Bob MacMillan's Shorthanded Goal Sinks The Sabres In 1976

Bob MacMillan was beginning to establish himself as an NHL regular with the St. Louis Blues during the 1975-76 season. Originally a first-round pick of the New York Rangers in the 1972 NHL Amateur Draft, the Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island native spent two seasons in the WHA before splitting 1974-75 between the Rangers and the AHL's Providence Reds. A move to St. Louis gave MacMillan a fresh start, and on January 13, 1976, he played a major role in a convincing victory over the Buffalo Sabres.

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Highlights

• January 13, 1976: St. Louis defeated Buffalo 7-3

• Bob MacMillan recorded 2 goals and 1 assist

• His first goal was unassisted and shorthanded

• The shorthanded goal ultimately stood as the game-winner

• MacMillan and Garry Unger each finished with three points

• MacMillan put seven shots on Buffalo goalie Gary Bromley

• Yves Belanger stopped 31 of 34 shots

• MacMillan later won the 1978-79 Lady Byng Trophy

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Buffalo opened the scoring when Brian Spencer scored the first of his two goals on the night. The Blues quickly answered, with MacMillan and Red Berenson setting up Garry Unger at 9:46 of the opening period. From there, St. Louis took control and Buffalo would not regain the lead.

MacMillan produced one of the game's biggest moments early in the second period. With Bert Wilson serving a penalty, MacMillan scored an unassisted shorthanded goal on Buffalo goaltender Gary Bromley at 1:46. The goal gave St. Louis a 4-1 advantage and ultimately stood as the game-winner in a 7-3 Blues victory.

MacMillan wasn't finished. At 11:54 of the second period, he scored his second goal of the game, this time with assists going to Jerry Butler and Unger. MacMillan finished the night with two goals, one assist and seven shots on goal. Unger also recorded two goals and an assist, while Blues goaltender Yves Belanger stopped 31 of Buffalo's 34 shots.

MacMillan went on to enjoy a lengthy NHL career from 1974-75 through 1984-85, appearing in 753 regular-season games and another 31 in the playoffs. He played for the Rangers, Blues, Atlanta and Calgary Flames, Colorado Rockies, New Jersey Devils and Chicago Blackhawks. A six-time 20-goal scorer, MacMillan reached a career-high 38 goals in 1977-78 and won the Lady Byng Trophy the following season.

Bob Plager's Tales from the Blues Bench

Insights, stories, and unforgettable moments from Bob Plager’s time with the St. Louis Blues — a must-read for Blues fans.

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Guy Chouinard’s 6-Assist Night Fuels 11-4 Calgary Flames Explosion

On February 25, 1981, the Calgary Flames welcomed the New York Islanders to the historic Stampede Corral for a showdown between two strong clubs. The Islanders held a 12-point edge in the standings, but what unfolded that night had little to do with pre-game expectations.

In their first season after relocating from Atlanta, the Flames were still establishing franchise benchmarks. Guy Chouinard set one in spectacular fashion, recording six assists, a single-game franchise record that still stands (later matched by Gary Suter in 1986). Chouinard set up goals by Bob MacMillan (2), Paul Reinhart, Kent Nilsson, Eric Vail, and Don Lever in a dazzling display of playmaking.

The Islanders led 4-3 after the opening period, but Calgary erupted thereafter. The Flames scored eight unanswered goals against goaltender Glenn Resch, transforming a tight contest into a stunning 11-4 rout. At the time, the eleven goals established a franchise scoring record, later surpassed in a 13-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks in 1993.

Kent Nilsson delivered a five-point performance with a hat trick and two assists, while MacMillan added a pair of goals and a helper. Ken Houston rounded out the fireworks with a classic Gordie Howe HatTrick: a goal, an assist, and a first-period fight with Clark Gillies.

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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When Phil Myre and Dan Bouchard Faced Off As Rivals For The First Time

In the early years of the Atlanta Flames, Phil Myre and Dan Bouchard shared goaltending duties and helped build the foundation for the franchise starting in the 1972-73 NHL season. The tandem was split up when, on December 12, 1977, Myre, along with Curt Bennett and Barrie Gibbs, was traded to the St. Louis Blues for Yves Bélanger, Bob MacMillan, and Dick Redmond.

Just over two weeks later, fate brought the two former teammates face-to-face. On December 29, 1977, the Blues visited the Omni in Atlanta for the first meeting between the two teams since the deal. Both Myre and Bouchard got the start, but the night quickly took a twist. After Claude Larose scored to give St. Louis a 3-2 lead early in the second period, Bouchard was pulled and replaced by Yves Bélanger, who had been part of the same trade.

From that point on, it became a showdown between the two goalies traded for each other. Bouchard had allowed three goals on twelve shots, while Bélanger stood tall in relief, stopping 16 of 17 shots. Myre, facing 34 shots from his old teammates, allowed five goals as Atlanta emerged with a 5-4 victory. Curt Bennett added two assists against his former club, while Bob MacMillan picked up one point for his new team.

When the two teams met again on March 15, 1978, this time in St. Louis, the goaltending story flipped. Bélanger, once again in net for Atlanta, was brilliant with 35 saves and even an assist on Bob MacMillan’s opening goal in a 6-2 Flames win. Myre struggled in the opposite crease, allowing six goals on 27 shots.

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NHL Hockey Trivia: Phil Myre & Dan Bouchard

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

1. In what season did Phil Myre and Dan Bouchard first share goaltending duties for the Atlanta Flames?

1971-72
1972-73
1973-74
1974-75

2. Phil Myre and Dan Bouchard helped the Flames record their first-ever playoff appearance in which NHL season?

1973-74
1974-75
1975-76
1976-77

3. Which goaltender recorded more wins for the Atlanta Flames overall before the team relocated to Calgary?

Phil Myre
Dan Bouchard
They finished tied
Yves Bélanger

4. What was notable about the goaltending rotation between Myre and Bouchard during their time in Atlanta?

They alternated starts almost evenly for several seasons
Bouchard was the starter and Myre only played occasionally
Myre played only home games, Bouchard only road games
They never actually played in the same season

5. Before joining the Flames, which organization originally drafted Dan Bouchard?

Montreal Canadiens
Boston Bruins
Chicago Black Hawks
New York Rangers