On April 10, 1955, Detroit’s Olympia Stadium witnessed one of Gordie Howe’s finest playoff performances. Facing the Montreal Canadiens in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final, “Mr. Hockey” delivered a natural hat trick that carried the Red Wings within one win of the championship.
Howe’s trio of goals showcased his all-around greatness: one even strength, one on the power play, and one shorthanded. His first, scored at 18:59 of the opening period against Montreal’s Jacques Plante, stood as the game-winner in a 5-1 Detroit victory.
The second period belonged to Howe. At 12:29, he struck on the power play with help from Alex Delvecchio and Ted Lindsay. Just four minutes later, with Montreal down a man for hooking, Howe struck shorthanded, assisted by Lindsay and Red Kelly, to complete the rare natural hat trick.
Montreal bounced back to win Game 6 at the Forum, 6-3, with Bernie Geoffrion notching the winner. Howe was shut out that night, but in Game 7 he responded the way legends do, scoring his ninth goal of the postseason late in the second period. Detroit clinched the Stanley Cup with a 3-1 win, capturing the series 4-3.
Over 11 playoff games that spring, Howe racked up 9 goals and 11 assists for 20 points, numbers that would have easily earned him the Conn Smythe Trophy, had it been awarded at the time. It was the fourth and final Stanley Cup of his extraordinary career.
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