Dennis Maruk Scores Four Goals in His 21st NHL Game

Dennis Maruk entered his 21st NHL game with three career goals. By the end of the night, he had seven. On November 18, 1975, the California Golden Seals rookie scored four times against the Pittsburgh Penguins at the Civic Arena, powering a 5–3 victory with a performance that included a shorthanded hat trick goal.

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Highlights

• Maruk entered the game with three goals in his first 20 NHL appearances.

• He scored four times in California’s 5–3 win on November 18, 1975.

• His first NHL hat trick included a shorthanded goal.

• His third and fourth goals both came at 5:25 of their respective periods.

• Bob Murdoch scored California’s other goal, the eventual winner.

• Gilles Meloche stopped 43 of Pittsburgh’s 46 shots.

• Maruk finished his rookie season with 30 goals, 62 points and a third-place finish in Calder Trophy voting.

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Maruk wasted little time getting started. At 2:24 of the first period, he beat Pittsburgh goaltender Gary Inness for his fourth goal of the season, assisted by Bob Murdoch and Al MacAdam. Just over six minutes later, he struck again, this time with help from MacAdam and Mike Christie. Maruk supplied both California goals in an opening period that ended tied 2–2.

His third goal came with the Seals killing a penalty. With Gary Sabourin serving a holding minor, Maruk completed his first NHL hat trick at 5:25 of the second period. Murdoch then supplied California’s only goal that did not come from its rookie centre. His seventh of the season, scored at 13:44, gave the Seals a 4–2 lead and eventually stood as the winner.

In a neat coincidence, Maruk’s fourth goal arrived at 5:25 of the third period, the exact time of his second-period marker. Murdoch and Christie collected the assists. Maruk finished with seven of California’s 33 shots on Inness, scoring on four of them.

At the other end, Gilles Meloche made sure the rookie’s big night resulted in a win. Pittsburgh outshot California 46–33, but Meloche stopped 43 shots. Between Maruk’s finishing and Meloche’s work in goal, the Seals had enough to leave Pittsburgh with a 5–3 victory.

The performance was the first of Maruk’s 12 career NHL hat tricks and four four-goal games. He finished the 1975–76 season with 30 goals and 32 assists for 62 points, just one behind MacAdam for the team scoring lead. His rookie campaign also earned him third place in Calder Trophy voting, behind winner Bryan Trottier and runner-up Glenn Resch.

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Jacques Lemaire’s Only NHL Penalty Shot Goal Opens Four-Point Night Against Rangers

Jacques Lemaire scored 366 regular-season goals during his NHL career, but only one came on a penalty shot. That goal opened the scoring at the Montreal Forum on March 31, 1973, as Lemaire collected four points to lead the Canadiens to a 5-1 victory over the New York Rangers.

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Highlights

• Montreal defeated the Rangers 5-1 at the Forum on March 31, 1973.

• Jacques Lemaire opened the scoring on a penalty shot at 1:33.

• The goal against Ed Giacomin was his only successful NHL penalty shot in three attempts.

• Lemaire added three assists for a four-point night.

• Larry Robinson, Chuck Lefley, Murray Wilson and Marc Tardif also scored for Montreal.

• Steve Vickers scored the lone Rangers goal.

• Lemaire finished 1972-73 with career highs of 44 goals and 95 points, then added 20 playoff points during Montreal’s Stanley Cup run.

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Just 1:33 into the first period, Lemaire beat Rangers goaltender Ed Giacomin on a penalty shot for his 43rd goal of the 1972-73 season. It was the second of three penalty shot attempts during his NHL career and the only one he converted.

Lemaire quickly followed that goal with a pair of assists. At 5:11, he and Marc Tardif helped set up Larry Robinson’s second goal of the season. Later in the opening period, Lemaire and Yvan Cournoyer assisted on a Chuck Lefley goal, sending Montreal into the first intermission with a 3-0 lead.

At 12:30 of the second period, Lemaire earned his third assist and fourth point on a goal by Murray Wilson. Tardif added another Montreal goal late in the period to make it 5-0. Steve Vickers supplied New York’s only answer at 11:21 of the third, completing the scoring in a convincing Canadiens win.

The performance came near the end of Lemaire’s most productive offensive season. He finished 1972-73 with career highs of 44 goals and 95 points, along with 51 assists. His goal total ranked fourth in the NHL, 11 behind league leader Phil Esposito, while his 95 points placed fifth in the Art Ross Trophy race, 35 behind Esposito. Lemaire followed that regular season with 20 points in 17 playoff games as Montreal captured the Stanley Cup.

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Mark Messier Scores Four as Oilers Beat Canadiens in 1982

Wayne Gretzky finished with one assist and Jari Kurri was held off the scoresheet, but the Montreal Canadiens still couldn’t contain Edmonton’s offence on December 19, 1982. Mark Messier scored four times to lead the Oilers to a 5-2 victory at Northlands Coliseum. It was his fourth regular-season NHL hat trick and his first four-goal game.

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Highlights

• Messier scored four goals in Edmonton’s 5-2 win on December 19, 1982.

• It was his first NHL four-goal game.

• He opened the scoring on a second-period power play.

• Two of his goals were unassisted, including the winner.

• His hat trick goal came at 7:30 of the third period.

• Gretzky and Anderson finished with one assist each.

• Lumley contributed two assists; Fuhr made 29 saves.

• Boschman scored Edmonton’s only other goal.

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Montreal entered the matchup with the better record, and neither team scored through the opening half of the game. Messier finally broke through at 11:59 of the second period, just 19 seconds after Steve Shutt received a tripping penalty. The unassisted power-play goal beat Richard Sévigny and opened what would become a memorable night for the Edmonton forward.

Less than two minutes later, Messier struck again. His 19th goal of the 1982-83 season gave the Oilers a 2-0 lead, with Gretzky and Glenn Anderson collecting the assists. That would be the only point of the game for either player. Montreal responded with goals from Ryan Walter and Gilbert Delorme, erasing Edmonton’s advantage and setting up a third-period battle.

Messier supplied the deciding goal at 7:30 of the third. Once again, he scored without an assist, completing his hat trick and putting Edmonton ahead for good. Laurie Boschman supplied the Oilers’ only goal that didn’t belong to Messier, while Moose finished his four-goal performance by hitting the empty net with 33 seconds remaining. Dave Lumley and Charlie Huddy assisted on the final goal.

Lumley finished with two assists, making him the only Oiler besides Messier to record more than one point. Walter figured in both Montreal goals, scoring once and assisting on Delorme’s marker. Grant Fuhr stopped 29 of 31 shots for Edmonton, while Sévigny made 47 saves on 51 shots before Messier’s empty-net finish. On a team loaded with scoring talent, this night belonged to Moose.

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