Dale Hawerchuk’s Four-Point Night Not Enough Against the Mighty Oilers

On January 4, 1985, the Winnipeg Jets rolled into Edmonton’s Northlands Coliseum for what turned into one of the most memorable regular season games of the year, at least for Dale Hawerchuk.

By the early minutes of the third period, Hawerchuk had almost single-handedly lifted Winnipeg to a 4-3 lead, scoring three of the team’s goals and setting up another by Perry Turnbull. Unfortunately for the Jets, this was 1985 Edmonton, the era of Gretzky, Kurri, Coffey, and constant comebacks. The Oilers roared back with four unanswered goals to win 7-4.

Hawerchuk was unstoppable early, scoring his 22nd and 23rd of the 1984-85 season in the opening frame, both assisted by Paul MacLean. After two periods, it was literally Hawerchuk 3, Oilers 3. When he netted his 24th goal early in the third, Winnipeg briefly believed they could steal one from the defending Stanley Cup champs.

The Oilers’ offense, however, had other plans. Wayne Gretzky posted three quiet assists, while Jari Kurri and Jaroslav Pouzar each scored twice. Edmonton outshot Winnipeg 42-25, keeping goaltender Andy Moog largely untested while bombarding Brian Hayward at the other end.

For Dale Hawerchuk, that 1984-85 campaign would become his finest. He hit the 50-goal mark for the only time in his career and racked up 130 points, finishing third in NHL scoring, behind only Mario Lemieux and Wayne Gretzky’s unreal 208-point season.

About Dale Hawerchuk 

Dale Hawerchuk played 1,188 regular season and 97 playoff games in the National Hockey League between 1981-82 and 1996-97 with the Winnipeg Jets, Buffalo Sabres, St. Louis Blues and Philadelphia Flyers. He was the first overall pick by the Jets at the 1981 NHL Entry Draft. In 2001, Hawerchuk was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

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NHL Hockey Trivia: Dale Hawerchuk

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

1. In what year did Dale Hawerchuk win the Calder Memorial Trophy as NHL Rookie of the Year?

1980-81
1981-82
1982-83
1983-84

2. Which team selected Dale Hawerchuk first overall in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft?

Winnipeg Jets
Quebec Nordiques
Buffalo Sabres
Toronto Maple Leafs

3. Hawerchuk reached the 100-point plateau several times in his career. How many seasons did he record at least 100 points?

3
6
4
5

4. Dale Hawerchuk was traded to the Buffalo Sabres in a blockbuster deal at the 1990 NHL Draft. Which future Hall of Famer was part of the trade going to Winnipeg?

Phil Housley
Dave Andreychuk
Pat LaFontaine
Mike Ramsey

5. Before joining the NHL, Hawerchuk starred in junior hockey with which OHL team?

Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
Cornwall Royals
Peterborough Petes
Kitchener Rangers

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

Bob Bourne Delivers Clutch Goals and Grit vs. the Jets

The New York Islanders dynasty wasn’t built solely on superstars like Mike Bossy, Bryan Trottier, and Denis Potvin. Players like Bob Bourne quietly carved out reputations as game-changers in crucial moments. On March 11, 1981, he delivered one of his finest performances.

That season, Bourne scored 35 goals, including nine on the power play, seven shorthanded, and five game-winners. He was the very definition of a special teams specialist, thriving when it mattered most.

When the Islanders visited the Winnipeg Jets at Winnipeg Arena, the matchup looked lopsided. New York had 39 wins, while the Jets had only eight. Yet after the first period, the game was knotted 2-2. Bourne picked up an assist on Mike Bossy’s 62nd goal of the year to help even the score late in the frame.

In the second period, with Bob Nystrom serving a penalty, Bourne struck shorthanded. At 10:04, he snapped home his 28th goal of the season past Michel Dion, assisted by Denis Potvin. It stood up as the game-winning goal in a 6-3 Islanders victory.

Just 45 seconds later, Bourne showed he could mix it up, too. Dropping the gloves with Danny Geoffrion, he earned a five-minute major for fighting, giving him a Gordie Howe Hat Trick.

Bourne capped his night by scoring into the empty net with three seconds left, finishing with a three-point performance. His 35 goals and 76 points that season were both career highs, and he remained a vital cog in the Islanders’ machine during their run of four straight Stanley Cups.

About Bob Bourne

Bob Bourne played 964 regular season and 139 playoff games in the National Hockey League between 1974-75 and 1987-88 with the New York Islanders and Los Angeles Kings. Bourne was originally a draft pick of the Kansas City Scouts. He was selected in the third round of the 1974 NHL Amateur Draft after a junior career with the Saskatoon Blades. He was traded to the Islanders just prior to the start of the 1974-75 NHL season.

