pronovost put his 34th goal of the season past Belhumeur. Pete Laframboise and Bob Paradise picked up the assists on what proved to be the only goal through the first two periods. Despite Pittsburgh’s pressure, Washington entered the final frame trailing by just one.

Pronovost wasted little time doubling that lead. With Capitals defenceman Yvon Labre serving a penalty, he scored on the power play just 17 seconds into the third period. Laframboise earned another assist, with Lowell MacDonald also helping set up the goal. Washington later cut the deficit to 2-1 when Ron Anderson spoiled Gary Inness’s shutout bid.

The Capitals remained within striking distance until the closing seconds. With Mike Bloom serving a double minor, Pronovost completed his hat trick on another power-play goal at 19:58. Laframboise collected his third assist of the night, while MacDonald added his second. Inness finished with 22 saves as Pittsburgh outshot Washington 45-23.

The three-goal performance was the first of five regular-season hat tricks in Pronovost’s NHL career. His first two came against the Capitals, making Washington a familiar opponent in his scoring milestones. In a fitting twist, his fifth and final NHL hat trick came while he was wearing a Capitals uniform.

NHL Playoff Hat Tricks Of The 1960s

Relive the NHL playoff hat tricks of the 1960s with the stories, stars, and memorable performances behind some of the decade’s biggest postseason scoring nights.

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Guy Lafleur Opens the 1977 Playoffs With a Six-Point Night

The Montreal Canadiens began their 1977 Stanley Cup playoff run with a convincing win, and Guy Lafleur led the way. On April 11 at the Montreal Forum, the Flower scored three goals and added three assists in a 7-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues. It was an impressive opening act for a team that would finish the postseason with a 12-2 record and capture its second of four consecutive championships.

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Highlights

• Lafleur recorded three goals and three assists on April 11, 1977.

• Montreal defeated St. Louis 7-2 at the Montreal Forum.

• Lafleur opened the scoring just 51 seconds into the game.

• He completed his hat trick at 11:27 of the second period.

• The Canadiens swept the Blues, outscoring them 19-4.

• Lafleur finished the series with five goals and 12 points.

• His 26-point postseason earned him the Conn Smythe Trophy.

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Lafleur needed just 51 seconds to open the scoring in Game 1 of the quarter-final series. With assists from Larry Robinson and Serge Savard, he beat Blues goaltender Ed Staniowski to give Montreal an early lead. By the first intermission, Lafleur already had two goals and an assist, and the Canadiens were ahead 4-1.

The second period brought more of the same. Lafleur completed his hat trick at 11:27, then assisted on Guy Lapointe’s goal at 14:33. Montreal carried a 6-1 lead into the second intermission, ending Staniowski’s night. Veteran Ed Johnston took over in the St. Louis net for the third period.

Johnston stopped nine of the ten shots he faced, with Bill Nyrop scoring Montreal’s final goal on assists from Jacques Lemaire and Lafleur. That helper gave Guy a point on six of the Canadiens’ seven goals. Brian Sutter later scored for the Blues, assisted by Bernie Federko, who finished the loss with a goal and an assist.

Montreal swept the series in four games, outscoring St. Louis 19-4. Lafleur was involved in 12 of those 19 goals, collecting five goals and seven assists. Two of his goals were game winners, and he assisted on another deciding goal during the sweep.

The opening-night performance set the tone for a memorable spring. In 14 playoff games, Lafleur scored nine goals and finished with 26 points, earning the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. His six-point effort against the Blues had provided an early glimpse of the player who would help carry Montreal to another Stanley Cup.

Guy Lafleur: Autobiography

The story of the legendary Canadiens superstar — speed, scoring, and stardom in Montreal.

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NHL Playoff Hat Tricks Of The 1960s

Relive the NHL playoff hat tricks of the 1960s with the stories, stars, and memorable performances behind some of the decade’s biggest postseason scoring nights.

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J.P. Parise’s 11-Second OT Goal Gives Islanders Their First Playoff Series Win

The New York Islanders could hardly have asked for a more dramatic introduction to the Stanley Cup playoffs. Making their first postseason appearance in 1975, they faced their neighbours and natural rivals, the New York Rangers, in a best-of-three preliminary round. After the teams split the opening two games, the series came down to an April 11 showdown at Madison Square Garden.

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Highlights

• The Islanders made their first Stanley Cup playoff appearance in 1975.

• Their opening series against the Rangers required a deciding third game.

• Clark Gillies and Denis Potvin built a 3-0 Islanders lead.

• Bill Fairbairn and Steve Vickers led the Rangers’ third-period comeback.

• J.P. Parise scored just 11 seconds into overtime for a 4-3 victory.

• The goal broke Pit Martin’s 12-second playoff overtime record from 1972.

• Parise and Jude Drouin had joined the Islanders in separate January trades with Minnesota.

• The Islanders advanced to the semifinals before losing to Philadelphia in seven games.

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For two periods, the Islanders appeared to have the deciding game under control. Clark Gillies opened the scoring in the first, and Denis Potvin added two second-period goals, one on the power play and another shorthanded. That gave the visitors a 3-0 lead heading into the third. The Rangers, however, refused to let their season end quietly. Bill Fairbairn scored twice before Steve Vickers supplied the equalizer, sending the game into overtime.

The extra period lasted just 11 seconds. Jude Drouin found J.P. Parise, who beat Ed Giacomin to give the Islanders a 4-3 victory and the first playoff series win in franchise history. Giacomin had replaced Gilles Villemure during the second period and stopped all four shots he faced before overtime. The next one ended the Rangers’ season.

Parise’s winner also established a record for the fastest overtime goal in Stanley Cup playoff history. He shaved one second off the previous mark, set by Chicago’s Pit Martin against the Pittsburgh Penguins on April 9, 1972. For the Islanders, the historical footnote was a bonus: their first taste of playoff hockey had produced a series victory over their biggest rivals.

The two forwards behind the winning goal had arrived from the Minnesota North Stars just three months earlier. On January 5, 1975, the Islanders acquired Parise for Ernie Hicke and Doug Rombough. Two days later, they sent Craig Cameron to Minnesota for Drouin. Those separate deals gave New York a pair of experienced forwards who would make an immediate postseason impact.

The Islanders went on to eliminate Pittsburgh in seven games before pushing the Philadelphia Flyers to a seventh game in the semifinals. Against Philadelphia, New York lost the first three games before winning three straight to stay alive. Parise and Drouin helped launch that comeback in Game 4, this time reversing roles: Drouin scored the overtime winner, with assists going to Parise and Ed Westfall. The Flyers eventually ended the run, but the Islanders’ first postseason had given their fans plenty to remember.

Rangers vs. Islanders: Denis Potvin, Mark Messier, and Everything Else You Wanted to Know about New York's Greatest Hockey Rivalry

Explore the fierce rivalry between the New York Rangers and New York Islanders, featuring legendary figures, unforgettable clashes, and the moments that defined one of hockey’s most intense matchups.

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