From Enforcer to Record Holder: Tiger Williams and his 7-Second Strike

By the 1986-87 NHL season, the career of rugged forward Dave “Tiger” Williams was beginning to wind down. Known far more for his toughness than his scoring touch, Williams still managed to produce one of the most memorable moments in Los Angeles Kings history during that campaign.

Williams finished that season with 16 goals and a staggering 358 penalty minutes, a career high that reflected the gritty style that made him one of hockey’s most famous enforcers. Yet it was one of those goals, not the penalty minutes, that secured him a place in the Kings record book.

On February 14, 1987, the Kings hosted the Hartford Whalers at the Forum in Inglewood. Valentine’s Day offered little love for Hartford goaltender Mike Liut. Just seven seconds after the opening faceoff, Williams surprised everyone by beating Liut to give Los Angeles an instant lead. The goal, assisted by Bernie Nicholls and Dean Kennedy, was Williams’ 12th of the season.

That quick strike still stands as the fastest goal to start a game in Los Angeles Kings franchise history. After that lightning start, Williams stayed off the scoresheet and unusually, out of the penalty box for the remainder of the night.

The Kings went on to defeat the Whalers 5-2, fueled by three-point performances from offensive stars Marcel Dionne and Luc Robitaille.

Interestingly, Williams’ 358 penalty minutes during the 1986-87 season also stood as a Kings franchise record for several years. That mark was eventually surpassed by Marty McSorley, who recorded 399 penalty minutes during the 1992-93 campaign.

Williams finished the 1986-87 season with Los Angeles and returned briefly the following year, appearing in just two games for the Kings before closing out his NHL career with the Hartford Whalers, playing the final 26 games of his long and colorful run in the league.

Tiger: A Hockey Story (Autobiography of Tiger Williams)

The colorful and candid autobiography of Dave “Tiger” Williams, the NHL’s all-time penalty minute leader, filled with unforgettable stories from one of hockey’s toughest and most entertaining personalities.

Buy on Amazon

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

Errol Thompson’s Five-Point Night Fuels 18-Goal Leafs vs. Blackhawks Shootout in 1977

When the Toronto Maple Leafs visited the Chicago Blackhawks at Chicago Stadium on February 20, 1977, fans expecting a tight defensive contest were quickly proven wrong. The two clubs combined for an astonishing 18 goals in one of the highest-scoring games of the modern NHL era.

Leading the offensive parade was Summerside, Prince Edward Island native Errol Thompson, who delivered a spectacular performance for Toronto. Thompson recorded a hat trick and added two assists, factoring into five Maple Leafs goals. He set up tallies by Lanny McDonald and Darryl Sittler, helping power Toronto through a wild back-and-forth contest.

One of the most explosive stretches came early in the third period. Chicago’s Pit Martin opened the scoring surge at 1:04. Just 25 seconds later, Sittler buried his 25th goal of the season. Thompson followed with his 14th of the 1976-77 campaign at 2:07 before Grant Mulvey answered for Chicago at 2:40. The four goals in just 1 minute and 36 seconds rank among the fastest scoring bursts in NHL history, though they did not quite set the record.

At the time, the game’s 18 combined goals stood as the highest total in the “modern era” of the NHL. Only a pair of games during the offense-heavy 1943-44 season had surpassed it with 19 goals. The all-time NHL record remains the 21 goals scored in a 1920 matchup between the Toronto St. Pats and the Montreal Canadiens, a very different era of hockey.

Despite the offensive fireworks, the goaltenders faced a heavy workload. Toronto’s Wayne Thomas stopped 38 of 46 shots, while Chicago’s Gilles Villemure surrendered nine goals on 37 shots, with the final tally coming into an empty net.

The night also featured another standout performance from Toronto’s Ian Turnbull, who recorded a goal and four assists for a five-point effort of his own. McDonald added two goals, including the game winner, and two assists for a four-point game.

Stories From The Epic History Of NHL Hockey (Volume IV)

Dive into unforgettable tales from NHL history — the biggest moments, legendary players, and classic rivalries.

Buy on Amazon

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

Pete Mahovlich Scores Two Goals in Five Seconds for Canadiens Record in 1971

On February 20, 1971, Pete Mahovlich etched his name into the NHL record book with one of the fastest scoring bursts the league had ever seen.

Before that night, the record for the fastest two goals by the same player belonged to Nels Stewart, who scored twice in just four seconds during a 1931 game between the Montreal Maroons and Boston Bruins. The next fastest belonged to Howie Meeker, who scored two goals six seconds apart in 1952.

Mahovlich didn’t quite break Stewart’s record, but he came incredibly close. During a matchup between the Montreal Canadiens and Chicago Blackhawks at the Montreal Forum, Mahovlich scored twice in five seconds, placing himself between Stewart and Meeker in the NHL record books.

The game itself offered little suspense for the Montreal crowd. The Canadiens dominated early, jumping out to a 3-0 lead in the first period before the frame was halfway finished. They extended the lead to 4-0 early in the second period and carried a 5-1 advantage into the third.

Rejean Houle got Montreal rolling with the first two goals of the game. Phil Roberto followed with three consecutive tallies, with Jean Béliveau assisting on all three.

Then came Mahovlich’s historic moment.

At 12:16 of the third period, Mahovlich beat Blackhawks goaltender Tony Esposito for his 26th goal of the 1970-71 season, assisted by John Ferguson. Just five seconds later, at 12:21, Mahovlich struck again, once more with Ferguson setting him up, for his 27th goal of the season.

While it fell just short of the NHL record, Mahovlich’s rapid-fire scoring remains the fastest two goals in Montreal Canadiens franchise history. Remarkably, those two goals were also Mahovlich’s only shots on net in the entire game.

Stories From The Epic History Of NHL Hockey (Volume IV)

Dive into unforgettable tales from NHL history — the biggest moments, legendary players, and classic rivalries.

Buy on Amazon

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