Wendel Clark Erupts For 4 Goals In Early-Season Shootout vs Buffalo

For Toronto Maple Leafs power forward Wendel Clark, the 1986-87 NHL season began with fireworks. After scoring once in the season opener against Montreal, Clark exploded for four goals in Game 2, all against Buffalo Sabres goalie Darren Puppa, marking the first four-goal game of his career.

Unfortunately, his hot streak didn’t last. Following this dominant night, Clark managed just one goal over his next seven games. But for one October evening, the Leafs’ young leader was unstoppable.

The game opened with Mike Foligno putting Buffalo ahead early on Ken Wregget, but Clark answered with two quick goals. Foligno tied it again with his second, only for Wendel to complete the hat trick before the end of the first period. Gilbert Perreault’s late goal made it 3-3 after a wild opening frame.

The scoring show continued through the second and third. Despite Clark’s heroics, the Leafs trailed 5-4 after two periods, with Wilf Paiement (a former Leaf himself) scoring twice for Buffalo and Steve Thomas cutting the gap for Toronto. Clark’s fourth goal at 9:44 of the third tied things up 5-5 and that’s how it stayed, as overtime solved nothing.

It was a night for offense, not defense:

• Gary Leeman assisted on all four Clark goals for a four-point performance.

• Paiement and Perreault both finished with three points for the Sabres.

• Goaltending struggled on both ends: Puppa allowed five on 25 shots, Wregget five on 23.

About Wendel Clark

Wendel Clark played 793 regular season and 95 playoff games in the National Hockey League between 1985-86 and 1999-00 with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Quebec Nordiques, New York Islanders, Tampa Bay Lightning, Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks. The often injured Clark had a career year in 1993-94, scoring 46 goals in just 64 games.

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NHL Hockey Trivia: Wendel Clark

Much more NHL hockey trivia can be found at our website: World's Best Hockey Trivia

1. What year was Wendel Clark selected first overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the NHL Draft?

1983
1984
1985
1986

2. Which position did Clark originally play before converting to forward in junior hockey?

Defense
Center
Left Wing
Goaltender

3. In what season did Clark first serve as captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs?

1988-89
1991-92
1993-94
1995-96

4. Which team did Wendel Clark join after being traded in the blockbuster deal that brought Mats Sundin to Toronto?

Detroit Red Wings
Quebec Nordiques
New York Islanders
Chicago Blackhawks

5. Wendel Clark retired with 330 career NHL goals. How many of those came in a Leafs uniform?

260
195
275
305

Len Fontaine Bursts Onto The Scene With 3 Points In His 1st NHL Game

On opening night of the 1972-73 NHL season, rookie forward Len Fontaine made a stunning first impression in his very first game with the Detroit Red Wings. Facing the New York Rangers at the Olympia, Fontaine needed less than eight minutes to score his first NHL goal, a power play marker on legendary goalie Ed Giacomin, assisted by Red Berenson and Ron Stackhouse.

Before the first period was over, Detroit held a 4-0 lead, and Fontaine had already picked up two assists, one on Guy Charron’s goal and another on Berenson’s. His debut performance was nothing short of spectacular: three points in his first NHL game.

Detroit followed up with another home win, 4-3 over the Boston Bruins, where Fontaine repeated his performance with another three-point game, setting up two goals by Charron and one by Berenson.

After just two games, fans were beginning to wonder if Detroit had found their next superstar. But as it turned out, those early fireworks would represent the peak of Fontaine’s NHL scoring. His six points in two games, plus a goal against Philadelphia in Game 3, would make up nearly 40% of his total NHL production.

Fontaine went on to play 39 games in 1972-73 and seven more in 1973-74, for a total of 46 NHL games. He then carved out a long and successful career in the International Hockey League (IHL), highlighted by a championship win with the Toledo Goaldiggers in 1977-78.

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NHL Hockey Trivia: Len Fontaine

Much more NHL hockey trivia can be found at our website: World's Best Hockey Trivia

1. Len Fontaine made his NHL debut with the Detroit Red Wings during which season?

1971-72
1972-73
1973-74
1974-75

2. Before turning pro, Fontaine starred in junior hockey with which Ontario team?

London Nationals
Windsor Spitfires
Sarnia Legionnaires
Petrolia Jets

3. Len Fontaine won an International Hockey League (IHL) championship in 1977-78 with which team?

Saginaw Gears
Toledo Goaldiggers
Fort Wayne Komets
Kalamazoo Wings

4. In his first two NHL games, Fontaine collected how many total points?

3
4
5
6

5. After leaving the NHL, Fontaine became a consistent scorer in the minors. Which of these leagues did he *not* play in?

IHL
WHA
AHL
CHL

Wayne Connelly’s Hat Trick Leads North Stars to First-Ever Win Over Canadiens

On March 4, 1968, the Minnesota North Stars hosted the Montreal Canadiens at the Metropolitan Sports Center for their final meeting of the season. The expansion North Stars had yet to defeat the storied Habs until a former Montreal prospect made sure that changed.

Wayne Connelly, who began his NHL journey in the Canadiens’ system, scored all three Minnesota goals in a thrilling 3-2 victory. In the opening period, Connelly struck twice on the power play, first while John Ferguson sat off for cross-checking, then again with Ted Harris serving a five-minute major.

He completed the hat trick late in the third period, notching his 30th of the season and what would stand as the game-winner. Montreal’s Dick Duff scored both Canadiens goals, the last coming with less than two minutes to play, but Cesare Maniago held strong in net for Minnesota with 33 saves on 35 shots.

Connelly fired nine of the North Stars’ 23 shots himself, an outstanding solo effort that powered the team to its first-ever win over Montreal. The three-goal night was his second career hat trick, and he went on to lead the club with 35 goals that season, the highest total among players from the NHL’s six new expansion teams. His 35 goals also tied him with Phil Esposito and Norm Ullman for fourth overall in the league.

About Wayne Connelly

Between 1960-61 and 1971-72, Wayne Connelly played 543 regular season and 24 playoff games in the National Hockey League with the Montreal Canadiens, Boston Bruins, Minnesota North Stars, Detroit Red Wings, St. Louis Blues and Vancouver Canucks. He surpassed the 20 goal plateau twice and had a career best 59 points with the Red Wings in 1969-70.

In the WHA, Connelly played an additional 366 regular season and 37 playoff games between 1972-73 and 1976-77 with the Minnesota Fighting Saints, Cleveland Crusaders, Calgary Cowboys and Edmonton Oilers. He had two 40+ goal seasons, topping out with 42 in 1973-74 with the Fighting Saints.

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NHL Hockey Trivia: Wayne Connelly

Much more NHL hockey trivia can be found at our website: World's Best Hockey Trivia

1. Wayne Connelly led all players from the NHL’s six expansion teams in goals during the 1967-68 season. How many goals did he score that year?

28
32
35
38

2. Before joining the Minnesota North Stars, Connelly played for which NHL franchise?

Boston Bruins
Chicago Black Hawks
Detroit Red Wings
Montreal Canadiens

3. Connelly’s most famous game came on March 4, 1968, when he scored all three goals in Minnesota’s first-ever win over which team?

Toronto Maple Leafs
Montreal Canadiens
Boston Bruins
New York Rangers

4. In addition to the NHL, Connelly also spent several seasons in which major North American professional hockey league during the 1970s?

AHL
WHL
WHA
IHL

5. Over his professional career, Wayne Connelly played for all of the following teams except which one?

Minnesota North Stars
Vancouver Canucks
Cleveland Crusaders
Indianapolis Racers