The Miracle in Minnesota: Mario Lessard's 65-Save Masterpiece

Adding to the awe of this tale is the fact that it unfolded under the watch of a goaltender boasting a career .875 save percentage in the NHL.

On the evening of March 24, 1981, Mario Lessard and the Los Angeles Kings descended upon the Met Center for an away fixture against the Minnesota North Stars. In terms of standings, the Kings held the advantage with 40 victories to Minnesota's 32.

The North Stars unleashed a barrage of 68 shots at Lessard, yet he managed to repel 65 of them. Minnesota surged to a 2-0 lead in the second period, only for Los Angeles to stage a remarkable comeback, tallying four unanswered goals. Ultimately, the Kings emerged triumphant with a narrow 4-3 victory.

Lessard's 65 saves remain unparalleled in a winning effort. While Ron Tugnutt later recorded a 70-save performance, it resulted in a tie. Notably, Lessard's feat eclipsed the NHL record of 64 saves, previously held by Joe Daley of the Buffalo Sabres in a 1970 contest against the Boston Bruins, which ended in an 8-2 defeat.

Larry Murphy and Jimmy Fox spearheaded the Kings' offensive charge, each contributing a goal and an assist. Meanwhile, Bobby Smith notched a goal and two assists for the North Stars, with Dino Ciccarelli leading their offensive onslaught with eight shots.

On the opposing end, Don Beaupre had a relatively uneventful evening, facing only 19 shots on goal. However, this relaxation may have proven detrimental, as he conceded four goals.

Mario Lessard's tenure in the NHL spanned 240 regular-season games and 20 playoff appearances, all with the Kings, from 1978-79 to 1983-84.

Mario Lessard Los Angeles Kings 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee 389 [YouTube Shorts]

1979-80 O-Pee-Chee NHL: Beyond Wayne Gretzky

The 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee hockey card series is forever known as the set that includes the Wayne Gretzky rookie card. Although not the most valuable hockey card in the history of the hobby, considering when it was produced and in what great numbers, the Gretzky card, at $800, is one of the most coveted treasures among collectors.

The complete set of 396 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee hockey cards is valued at around $1400. Just what cards other than the Gretzky rookie card account for the rest of the set’s value? It turns out, there is nothing enormously outstanding but still there are some important cards.

Gordie Howe

The next most valuable card in the series belongs to Gordie Howe. The 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee #175 of Howe with the Hartford Whalers is the final card ever produced of ‘Mr. Hockey’. The card is valued at $30. This is a far cry from his first card that came out three decades before. The 1951-52 Parkhurst Gordie Howe rookie card is valued at $3000.

Bobby Hull

Card number 185 belonged to another NHL legend in his final season. Bobby Hull of the Winnipeg Jets is valued at $25 on cardboard. Just like the Gordie Howe rookie card, the 1958-59 Topps Bobby Hull rookie card is also valued at $3000. Interestingly, the Topps version of the 1979-80 Bobby Hull card shows him as a member of the Chicago Black Hawks. In the end, Hull split his final season in the National Hockey League with the Jets and Hartford Whalers.

Mike Bossy

Mike Bossy’s great NHL career was just blossoming in 1979-80, only to be overshadowed by the accomplishments of Gretzky. The New York Islanders sniper was featured on card number 230. The card is valued at $20. 1979-80 was the third of Bossy’s ten seasons in the NHL. His career was cut short due to injury and he left the game surpassing the 50 goal plateau in every season but his last.

Barry Melrose

The next highest rated rookie card from the 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee series, behind Gretzky’s, is one for the trivia books. Believe it or not, the Barry Melrose rookie card, number 386, is valued at $10, $4 more than the next most valuable rookie. Melrose had played 178 games in the World Hockey Association with the Cincinnati Stingers over the three previous seasons. He came to the NHL with the Winnipeg Jets and played a total of 300 regular season NHL games between 1979-80 and 1985-86 with the Jets, Toronto Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings.