Lindy Ruff’s Four-Goal Night Against the Quebec Nordiques

Lindy Ruff was hardly a regular visitor to the scoresheet’s goal column, averaging roughly one goal every six or seven games over his NHL career. But on December 15, 1985, the Buffalo Sabres veteran enjoyed a night that any superstar would have treasured. Ruff scored four times against the Quebec Nordiques at Buffalo Memorial Auditorium, powering the Sabres to a 6-2 victory.

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Highlights

• Ruff scored four goals against Quebec on December 15, 1985.

• Buffalo won 6-2 at Memorial Auditorium.

• Three of Ruff’s goals came in the second period.

• His second goal stood as the game winner.

• Two of his four goals came on the power play.

• It was his second and final NHL hat trick.

• Ruff later scored a penalty-shot winner against Quebec with the Rangers on November 26, 1989.

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Nothing in the opening period hinted at the offensive outburst to come. The teams remained scoreless through 20 minutes before Mike Ramsey opened the scoring just 1:19 into the second. Ruff took over from there, beating Quebec goaltender Clint Malarchuk at 7:29 for his tenth goal of the season, assisted by Mike Foligno and Dave Andreychuk.

Just 1:58 later, Ruff struck again. With Buffalo on the power play, he scored at 9:27 with assists from John Tucker and Gilbert Perreault. That goal gave the Sabres a 3-0 lead and ultimately stood as the game winner. Quebec got on the board before Ruff completed his hat trick at 16:58, assisted by Foligno and Phil Housley, restoring Buffalo’s three-goal cushion.

Three goals would have made it a memorable evening, but Ruff had another finish waiting. At 13:33 of the third period, he scored his fourth of the game and 13th of the season, with Andreychuk and Ramsey collecting the assists. His second power-play goal of the night completed the scoring in Buffalo’s 6-2 win. It was the second and final hat trick of his NHL career.

The Nordiques would also provide the opposition for another unusual Ruff scoring milestone. On November 26, 1989, now wearing a New York Rangers uniform, he beat Mario Brunetta on a penalty shot at Madison Square Garden. The goal came at 11:20 of the second period, put New York ahead 2-0 and proved to be the winner in a 3-1 victory.

John Ogrodnick supplied the Rangers’ other two goals, including the opener just 15 seconds into the second period. Ruff’s only NHL penalty-shot goal was a fitting companion to his four-goal performance in Buffalo: two rare offensive highlights, two game-winning goals and the same unfortunate opponent.

"Then Perreault Said to Rico…": The Best Buffalo Sabres Stories Ever Told

A collection of the greatest Buffalo Sabres tales — from unforgettable moments to iconic personalities in franchise history.

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NHL Playoff Hat Tricks Of The 1960s

Relive the NHL playoff hat tricks of the 1960s with the stories, stars, and memorable performances behind some of the decade’s biggest postseason scoring nights.

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Glenn Anderson Bookends Record 12-Goal Period Between Oilers and Blackhawks

The Edmonton Oilers and Chicago Blackhawks produced one of the wildest periods in NHL history on December 11, 1985. Playing at Chicago Stadium, the two high-powered clubs combined for a record 12 goals in the second period of a game that eventually ended with Edmonton winning 12-9.

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Highlights

• Edmonton defeated Chicago 12-9 on December 11, 1985.

• The Oilers led 4-0 after the first period.

• Edmonton and Chicago combined for 12 goals in the second period.

• Glenn Anderson scored both the first and last goals of the second period.

• Anderson finished with a hat trick and six points.

• Jari Kurri scored three goals, with Anderson assisting on all three.

• Wayne Gretzky recorded seven assists without scoring a goal.

• The teams combined for 21 goals in the game.

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The Oilers had already built a commanding 4-0 lead during the opening period. Glenn Anderson scored his 21st goal of the 1985-86 season as part of that early Edmonton outburst. However, the four goals in the first were merely a warm-up for what followed.

Anderson opened the incredible second-period scoring just 1:20 into the frame, netting his 22nd of the season with assists from Wayne Gretzky and Don Jackson. Over the next 18½ minutes, ten different players found the net as Chicago scored six times and Edmonton added four more. Remarkably, Anderson then finished what he had started. With just ten seconds remaining in the period, he completed his hat trick with assists from Gretzky and Paul Coffey. Edmonton headed to the dressing room leading 10-6 after the teams had combined for 12 goals in 20 minutes.

