Nine Seconds Of Fury: Bill Hicke’s Power-Play Explosion In 1969

On October 17, 1969, the Oakland Seals hosted the Los Angeles Kings at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena, and the game barely had time to settle before chaos struck. Just 42 seconds after the opening faceoff, Kings forward Dennis Hextall was assessed back-to-back minors for hooking and tripping, handing Oakland an early four-minute power play.

Seals veteran Bill Hicke wasted no time making Los Angeles pay. At 1:27 of the first period, he beat Kings goaltender Gerry Desjardins for his first goal of the season, assisted by Bert Marshall and Mike Laughton. Before the Kings could regroup, the same trio stormed back down the ice and scored again just nine seconds later. The rapid-fire goals allowed Hextall to exit the penalty box, but the damage was already done.

Oakland kept the pressure on. At 7:57 of the opening frame, Hicke and Laughton set up Brian Perry to extend the lead to 3-0. The Seals would cruise to a 5-1 victory in one of their most explosive early-game performances of the season.

The two goals in nine seconds stood as a Seals team record and marked Hicke’s only three-point game of the 1969-70 campaign. He finished the year with 15 goals in 69 games. Power-play production was nothing new for Hicke, just two seasons earlier, 12 of his 21 goals had come with the man advantage.

Over the course of his career in the National Hockey League, Hicke appeared in 729 regular season and 42 playoff games with the Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, the Seals, and the Pittsburgh Penguins. He captured two Stanley Cup championships with Montreal, contributing in limited playoff action during the 1958-59 and 1959-60 seasons.

The California Golden Seals: A Tale of White Skates, Red Ink, and One of the NHL's Most Outlandish Teams

Discover the fascinating and unconventional story of the California Golden Seals — one of the NHL’s most memorable and unusual franchises.

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Hat Trick Heroics Wasted: Ron Ellis Shines In 1972 Loss To Vancouver

On March 24, 1972, the Toronto Maple Leafs paid a visit to the Vancouver Canucks at the Pacific Coliseum. On paper, it looked like a mismatch. Toronto was headed for the playoffs, while Vancouver, just in its second NHL season, would finish last in the 14-team league. But on this night, the home crowd was treated to one of the Canucks’ rare victories.

The lone bright spot for Toronto was Ron Ellis. The dependable winger delivered a goal in each period, his 19th, 20th, and 21st of the season, recording the fourth of his six NHL career hat tricks. Ellis was relentless, firing nine shots at Vancouver goaltender Dunc Wilson, accounting for nearly one-third of the 31 shots Wilson faced. Linemates Paul Henderson and Norm Ullman each chipped in with two assists, benefiting directly from Ellis’ offensive surge.

Vancouver answered with balanced scoring. Bobby Schmautz scored twice against Toronto netminder Jacques Plante. The decisive goal came at 8:09 of the third period when Andre Boudrias notched his 25th of the season, assisted by Wayne Connelly and Dave Balon. Balon and Wayne Maki also added singles to secure the 5-3 win.

The following night, Toronto quickly regrouped. The Leafs blanked the Los Angeles Kings 4-0 at the Forum. Ellis stayed hot, scoring the game winner just 3:37 into the first period on goaltender Billy Smith, with an assist from Dave Keon. It marked Ellis’ third game-winning goal of March 1972. He also added an assist on a Henderson tally for a two-point effort, while Bernie Parent turned aside 23 shots to record the shutout.

1972: The Series That Changed Hockey Forever

A compelling look at the iconic 1972 Summit Series — how it reshaped international hockey and captivated fans around the world.

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When Pat Quinn Scored, It Counted: Two Big Goals for the 1972-73 Atlanta Flames

When people think of Pat Quinn, they often remember the imposing defenseman, the respected NHL coach, and the Hall of Fame builder. What they don’t usually remember is his goal-scoring touch, because there wasn’t much of it.

Over 606 NHL regular season games, Quinn scored just 18 goals. In 1972-73, his first season with the expansion Atlanta Flames, he scored only twice. But both goals were memorable and meaningful.

The first came on November 26, 1972, as the Flames hosted the Pittsburgh Penguins at The Omni, just the 24th game in franchise history. Early in the first period, Atlanta was shorthanded after Bill Plager was sent off for cross-checking. Just 13 seconds into the penalty kill, Quinn struck unassisted, beating goaltender Denis Herron for his first goal of the season. He later added an assist in the third period as Atlanta secured a 6-2 victory.

His second goal of the campaign came on January 7, 1973, again on home ice, against his former club, the Vancouver Canucks. With the game tied 2-2 entering the third period, Quinn broke the deadlock just 1:33 into the frame, scoring on Vancouver goalie Bruce Bullock. Assisted by Larry Romanchych and Bob Leiter, the goal stood as the game-winner in a 5-2 Flames triumph.

Offense was never Quinn’s calling card. His career high of five goals came the following season in 1973-74, also with Atlanta. In 11 career Stanley Cup playoff games, he never found the back of the net. Interestingly, his very first NHL goal, scored December 21, 1968 as a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs against the Detroit Red Wings, also stood as a game-winner in an 8-3 victory.

Quinn: The Life of a Hockey Legend

A compelling biography of Pat Quinn — the influential coach, mentor, and hockey icon whose leadership shaped generations of players.

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