Mark Pavelich Scores Five as Rangers Rout Hartford 11-3

Mark Pavelich needed just six shots to score five goals against the Hartford Whalers on February 23, 1983. The New York Rangers forward opened the scoring, finished it and supplied plenty of damage in between during an 11-3 victory at Madison Square Garden. Somehow, none of his five goals stood as the game-winner.

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Highlights

• Pavelich scored five goals in New York’s 11-3 victory on February 23, 1983.

• His five goals came on just six shots.

• He opened the scoring only 1:17 into the game.

• His hat trick was complete by 9:06 of the second period.

• His final two goals came eleven seconds apart.

• Kent-Erik Andersson scored the official game-winner.

• Glen Hanlon made 25 saves for the Rangers.

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Pavelich began his big night just 1:17 into the first period, beating Hartford goaltender Greg Millen with assists from Scot Kleinendorst and Mikko Leinonen. With ten seconds remaining in the period, he struck again. Leinonen and Vaclav Nedomansky assisted on that goal, sending the Rangers into the intermission with a commanding 5-1 lead.

Barry Beck kept New York rolling by scoring just nine seconds into the second period. Pavelich completed his hat trick at 9:06, and the Rangers carried a 9-3 advantage into the third. The result was well in hand, but Pavelich still had a memorable finish waiting.

At 8:40 of the third period, Pavelich scored his fourth goal of the game and 27th of the season, assisted by Rob McClanahan and Tom Laidlaw. Just eleven seconds later, Laidlaw set him up again. Pavelich’s fifth goal, his 28th of the campaign, completed the scoring in New York’s eight-goal victory.

The official game-winner belonged to Kent-Erik Andersson, whose sixth goal of the season had made it 4-1 at 18:36 of the first period. Robbie Ftorek and Nick Fotiu supplied the assists. Millen finished with 26 saves on 37 shots, while Glen Hanlon stopped 25 of Hartford’s 28 attempts. Pavelich owned the night, converting five of his six shots into goals.

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Mickey Redmond’s Overtime Goal Gives Montreal a 2–0 Series Lead in 1969

Mickey Redmond scored just two playoff goals during his NHL career, but his last helped put the Montreal Canadiens in control of their 1969 semifinal series against the Boston Bruins. On April 13 at the Montreal Forum, the future two-time 50-goal scorer delivered a power-play goal at 4:55 of overtime to give the Canadiens a 4–3 victory and a 2–0 series lead.

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Highlights

• Montreal defeated Boston 4–3 in overtime on April 13, 1969.

• The victory gave the Canadiens a 2–0 semifinal series lead.

• Serge Savard tied the game with 1:09 left in regulation.

• Redmond scored the power-play winner at 4:55 of overtime.

• Savard and John Ferguson assisted on the deciding goal.

• Yvan Cournoyer led Montreal with three points.

• The winner was the second and final playoff goal of Redmond’s NHL career.

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The teams had already played one overtime game to open the series. Ralph Backstrom settled Game 1 just 42 seconds into the extra period, giving Montreal a 3–2 win. Three nights later, the Bruins and Canadiens again needed more than 60 minutes to find a winner.

Following a scoreless first period in Game 2, the teams traded four goals in the second. Yvan Cournoyer and Jean Beliveau scored for Montreal, while John McKenzie and Ron Murphy answered for Boston. John Bucyk then put the Bruins ahead at 14:12 of the third, leaving the Canadiens facing a late deficit. Serge Savard tied the game with just 1:09 remaining in regulation.

Boston’s Ted Green received a hooking minor at 3:31 of overtime, giving Montreal an opportunity to finish the game on the power play. Redmond took advantage at 4:55, beating Ed Johnston with assists going to Savard and John Ferguson. It was Redmond’s only point of the night.

Cournoyer led Montreal with a goal and two assists. Beliveau, Dick Duff and Savard each contributed two points, while Bucyk and McKenzie had two apiece for Boston. Redmond supplied the deciding moment, turning his second career playoff goal into a significant win for the Canadiens.

Overtime would also decide the series finale. In Game 6 at Boston Garden, Beliveau scored at 11:28 of the second extra period to give Montreal a 2–1 victory and a berth in the Stanley Cup Final. Backstrom, Redmond and Beliveau had each provided an overtime winner in a series the Canadiens took in six games.

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Relive the legendary 1976-77 Montreal Canadiens season, when a powerhouse roster led by Guy Lafleur, Ken Dryden, and Larry Robinson set an NHL record with 60 regular season wins before capturing the Stanley Cup.

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Joel Quenneville’s Shorthanded Winner Caps Hartford’s Wild 1986–87 Opener

With 20 seconds remaining and the Hartford Whalers killing a penalty, Joel Quenneville supplied an unlikely finish to a remarkable comeback. His shorthanded goal on October 11, 1986, completed Hartford’s rally from a 5–2 third-period deficit, giving the Whalers a 6–5 victory over the Calgary Flames in their season opener at the Hartford Civic Center.

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Highlights

• Hartford opened its season against Calgary on October 11, 1986.

• The Whalers trailed 5–2 before scoring four unanswered third-period goals.

• Stew Gavin tied the game at 13:38, prompting Calgary’s goaltending change.

• Ulf Samuelsson’s slashing penalty left Hartford shorthanded late.

• Quenneville scored the winner at 19:40 on his only shot.

• Paul Lawless scored twice, and Mike Liut made 26 saves.

• Quenneville finished the season with just three goals in 37 games.

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Quenneville was hardly Hartford’s most obvious candidate for a last-minute scoring rescue. The defenceman scored just 54 goals in 803 NHL regular-season games and none in 32 playoff appearances. His career high was ten goals with the Colorado Rockies in 1980–81. During the 1986–87 season, he would appear in only 37 games for Hartford and score three times.

The first of those three goals capped a stunning reversal. Calgary still held a comfortable 5–2 advantage when Hartford began its comeback at 6:32 of the third period. The Whalers scored three times to draw even, with Stew Gavin making it 5–5 at 13:38. That tying goal ended Reggie Lemelin’s night in the Calgary net, bringing Mike Vernon into the game.

Hartford’s momentum faced a late test when Ulf Samuelsson received a slashing penalty at 18:08. Instead of settling for a tie while shorthanded, the Whalers found the winning goal. With assists from Dave Tippett and Doug Jarvis, Quenneville beat Vernon at 19:40. It was his only shot on goal all evening.

Paul Lawless led Hartford with two goals, while John Anderson, Ray Ferraro, Gavin and Quenneville added one apiece. Mike Liut stopped 26 of Calgary’s 31 shots to earn the victory. His second cousin, Ron Francis, finished without a point, but the Whalers still found enough offence to turn a three-goal deficit into a memorable opening-night win.

O-PEE-CHEE & TOPPS Hockey Card Collectors Guide 1933-1995

Explore decades of vintage hockey card history with this collectors guide covering O-Pee-Chee and Topps hockey cards from 1933 to 1995. A valuable reference for enthusiasts of classic sets, legendary players, and the golden age of hockey card collecting.

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The PDF versions of some of our hockey books are now available for free download: Take a look!