Rick MacLeish’s Lone Penalty Shot Goal Comes Against Billy Smith in 1978

On March 20, 1978, the Philadelphia Flyers hosted the New York Islanders at the Spectrum in a battle for Patrick Division supremacy. The Isles came in with a seven-point edge in the standings, but on this night, Rick MacLeish made a little history.

Just 6:20 into the first period, MacLeish was awarded a penalty shot, something that would turn out to be the only one of his 846-game NHL career. The Cannington Kid made it count, slipping it past the always-fiery Billy Smith to give the Flyers a 1-0 lead. Despite firing 11 shots in the game, nearly 30% of the team’s total, this would be MacLeish’s only goal of the night and his 31st of the season. It also ended up being his final regular season goal of 1977-78.

The Flyers would go on to win the game 4-2, with Mel Bridgman, Reg Leach, and Bill Barber adding goals of their own. Barber’s 36th of the campaign proved to be the game-winner. Between the pipes, BernieParent was solid, turning away 26 shots to seal the victory.

MacLeish’s career spanned from 1970-71 to 1983-84, playing for the Flyers, Hartford Whalers, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Detroit Red Wings. He racked up 349 regular season goals and another 54 in the playoffs. Notably, in 1972-73, he became the first player in Flyers history to notch 50 goals in a single season.

Rick MacLeish vs. Billy Smith – Trivia Quiz

For much more hockey trivia, check out our Hockey Trivia Website.

1. What date did Rick MacLeish score his only career penalty shot goal?
   March 10, 1978
   March 20, 1978
   March 25, 1978
   


2. Who was the goaltender Rick MacLeish scored on during the penalty shot?
   Bernie Parent
   Billy Smith
   Rogie Vachon
   


3. How many shots on goal did MacLeish register in the game?
   7
   11
   5
   


4. Who scored the game-winning goal for the Flyers in the 4–2 win?
   Rick MacLeish
   Mel Bridgman
   Bill Barber
   


5. How many career regular-season goals did Rick MacLeish score?
   349
   402
   296
   

Reg Leach and Dennis Hull Trade Hat Tricks in a 1974 Blackhawks Blowout

In the early 1970s, matchups with the California Golden Seals often meant big nights for opposing scorers and January 6, 1974 was no exception. Dennis Hull made the most of the opportunity, leading the Chicago Blackhawks to a 9-4 win at Chicago Stadium. But California’s Reggie Leach wasn’t about to let Hull have the spotlight to himself.

Leach got on the board first, beating Blackhawks goalie Mike Veisor just 2:15 into the opening period. Walt McKechnie and Brent Meeke assisted on the early goal. Hull answered back five minutes later with his 17th of the season, set up by Pit Martin and Bill White.

Before the first period ended, Hull had already added his second of the night, and the Hawks took a 3-2 lead into the intermission. He completed the hat trick just 1:17 into the second period.

Reggie Leach wasn’t done either. He tallied his second goal of the game at 12:07 of the second period, then notched his third at 11:11 of the third. Despite the lopsided final score, Leach’s hat trick earned him some well-deserved respect.

Hull rounded out his stellar night with two third-period assists, giving him five points overall. Both he and Leach led their respective teams with six shots on goal.

In net for the Golden Seals was Bob Champoux, who played 17 games that season. After a single NHL playoff appearance with Detroit back in 1964, the 1973-74 campaign with California marked his only regular-season action in the league. He finished the year with a 5.21 goals-against average and a .848 save percentage.

Dennis Hull vs. Reg Leach in 1973-74

1973-74 was the final year with the California Golden Seals for Reg Leach. His 22 goals were one off his previous best of 23, put up the year before. His 46 points were a career best but these highs would change fast. On May 24, 1974, Leach was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers for Al MacAdam and Larry Wright. With the Flyers, Reg would see his potential and have career highs of 61 goals and 91 points.

For Dennis Hull, 1973-74 was a decent year with 29 goals and 68 points. However, his goal scoring had been declining since he put up 40 in 1970-71. He would remain in the NHL until the end of the 1977-78 campaign but he would not really have the same scoring success he'd enjoyed.

Quiz: Reg Leach and Dennis Hull Hat Trick Showdown (1974)

For more hockey trivia, come on over and check out our hockey trivia website!