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NHL Hockey Trivia: Bob Bourne

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

1. Bob Bourne spent the majority of his NHL career with which team?

Winnipeg Jets
New York Islanders
Calgary Flames
Minnesota North Stars

2. Bourne’s best NHL season came in 1980-81. How many goals did he score that year?

29
35
41
25

3. Bourne was part of how many consecutive Stanley Cup championships with the Islanders?

4
2
3
5

4. After leaving the Islanders, Bourne played for which NHL team?

New Jersey Devils
Toronto Maple Leafs
Los Angeles Kings
Buffalo Sabres

5. Which honor did Bob Bourne receive in 1988 recognizing his contributions beyond the game itself?

Induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame
Conn Smythe Trophy
Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy
Lester Patrick Trophy

Darryl Sittler’s First Game Against the Maple Leafs: A Bittersweet End to a Blue & White Legacy

On April 4, 1982, at the Philadelphia Spectrum, NHL fans witnessed a bittersweet and historic moment: Darryl Sittler, once the heart and soul of the Toronto Maple Leafs, suited up for the Philadelphia Flyers to face his former team for the very first time.

Just months earlier, the Leafs had traded Sittler, one of their greatest players and longtime captain, to the Flyers for Rich Costello and a second-round pick in the 1982 NHL Draft, which became Peter Ihnacak. The trade felt like a slap in the face to fans and to Sittler himself, a player who had poured a decade of heart, hustle, and historic moments into the blue and white.

That night, the Flyers steamrolled the Leafs 7-1 in a game that underscored just how far Toronto had fallen. Sittler contributed modestly with a single assist on the opening goal by Ken Linseman, and fired five shots on goal. While Sittler played a steady game, it was Tim Kerr who stole the show for Philadelphia with a hat trick, his 19th, 20th, and 21st goals of the season. Flyers legend Bobby Clarke also notched three assists.

The Leafs mustered only 18 shots on Flyers goaltender Pete Peeters. Michel Larocque, on the other hand, faced a barrage of 59 shots in the Toronto net. The lone bright spot for the Maple Leafs was Rick Vaive, who scored his 54th goal of the season, a franchise record that stood for four decades until Auston Matthews finally broke it.

About Darryl Sittler

Darryl Sittler played 1,096 regular season and 76 playoff games in the National Hockey League between 1970-71 and 1984-85 with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Philadelphia Flyers and Detroit Red Wings. He was an eighth overall pick by Toronto at the 1970 NHL Amateur Draft out of the London Knights.

In 12 seasons, Sittler scored at least 27 goals. He topped the 40 goal plateau five times, putting up a career best 45 in 1977-78. That year he had 117 points, placing him third in the NHL behind Guy Lafleur and Bryan Trottier. Darryl was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1989.

NHL Hockey Card Legends: Darryl Sittler

Dino Ciccarelli Becomes First 50-Goal Scorer in North Stars History

On March 8, 1982, Dino Ciccarelli etched his name into Minnesota North Stars history by becoming the franchise’s first-ever 50-goal scorer. It was the 68th game of the 1981-82 NHL season, and the North Stars were hosting the St. Louis Blues at the Met Center. The crowd was treated to a historic offensive performance as Ciccarelli netted both his 49th and 50th goals of the year, powering Minnesota to an 8-1 victory.

Goal number 49 came just 8:18 into the opening period, with Craig Hartsburg and Neal Broten collecting assists. That goal made it 3-0 early, setting the tone for the night. At 12:04 of the second period, Ciccarelli struck again, this time off a setup from Tom McCarthy and Broten, clinching the milestone 50th goal that had eluded North Stars players since the team’s inception in 1967.

To top it off, Ciccarelli added an assist on Hartsburg’s third-period goal, capping a three-point night and a blowout win. St. Louis goaltender Mike Liut allowed both of Dino’s goals before being relieved by Rick Heinz for the final frame.

Ciccarelli finished the 1981-82 season with 55 goals, a total that still stands as a Minnesota North Stars/Dallas Stars franchise record, tied only by Brian Bellows in 1989-90. Ciccarelli reached the 50-goal mark twice with Minnesota, while Bellows and Mike Modano remain the only other players in team history to do so.

About Dino Ciccarelli  

Dino Ciccarelli played  1,232 regular season and 141 playoff games in the National Hockey League between 1980-81 and 1998-99 with the Minnesota North Stars, Washington Capitals, Detroit Red Wings, Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers. Over that time, he scored 608 goals, placing him 20th all-time just two behind Bobby Hull.

Undrafted to the NHL, Ciccarelli came to the North Stars after a stellar junior career with the London Knights that was marred by broken leg. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2010.

