Pete Stemkowski: A Gordie Howe Hat Trick Beside Mr. Hockey Himself (1968)

When the Toronto Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings pulled off a blockbuster trade on March 3, 1968, it reshaped both franchises. Heading to Detroit was Pete Stemkowski, along with Carl Brewer, Frank Mahovlich, and Garry Unger. In return, Toronto received Paul Henderson, Norm Ullman, Floyd Smith, and Doug Barrie.

• Massive March 3, 1968 trade sends Pete Stemkowski from Toronto to Detroit
• Game played at Detroit Olympia early in the 1968–69 NHL season
• Stemkowski records an assist on Gary Bergman’s first-period goal
• Drops the gloves with rugged forward Reg Fleming just 44 seconds later
• Adds another assist on Alex Delvecchio’s game-tying goal
• Scores his first goal of the season in the third period
• Completes a Gordie Howe Hat Trick (goal, assist, fight)
• Shares the ice with Gordie Howe during the milestone performance
• Finishes the season with a career-high 21 goals
• Goes on to record five 20+ goal seasons in his NHL career

Stemkowski finished the 1967-68 season with Detroit, but it was clear early in the following year that he was ready to elevate his game. Just three games into the 1968-69 season, the Red Wings hosted the New York Rangers at the historic Detroit Olympia and Stemkowski made sure his presence was felt.

The Rangers had to contend with more than one “Big Pete” that night. Pete Mahovlich contributed a goal and an assist, but the spotlight belonged to Stemkowski. Late in the first period, he set up Gary Bergman for the game’s opening goal against goaltender Ed Giacomin. Moments later, the intensity ramped up when Stemkowski dropped the gloves with tough guy Reg Fleming, earning five minutes for fighting in a spirited exchange.

After Bob Nevin scored twice to give New York the lead, Stemkowski answered again, this time setting up Alex Delvecchio to tie the game in the second period. By the third, with Detroit in control, Stemkowski capped his performance with his first goal of the season, assisted by Delvecchio and Bruce MacGregor.

The result? A classic Gordie Howe Hat Trick, a goal, an assist, and a fight, all while sharing the ice with Gordie Howe himself. Howe had a quieter night with a single assist, but the performance from Stemkowski showed he was ready to make his mark in Detroit.

That season, Stemkowski scored 21 goals, surpassing his previous career high of 13 set with Toronto in 1966-67. It was just the beginning of a productive stretch, as he would go on to record five 20-goal seasons in his NHL career, two with Detroit and three later with the Rangers.

The Franchise: Detroit Red Wings: A Curated History of Hockeytown

Explore the storied history of the Detroit Red Wings — legends, moments, rivalries, and the culture that made Hockeytown iconic.

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Rod Gilbert’s 4-Goal Night Wasted As Rangers Blow Lead In Wild 5-5 Tie With Red Wings

It should have been a signature win at Madison Square Garden, but instead, it became one of the most frustrating nights of the season for New York Rangers fans.

Game Highlights

• Rod Gilbert explodes for 4 goals — goals #26, 27, 28, and 29 on the season
• Rangers jump out to 4-0 lead early in the second period
• Detroit scores 4 unanswered goals to tie the game 4-4
• Gilbert restores the lead with his fourth goal early in the third
• Bill Hogaboam responds 46 seconds later to force a 5-5 tie
• Jim Rutherford makes 44 saves, including 11 against Gilbert
• Jean Ratelle, Dale Rolfe, Steve Vickers each record 2 assists
• Hank Nowak drops the gloves twice and adds an assist
• Final Score: Rangers 5, Red Wings 5

On February 2, 1975, the Rangers hosted the struggling Detroit Red Wings, a club that had managed just 13 wins through their first 50 games. Meanwhile, New York had been one of the league’s stronger teams, losing only 15 times over that same stretch. Everything pointed toward a comfortable Rangers victory, especially when Rod Gilbert caught fire early.

Gilbert struck twice in the opening period, beating Jim Rutherford for his 26th and 27th goals of the season. Combined with a marker from Jerry Butler, the Rangers jumped out to a commanding 3-0 lead. Early in the second period, Gilbert completed his hat trick, scoring his 28th of the year to extend the lead to 4-0, and it looked like the rout was on.

But the game took a dramatic turn.

The Red Wings stormed back with four unanswered goals, stunning the home crowd and tying the game 4-4 heading into the third period. Despite the collapse, Gilbert wasn’t finished. He scored his fourth goal of the night, his 29th of the season, just over five minutes into the final frame to restore New York’s lead.

Unfortunately for the Rangers, the advantage lasted less than a minute.

Bill Hogaboam answered just 46 seconds later with his second goal of the game, sealing a chaotic 5-5 tie. Hogaboam also added an assist, finishing with a three-point night to lead Detroit’s unlikely comeback.

Rutherford stood tall under heavy pressure, stopping 44 of 49 shots, including 11 from Gilbert alone, while Gilles Villemure made 20 saves for New York. Jean Ratelle, Dale Rolfe, and Steve Vickers each chipped in with two assists in the high-scoring affair.

The game also featured plenty of physical play, highlighted by Hank Nowak dropping the gloves twice, once with Ron Greschner in the first period and again with Bert Wilson in the third. Nowak also contributed offensively with an assist on a goal by Pierre Jarry.

In the end, despite one of the greatest individual performances of his career, Gilbert’s four-goal night wasn’t enough. Instead of a decisive win, the Rangers were left wondering how a dominant 4-0 lead slipped away on home ice.

Tales from the New York Rangers Locker Room

A collection of the greatest Rangers stories ever told — insider tales featuring legends past and present.

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He Needed Just 19 Seconds: Ted Irvine’s Record-Breaking OT Winner

The 1968-69 opening-round playoff series between the Los Angeles Kings and the Oakland Seals was as tight as they come, stretching the full seven games. Despite advancing, the Kings were actually outscored 25-23 over the series. Oddly enough, only one game required overtime and it happened right at the very beginning.

Quick Facts

• 📅 Date: April 2, 1969
• 🏒 Game: Kings vs. Seals (Game 1, Quarterfinal)
• ⚡ Overtime Winner: Ted Irvine (0:19)
• 🏆 Record: Fastest OT goal in NHL history (at the time)
• 🔁 Previous Record: Syd Howe (0:25, 1940)
• 🔥 Current Record: Brian Skrudland (0:09, 1986)

Game 1, played on April 2, 1969 at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena, set the tone early. The Seals carried a 2-1 lead after the first period and held a slim 3–2 edge heading into the third. But the Kings clawed back, with Eddie Joyal scoring twice to flip the game in Los Angeles’ favor at 4-3.

Oakland refused to go quietly. Late in regulation, Gene Ubriaco found the back of the net at 17:22 of the third period, knotting the score at 4-4 and sending the game into sudden-death overtime.

It didn’t take long to settle things. Just 19 seconds into the extra frame, Ted Irvine beat goaltender Gary Smith, with help from Jimmy Peters. The lightning-fast goal set a new NHL record for the quickest overtime tally in league history at the time.

The previous mark had stood for nearly three decades. On March 19, 1940, Syd Howe scored just 25 seconds into overtime for the Detroit Red Wings in a win over the New York Americans.

While Irvine’s record didn’t last forever, it remains a remarkable moment in playoff history. It was eventually surpassed by Brian Skrudland, who scored only nine seconds into overtime for the Montreal Canadiens against the Calgary Flames on May 18, 1986, setting the current benchmark for fastest OT goal.

Los Angeles Kings Trivia Book

Test your knowledge of Kings history, players, and unforgettable moments.

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