A perfect start to a season wasn't something California Golden Seals fans got to experience very often. But, for at least two games in October 1975, the Seals could enjoy life without a loss. After opening the 1975-76 NHL season with a 4-3 victory over the Atlanta Flames at the Omni, California travelled to Detroit to face the Red Wings on October 11, 1975.
Highlights
California opened the 1975-76 season with consecutive victories.
Al MacAdam scored a hat trick in the 5-2 win over Detroit.
His first goal was an unassisted shorthanded marker.
MacAdam's second goal, just 1:10 into the third, was the game winner.
It was the first of three NHL hat tricks in MacAdam's career.
Gary Simmons stopped 24 shots for California.
Dennis Maruk led the Golden Seals with six shots on goal.
California won just one of its next 12 games and relocated to Cleveland after the season.
Al MacAdam was the star of the night at Detroit Olympia. The Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island native opened the scoring at 8:38 of the first period with an unassisted shorthanded goal on Detroit goaltender Jim Rutherford. Bob Stewart was serving a charging penalty at the time. The Red Wings battled back and the teams entered the third period tied 2-2.
MacAdam wasted little time putting California back in front. Just 1:10 into the third, he scored his second of the game, assisted by Mike Christie. The goal stood as the game winner. MacAdam then completed the hat trick at 16:26, with Christie and rookie Dennis Maruk picking up the assists. It was the first of three hat tricks MacAdam would record during his NHL career.
Bob Murdoch finished off the scoring with an empty-net goal as California came away with a 5-2 victory. Gary Simmons earned the win in net with 24 saves, while the Golden Seals fired 36 shots at Rutherford. Maruk led California with six shots on goal.
For the Golden Seals, the 2-0 start provided a brief moment of optimism during what would be their final season in California. The momentum disappeared quickly, with the club winning just one of its next 12 games. California finished 1975-76 with 27 wins and 65 points, missing the playoffs for a sixth consecutive season. The franchise relocated to Ohio that summer and became the Cleveland Barons.
The California Golden Seals: A Tale of White Skates, Red Ink, and One of the NHL's Most Outlandish Teams
Discover the fascinating and unconventional story of the California Golden Seals — one of the NHL’s most memorable and unusual franchises.
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