Yvan Cournoyer’s Hat Trick Evens Canadiens–Rangers Series in 1974

The New York Rangers struck first in their 1974 Stanley Cup quarter-final series against the Montreal Canadiens, winning the opener 4–1 at the Montreal Forum. When the teams returned for Game 2 on April 11, the final score was identical, but the winning side changed. Yvan Cournoyer scored three consecutive goals to give the Canadiens a 4–1 victory and even the best-of-seven series.

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Highlights

• Montreal won Game 2 on April 11, 1974, at the Montreal Forum.

• Cournoyer scored three consecutive goals for a natural hat trick.

• His first goal, at 18:11 of the second period, was the game winner.

• Goaltender Michel Larocque assisted on the winning goal.

• Jacques Lemaire assisted on both third-period goals.

• Cournoyer and Lemaire combined for 14 of Montreal’s 31 shots.

• The Rangers ultimately won the series in six games.

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New York again grabbed the early advantage. Bruce MacGregor scored the only goal of the first period, with assists going to Pete Stemkowski and Brad Park. Montreal answered at 5:03 of the second when Steve Shutt beat Rangers goaltender Ed Giacomin, taking a setup from Henri Richard to tie the game.

Cournoyer then took control. At 18:11 of the second period, the Roadrunner scored his first goal of the playoffs to put Montreal ahead 2–1. Defenceman Pierre Bouchard and goaltender Michel Larocque earned the assists on what proved to be the winning goal.

The third period belonged to Cournoyer as well. He scored at 11:53 and completed his natural hat trick at 14:51, turning a one-goal lead into a comfortable three-goal cushion. Jacques Lemaire assisted on both third-period goals, while Chuck Lefley also picked up a helper on the hat-trick goal.

Cournoyer and Lemaire each fired seven shots at Giacomin, combining for 14 of Montreal’s 31 shots. At the other end, Larocque stopped 18 of the Rangers’ 19 attempts, contributing both a strong performance in goal and an assist on the deciding tally.

Montreal carried that momentum into Game 3, winning 4–2 at Madison Square Garden on April 13 to take a 2–1 series lead. The Rangers responded with three straight victories to eliminate the Canadiens in six games. New York then pushed the Philadelphia Flyers to seven games in the semi-finals before its playoff run ended.

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Shakey Beats a Cold Crozier: A Maple Leafs Penalty Shot Oddity

Mike Walton scored just once on three penalty shots during his NHL career, but that lone goal came with an unusual twist. On March 9, 1968 at Maple Leaf Gardens, the Toronto Maple Leafs forward beat a goalie who had come off the Detroit Red Wings’ bench specifically to face him. Roger Crozier’s brief appearance produced one of those statistical oddities that makes hockey history so entertaining.

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Highlights

• Walton scored on one of three NHL penalty shots, including the playoffs.

• His only successful attempt came on March 9, 1968 against Detroit.

• Roger Crozier replaced Roy Edwards specifically for the penalty shot.

• Crozier finished with one goal allowed and 0:00 played.

• Walton also assisted on Ron Ellis’s third-period tying goal.

• Toronto and Detroit combined for four goals in 2:02.

• Jack Norris stopped Walton’s next penalty shot the following night.

• Glenn Resch denied his final attempt during the 1979 playoffs.

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Toronto held a 6–5 lead when Walton was awarded his penalty shot at 16:40 of the third period. Instead of leaving starting goalie Roy Edwards in net, Detroit brought in Crozier to challenge “Shakey.” The move backfired. Walton scored his 27th goal of the season, giving the Maple Leafs some breathing room in an eventual 7–5 victory. Edwards then returned to finish the game.

Crozier’s official goaltending line tells the story: one shot faced, one goal allowed, a .000 save percentage and 0:00 played. With no playing time running off the clock during the penalty shot, Edwards still received credit for the full 60 minutes despite allowing only six of Toronto’s seven goals.

Walton’s goal capped a frantic third period in which he also assisted on Ron Ellis’s tying goal at 4:54. That made the score 4–4 and began a stretch of four goals in just 2:02. Norm Ullman put Toronto ahead, Nick Libett answered for Detroit, and Dave Keon restored the Leafs’ lead at 6:56. Keon’s 11th goal of the season stood as the game winner.

Remarkably, Walton received another penalty shot the very next night. Facing the Chicago Black Hawks at Chicago Stadium on March 10, he was stopped by Jack Norris. The Chicago goalie turned aside all 27 Toronto shots in a 4–0 shutout, giving Walton very different results on penalty shots taken on consecutive nights.

Walton’s final NHL penalty shot came more than a decade later, this time while wearing a Chicago uniform. On April 20, 1979, Glenn “Chico” Resch denied him in Game 3 of the Black Hawks’ quarter-final series against the New York Islanders. Once again, Walton’s team lost 4–0. His career tally, including the playoffs, remained one successful penalty shot in three attempts, and the only goal came against a goalie credited with no time played.

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Rick MacLeish’s Game 7 Hat Trick Ends Islanders’ 1975 Comeback Bid

The New York Islanders had pushed the defending Stanley Cup champions to the brink of an embarrassing collapse. After Philadelphia won the first three games of their 1975 semifinal series, New York answered with three straight victories. That left everything riding on Game 7 at the Spectrum on May 13, 1975. Rick MacLeish made sure the Flyers’ title defence would continue.

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Highlights

• Played May 13, 1975, at the Spectrum.

• New York forced Game 7 after trailing the series 3–0.

• Gary Dornhoefer opened the scoring just 19 seconds in.

• MacLeish scored twice on the power play in the first period.

• His empty-net goal completed the hat trick in a 4–1 win.

• Bernie Parent stopped 14 of 15 shots.

• Philadelphia advanced to face Buffalo and won its second straight Stanley Cup.

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Gary Dornhoefer gave Philadelphia an immediate lift, opening the scoring just 19 seconds after the opening faceoff. MacLeish followed with a power-play goal at 2:27, assisted by Bill Barber and Bobby Clarke. That early marker would stand as the game winner, although the Islanders briefly cut the lead to 2–1 on a Jude Drouin power-play goal at 5:02.

MacLeish restored Philadelphia’s two-goal cushion at 7:11 of the first period, beating Glenn Resch for his second power-play goal of the night. Larry Goodenough supplied the lone assist on the goal, MacLeish’s ninth of the playoffs. The Flyers carried that 3–1 advantage through a scoreless second period and deep into the third.

With Resch pulled for an extra attacker, MacLeish completed his hat trick at 18:52, scoring into the empty net with an assist from Don Saleski. Philadelphia’s 4–1 victory ended New York’s comeback bid and secured a second consecutive trip to the Stanley Cup Final. MacLeish led all players with eight shots, followed by Reggie Leach with seven, while Bernie Parent stopped 14 of the Islanders’ 15 shots.

It was MacLeish’s second hat trick of the 1975 postseason. He had opened Philadelphia’s quarterfinal series against Toronto with three goals and an assist in a 6–3 victory on April 13. Against Buffalo in the Stanley Cup Final, he scored once in six games as the Flyers captured their second straight championship. His Game 7 performance against the Islanders helped ensure they had the opportunity.

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