1. Who scored the first goal of the game on January 6, 1974?

Dennis Hull
Reggie Leach
Pit Martin
Brent Meeke

2. How many points did Dennis Hull score in the game?

3
4
5
6

3. Who was the California Golden Seals’ starting goalie that day?

Bob Champoux
Terry Sawchuk
Mike Veisor
Rogie Vachon

4. How many goals did Reggie Leach score in the game?

2
3
4
1

5. How many games did Bob Champoux play in the NHL that season?

10
17
3
1

Bobby Orr Begins His Chicago Blackhawks Career With a Three-Point Statement Game

It never felt quite right seeing Bobby Orr in anything but black and gold. Yet on October 7, 1976, Orr officially began the final chapter of his NHL career, this time wearing a Chicago Blackhawks sweater. After a frustrating 1975-76 season marred by recurring knee injuries, fans in the Windy City were hopeful they'd see flashes of the legendary Orr in action. And on opening night, that’s exactly what they got.

Facing the St. Louis Blues at the Checkerdome, Orr made his presence known just 1:32 into the game, assisting on Pit Martin’s opening goal past Blues goalie Ed Staniowski. Then, just 1:27 into the second period, he found the back of the net himself, scoring his first goal as a Blackhawk with help from Cliff Koroll and Dick Redmond.

Later in the same frame, Orr added a second assist on a powerplay goal by Ivan Boldirev, giving him a three-point night in his return to NHL action. The Blackhawks ultimately won the game 6-4, with Pit Martin’s second of the night holding up as the game-winner.

While Orr showed early promise in his new colors, his knee troubles never fully subsided. He would post 23 points in 20 games that season before sitting out the entire 1977-78 campaign. A brief six-game return in 1978-79 marked the final days of his brilliant career.

About Bobby Orr

Bobby Orr played 657 regular season and 74 playoff games in the National Hockey League between 1966-67 and 1978-79 with the Boston Bruins and Chicago Blackhawks. The two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Bruins won the Norris Trophy eight consecutive times as the NHL's top defenseman.

Along with winning the Calder Trophy as NHL rookie of the year in 1966-67, Orr was also a three-time recipient of the Hart Trophy while winning both the Art Ross Trophy and Conn Smythe Trophy twice. Bobby was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1979.

Quick Hockey Trivia Quiz

Just some fun hockey trivia focused on the content above. You can find much more at our hockey trivia website.

Bobby Orr's Chicago Blackhawks Debut Quiz

1. What team did the Blackhawks face in Bobby Orr’s debut?

Detroit Red Wings
St. Louis Blues
Boston Bruins

2. How many points did Orr score in the game?

Two
Three
Four

3. Who scored the first goal of the game assisted by Orr?

Ivan Boldirev
Cliff Koroll
Pit Martin

4. How many games did Orr play in 1976–77?

20
6
82

5. What arena did Orr’s debut take place in?

The Forum
Checkerdome
Boston Garden

Denis Potvin Sparks Islanders’ First-Ever Win Over Rangers in 1973

The New York Islanders didn’t find much early success against their New York City rivals after joining the NHL for the 1972-73 season. Facing the Rangers six times that inaugural year, the Islanders were shut out twice and swept in the season series. But everything changed on October 27, 1973.

In the first meeting of the 1973-74 season, the Islanders finally broke through thanks in large part to a rookie defenseman destined for greatness. On that night at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Denis Potvin opened the scoring just 4:54 into the game, marking not only the Islanders’ first goal of the night but also the first goal of Potvin’s NHL career.

Potvin struck again late in the second period with a powerplay goal at 18:46, giving the Islanders a 3-1 lead. That goal stood as the game-winner, even after Rangers star Jean Ratelle cut the lead to one in the third. The Islanders held on for a 3-2 win, their first-ever victory over the Rangers.

Goaltender Billy Smith stood tall in net, stopping 30 of 32 shots, while Ed Giacomin faced 27 shots for the Rangers. Giacomin also played a direct role in Potvin’s second goal, taking a slashing penalty that led to the powerplay tally.

The game wasn’t without its share of fireworks. A pair of second-period fights kept tensions high, beginning with Brad Park and Andre St. Laurent, followed by a heavyweight clash between Vic Hadfield and Bob Nystrom.

Despite the historic win, the Islanders would finish the season 1-5 against the Rangers. Still, the breakthrough set the tone for a more competitive rivalry in years to come. By the next season, the Islanders had earned two wins and a tie against the Blueshirts, early signs of the power they would soon become in the NHL.

Islanders vs. Rangers 1974-75

The third year for the new New York team saw some dramatic change. The Islanders reached the semi-final and nearly upset the eventual Stanley Cup champion Philadelphia Flyers. In their regular season series with the Rangers, the Isles were 2-3-1. 

The Islanders showed improvement all year and the two wins against their cross-town rivals were the last two, within a week of each other. The wins on March 29, 1975 and April 6, 1975 were both by the score of 6-4. Glenn Resch was a standout in goal for both and rookie Clark Gillies led with two points in each match.

As luck would have it, the two teams met in the opening round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, the first time in the post season for the Islanders. In the best of 3 preliminary round set, the away team won each game. The Islanders won game 1 3-2 at Madison Square Garden. The Rangers put up 8 in a game 2 8-3 win. The series clincher was decided in overtime with J.P. Parise scoring just eleven seconds into the extra frame.

Penalty Kill Perfection: Dave Keon Nets a Hat Trick (Including 2 SHG) in 1970

On December 2, 1970, Toronto Maple Leafs captain Dave Keon put on a penalty-killing clinic at Maple Leaf Gardens and turned it into a hat trick showcase.

Facing the Los Angeles Kings, Keon scored two shorthanded goals and added a third at even strength, powering the Leafs to a dominant 7-0 victory. His first shorty came in the second period while Jim Harrison was in the box for elbowing. George Armstrong, "The Chief", in his final NHL season, provided the assist as Keon beat Jack Norris at 9:36.

Then, early in the third, Keon struck again on the penalty kill, this time assisted by Billy MacMillan while Paul Henderson was off for tripping. He finished off the hat trick midway through the final frame with a five-on-five tally from Mike Pelyk and Garry Monahan.

Veteran goalie Jacques Plante turned aside 35 shots for the shutout, and Ron Ellis chipped in with two goals and an assist. Even Armstrong, nearing the end of his storied career, notched a pair of helpers.

This game marked just the seventh win in the Leafs' first 23 games of the 1970–71 season. But Keon’s inspired play was a bright spot in a rough start.

Over his Hall of Fame career, Keon scored 32 shorthanded goals, placing him in a four-way tie for 17th all-time alongside Peter Bondra, Bobby Clarke, and Joe Sakic. His eight SHG in 1970–71 tied him for the league lead with Boston’s Ed Westfall and Don Marcotte.

About Dave Keon  

Dave Keon played 1,296 regular season and 92 playoff games in the National Hockey League between 1960-61 and 1981-82 with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Hartford Whalers. He also played 301 regular season and 36 playoff games in the WHA between 1975-7 and 1978-79 with the Minnesota Fighting Saints, Indianapolis Racers and New England Whalers.

A four time Stanley Cup champion with the Maple Leafs, Keon won the Calder Trophy as NHL rookie of the year in 1960-61. In the following two seasons, he was the recipient of the Lady Byng Trophy. Dave was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in Toronto's 1966-67 run to the Stanley Cup championship. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1986 and his jersey number 14 has been retired by the Maple Leafs.

NHL Hockey Card Legends: Dave Keon [Video]

Orland Kurtenbach Records First Hat Trick in Vancouver Canucks History

On December 12, 1970, in just their inaugural NHL season, the Vancouver Canucks made a bit of franchise history and it was their captain who led the charge. Orland Kurtenbach, the gritty veteran and first-ever Canucks captain, notched the first hat trick in team history in a 5-2 win at home over the California Golden Seals.

Kurtenbach, selected from the New York Rangers in the 1970 NHL Expansion Draft, was a steadying presence both on the ice and in the locker room. That night against the Seals, he was simply dominant. He scored three of Vancouver’s five goals and assisted on another, a second-period marker by Wayne Maki. Goalie Charlie Hodge earned the win, while California's Gary Smith did his best under fire, stopping 31 of 36 shots.

For Kurtenbach, it was a career milestone. These were his 10th, 11th, and 12th goals of the season and the only three-goal game of his NHL career. He’d go on to finish the 1970-71 campaign with 21 goals and 32 assists for 53 points in just 52 games, setting new personal bests. He'd top those numbers the very next year with 24 goals and 61 points across a full 78-game schedule.

The Canucks, despite being newcomers to the league, saw four hat tricks in that first season. Rosaire Paiement recorded two, including the club's first-ever four-goal game on February 9, 1971, in a 6-3 win over Buffalo. Wayne Maki added the other.

About Orland Kurtenbach

Orland Kurtenbach played 639 regular season and 19 playoff games in the National Hockey League between 1960-61 and 1973-74 with the New York Rangers, Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs and Vancouver Canucks. He would go on to serve as head coach of the Canucks after retiring as a player.

Never a Stanley Cup champion, Kurtenbach helped the WHL Canucks to two titles prior to his NHL career. He also played a major role in the San Francisco Seals WHL championship in 1962-63. He was WHL rookie of the year in 1957-58, totaling 54 points over 52 games with the Canucks. Orland was the recipient of the Jake Milford Trophy as CHL coach of the year in 1975-76, leading the Tulsa Oilers to a title in his second year of coaching.