The 1974-75 NHL season was a career year offensively for Barry Gibbs. The veteran defenseman finished with 40 points split between the Minnesota North Stars and Atlanta Flames, the highest single-season total of his NHL career. Remarkably, five of those 40 points came in one wild night against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Highlights
December 21, 1974
Minnesota North Stars 8, Pittsburgh Penguins 7
Gibbs: 1 goal, 4 assists, 5 points
Minnesota trailed 4-1 in the first period
Gibbs helped the North Stars tie it 4-4 before the first intermission
Assisted on Blake Dunlop's eventual game-winner
Five points represented 12.5% of Gibbs' 40-point season
Traded to Atlanta just two weeks later
On December 21, 1974, the North Stars hosted Pittsburgh and eventually escaped with an 8-7 victory. Early on, however, things looked bleak for Minnesota. The Penguins jumped out to a quick 4-1 lead on first-period goals from Bob Kelly, Rick Kehoe, Ron Schock and Syl Apps.
Gibbs helped lead the North Stars back. At 10:40 of the opening period, he scored his fourth goal of the season to cut into Pittsburgh's lead. Before the period was over, Minnesota had erased the deficit and tied the game at 4-4. Gibbs was involved throughout the comeback, adding three assists on two goals by Murray Oliver and another by Bill Goldsworthy.
His night wasn't finished. Gibbs picked up his fourth assist and fifth point on Blake Dunlop's goal at 17:59 of the third period. Fred Stanfield also assisted on the goal, which gave Minnesota an 8-7 lead and ultimately stood as the game-winner. Gibbs finished the night with a goal and four assists in one of the biggest offensive performances of his NHL career.
The game was Gibbs' 33rd of the season with Minnesota, but his time with the North Stars was nearing an end. After four more appearances, he was traded to the Atlanta Flames on January 4, 1975 in exchange for Dwight Bialowas and Dean Talafous. Gibbs finished the season with 40 points overall, although his production slowed considerably after the move to Atlanta.
Gibbs went on to play 796 regular-season and 36 playoff games in the National Hockey League between 1967-68 and 1979-80. His NHL career included stops with the Boston Bruins, Minnesota North Stars, Atlanta Flames, St. Louis Blues and Los Angeles Kings. While never known primarily for his offense, his five-point performance on December 21, 1974 remains an impressive snapshot from his career-best offensive season.
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