By comparison, the third period was relatively quiet, although the teams still combined for another five goals. Chicago scored three and Edmonton added two to give the Oilers a remarkable 12-9 victory. Anderson also assisted on three Jari Kurri goals, giving him three goals and three assists for a six-point night. Gretzky didn't score a goal but still finished with an incredible seven assists.

The goaltending statistics reflected the offensive chaos. Edmonton used both Andy Moog and Grant Fuhr, who combined to face 46 Chicago shots. Murray Bannerman surrendered ten goals on 36 shots over the first two periods for the Blackhawks. Bob Sauvé took over for the third and stopped six of eight. By night's end, the teams had combined for 21 goals, but it was that extraordinary 12-goal second period, opened and closed by Glenn Anderson, that earned the game its place in NHL history.

The Battle of Alberta: The Historic Rivalry Between the Edmonton Oilers and the Calgary Flames

A deep dive into one of hockey’s most intense rivalries — the Edmonton Oilers vs. the Calgary Flames, featuring unforgettable games, personalities, and playoff clashes.

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1985-86 Edmonton Oilers: Stanley Cup Playoff Train Wreck

1985-86 was the year the National Hockey League changed rules to try and keep the Edmonton Oilers from obliterating the league’s scoring records. From 1985 to 1993, the NHL allowed teams to play five on five instead of four on four when coincidental minors were handed out. Unofficially, the rule was changed because the Oilers were unstoppable in a four-on-four situation.

1985-86 was also a year when the Edmonton Oilers should have cruised to a Stanley Cup victory. Instead, they allowed the Calgary Flames to oust them from the playoffs in the second round. The series went the full seven games with neither team winning consecutive games and Calgary outscoring Edmonton by a slight margin at 25-24 on the series. Both Edmonton and Calgary had easily swept in their opening round. The Oilers took out the Canucks in three and the Flames took out the Jets in three. Calgary reached the Stanley Cup final before bowing out to the Montreal Canadiens in five games.

That season, the Oilers won 56 games while losing only 17 and tying 7 for 119 points. The point total was thirty more than the Flames, who were second in the Clarence Campbell Conference. They Oilers were nine points better than the Philadelphia Flyers who were first in the Prince of Wales Conference. Coincidentally, the Flyers were knocked out in the first round by the New York Rangers who finished the season with just 78 points and were two games below .500.

Edmonton players set National Hockey League individual records that season and several still stand today. Of them, Wayne Gretzky’s 215 points and 163 assists are the records that likely will remain for an eternity. Gretzky also tied the NHL mark for most assists in a single game with seven. Paul Coffey scored 48 goals which stands as the most goals scored by a defenseman in one season. Paul eclipsed the previous mark of 46 set by Bobby Orr of the Boston Bruins in 1974-75. Coffey also set the record for the longest point streak for defenseman at 28 games.

Edmonton players dominated the NHL’s top ten in the race for the Art Ross Trophy. Wayne Gretzky was 74 points ahead of the number two man in the league, Mario Lemieux of the Pittsburgh Penguins, who totalled 141 points. Paul Coffey came in third with 138 points, one less than Bobby Orr’s record for defenseman set in 1970-71. Jari Kurri finished fourth in the NHL with 131 points and led the league with 68 goals. Unfortunately for Kurri, the Rocket Richard Trophy didn’t come into existence for another decade and a half.

The Oilers took home the hardware at the NHL awards ceremony in 1985-86. Gretzky was awarded the Art Ross Trophy as the league’s leading scorer and the Hart Trophy as the NHL’s MVP. The Oilers won the President’s Trophy for the highest point total during the National Hockey League regular season. Glen Sather won the Jack Adams Award as the top coach despite having a team full of ringers and experiencing such a playoff disappointment. Of course, Paul Coffey won the Norris Trophy as the league’s top defenseman.

Wayne Gretzky and Paul Coffey were selected to the NHL’s First Team All-Star team and Jari Kurri made Second Team. Nine Edmonton Oilers players appeared in the NHL’s All-Star Game in 1985-86. Other than Gretzky, Coffey and Kurri, Glenn Anderson, Lee Fogolin, Grant Fuhr, Kevin Lowe, Mark Messier and Andy Moog appeared. Ironically, with such an offensively laden team, their Campbell Conference team lost a low-scoring affair to the Wales Conference squad.

The Oilers learned from their playoff disaster. The following season, Gretzky scored 32 less points, the team scored 54 less goals, had seven less wins and 13 less points. Edmonton still won the President’s Trophy but with only 106 points. Most importantly, they won the Stanley Cup in seven games over the Philadelphia Flyers. As for the Calgary Flames, they lost in the opening round in 1986-87 to the Winnipeg Jets in six games.