Rick Middleton Shines with Four-Point Night in Fiery Win Over North Stars (Feb. 26, 1981)

Boston Garden was buzzing as the Bruins hosted the Minnesota North Stars, but no one made a bigger impact than Rick Middleton. In a 5-1 Bruins victory that was equal parts highlight reel and penalty box parade, Middleton delivered a vintage performance.

In the first period, Middleton helped open the scoring by assisting on a shorthanded goal by Mike O’Connell. Later in the frame, he teamed up with Ray Bourque to set up Jean Ratelle, who notched what would be the final goal of his illustrious NHL career, fittingly on the powerplay.

While chaos unfolded around him in a game that featured a staggering 404 penalty minutes, still one of the most penalized games in NHL history, Middleton managed to stay clear of the rough stuff until late in the second. At 17:13, he and former teammate Joe Zanussi dropped the gloves, each earning five-minute majors. Keith Crowder, however, led the penalty parade with 43 PIM, a mark that still ranks in the top 25 all-time for a single game.

Middleton wasn’t finished. In the third period, he returned to the scoresheet with style, netting two shorthanded goals just 62 seconds apart. One came unassisted, the other with help from Ratelle. Both came while Mike O’Connell was in the box, and both beat Minnesota goalie Gilles Meloche. Interestingly, both Meloche and Bruins netminder Rogie Vachon had earlier picked up minor penalties of their own during one of the game’s many melees.

By the end of the night, Middleton had posted two goals and two assists, all on special teams. He finished +3 and fired four of Boston’s 27 shots. It was a performance for the ages, not only for its offensive brilliance but for its poise amid the mayhem.

About Rick Middleton

Rick Middleton played 1,005 regular season and 114 playoff games in the National Hockey League between 1974-75 and 1987-88 with the New York Rangers and Boston Bruins. Originally, he was a first round pick by the Rangers at the 1973 NHL Amateur Draft out of the Oshawa Generals.

In 1973-74, between his junior days and NHL career, Middleton was awarded the Dudley Red Garrett Award as the AHL's top rookie. Playing for the Providence Reds, Rick scored 36 and assisted on 48 for 84 points in 63 regular season games. In the post season, he added 15 points in 15 games with the Reds losing the Calder Cup final to the Hershey Bears.

Left out of the Hockey Hall of Fame, Middleton has been honoured by the Boston Bruins with jersey number 16 retired by the club in 2018. From the start of his NHL career with the Rangers in 1974-75, Rick scored 20 or more goals in eleven consecutive seasons. He had eight years with 30 or more goals and topped out with a career high 51 in 1981-82.

NHL Hockey Card Greats: Rick Middleton [Video]

Ray Bourque's Lone NHL Hat Trick Came in a Blowout Win Over the Nordiques

Ray Bourque’s legendary NHL career included 410 goals, five Norris Trophies, and over 1,600 regular season games. Yet, the Hockey Hall of Fame defenseman only recorded a single NHL hat trick, coming in dominant fashion.

On March 8, 1983, the Boston Bruins visited their rivals, the Quebec Nordiques, at Le Colisée. The Bruins overwhelmed Quebec goalie Dan Bouchard in an 11-5 rout. Bourque scored his 18th, 19th, and 20th goals of the 1982-83 season during a blistering ten-minute stretch in the second period. His second tally, Boston’s sixth of the night, stood as the game-winner. He also assisted on a first-period goal by Peter McNab, finishing the night with four points and seven shots on net.

Interestingly, Bourque would again make history against Quebec in 1991 by firing 19 shots in a single game, still the NHL record for most by one player. The blowout saw big contributions across the Bruins roster. McNab tallied five points (two goals, three assists), while Keith Crowder and Rick Middleton each had four-point performances. Bouchard played the full 60 minutes for the Nordiques, surrendering the 11 goals on 38 shots.

Bourque played from 1979-80 through 2000-01 with Boston and Colorado. After more than two decades of elite play, he finally won a Stanley Cup in his final NHL game with the Avalanche. In 2004, he was rightfully enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

About Ray Bourque

The eighth overall pick at the 1979 NHL Entry Draft, Ray Bourque played 1,612 regular season and 214 playoff games in the National Hockey League between 1979-80 and 2000-01 with the Bruins and Avalanche. His regular season game total places him 13th all-time, three games behind Larry Murphy. 

Bourque won the Calder Trophy as NHL rookie of the year in 1979-80 then went on to win the Norris Trophy five times as the league's top defenseman. The longest serving team captain in the history of the Boston Bruins has his number 77 retired by both the Bruins and Avalanche. Ray was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2004.