Johnny Bower’s Final NHL Shutout: A Vintage Performance in Philadelphia

On December 12, 1968, in the twilight of his remarkable career, Johnny Bower turned back the clock one last time. Playing at the Spectrum in Philadelphia, the veteran netminder stopped all 27 shots he faced to backstop the Toronto Maple Leafs to a 1-0 win over the Flyers. Ron Ellis provided the game’s lone goal, beating Bernie Parent for the decisive tally. Among the Flyers, Simon Nolet kept Bower busiest, firing five shots on goal.

Earlier that same 1968-69 season, Bower had recorded his final home shutout at Maple Leaf Gardens, a 2-0 victory over the Boston Bruins. In that contest, he turned aside 29 shots while Larry Mickey and Dave Keon did the scoring. Keon’s third-period shorthanded marker against Gerry Cheevers sealed the win, in a game that also featured a spirited scrap between Tim Horton and Derek Sanderson.

That season would be Bower’s last as a regular contributor, appearing in 20 regular-season and four playoff games while sharing duties with Bruce Gamble. The following year, he suited up for just a single game before retiring from the NHL.

Between 1953-54 and 1969-70, Bower appeared in 552 regular season and 74 playoff games with the New York Rangers and Toronto Maple Leafs. Known for his fearless play and famous poke check, “The China Wall” became one of hockey’s most beloved figures and, fittingly, his career ended as it had so often been defined: with a shutout.

Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1976, Johnny Bower’s final blanking of the Flyers remains a classic example of his enduring brilliance between the pipes.

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NHL Hockey Trivia: Johnny Bower

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

1. Before joining the Toronto Maple Leafs, Johnny Bower began his NHL career with which team?

Chicago Black Hawks
New York Rangers
Detroit Red Wings
Boston Bruins

2. Bower was affectionately nicknamed “The China Wall.” What was the main reason for this nickname?

His unbreakable goaltending style
His time spent playing in China
His habit of wearing a mask made in China
His connection to the Great Wall through his ancestry

3. How many Stanley Cups did Johnny Bower win with the Toronto Maple Leafs?

Two
Three
Four
Five

4. What unique goaltending technique was Johnny Bower especially known for perfecting?

The butterfly style
The poke check
The stand-up save
The glove flash

5. In what year was Johnny Bower inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame?

1970
1972
1976
1980

In Season Two The St. Louis Blues Finally Get Their First NHL Hat Trick

The St. Louis Blues made their NHL debut in the 1967-68 season, but offensive fireworks were in short supply. Red Berenson led the expansion team in scoring that year, notching 22 goals and 51 points. No other Blues player managed more than 15 goals.

Things began to shift in the team’s second season. Berenson upped his production, and the addition of veteran sniper Camille “The Eel” Henry added a new scoring threat. On November 3, 1968, at Detroit Olympia, Henry made franchise history by scoring the first hat trick in Blues history in a game against the Red Wings.

Detroit jumped out to a 2-0 lead with goals from Frank Mahovlich and Gary Bergman. Henry got the Blues on the board late in the first period with a powerplay goal at 16:39. By the end of the second, it was 4-2 Red Wings but Henry wasn’t finished.

In the third period, Henry lit the lamp twice in a 15-second span to tie the game. Two of his three goals came on the powerplay, and Red Berenson assisted on two of them. All four St. Louis goals were scored against Red Wings goalie Roger Crozier, and the game ended in a 4-4 tie.

Just four nights later, on November 7, Berenson delivered one of the most iconic single-game performances in NHL history, scoring six goals in an 8-0 road win over the Philadelphia Flyers. Henry added to the onslaught with a goal and two assists, while Berenson recorded seven points in total. Doug Favell was in net for the shell-shocked Flyers.

About Camille Henry

Camille Henry played 727 regular season and 47 playoff games in the National Hockey League between 1953-54 and 1969-70 with the New York Rangers, Chicago Blackhawks and St. Louis Blues. He was the Calder Trophy winner in 1953-54 as NHL rookie of the year and won the Lady Byng Trophy in 1957-58.

Never a Stanley Cup champion, Henry did win a Calder Cup title in the AHL with the Providence Reds in 1955-56. That year, he led the league with exactly 50 goals and added ten more in the post season. His career best in the NHL was 37 goals in 1962-63 with the Rangers. That total placed him second, just a single goal behind leader Gordie Howe.