Blues Stun Red Wings with Third Period Rally on Opening Night 1978-79

On October 11, 1978, at Detroit’s historic Olympia, the Red Wings looked poised to start the 1978-79 NHL season with a win. Dale McCourt was the star early, assisting on a second-period goal by Reed Larson before netting his first of the year just 90 seconds later to give Detroit a 4-2 lead. Brian Sutter struck late in the period for St. Louis, keeping the Blues within reach.

Garry Unger and Curt Bennett Lead Blues Third Period Rally

McCourt fired a game-high 11 shots at St. Louis goalie Phil Myre, who stood tall with 38 saves on 42 shots. At the other end, Detroit netminder Rogie Vachon faced only 14 shots but the Blues made them count. Curt Bennett tied the game 4:30 into the third, assisted by Garry Unger and Larry Giroux. Then, at 12:17, Unger scored the game-winner with help from Bennett and Doug Palazzari.

For Unger, it was the first of 30 goals in what would be his final season with the Blues, including three game-winning tallies. Both he and Bennett would join the Atlanta Flames the following year.

Detroit stuck with Vachon despite his rough opener, starting him in 50 games that season. After Jim Rutherford took the next start (a loss to Philadelphia), Vachon bounced back with a 3-2 victory over Buffalo, stopping 25 of 27 shots.

Hockey Trivia: Garry Unger

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

1. Garry Unger famously held the NHL ironman streak for consecutive games played. How many straight games did he play?
   814
   902
   914
   936
2. Which NHL team did Garry Unger start his career with?
   St. Louis Blues
   Toronto Maple Leafs
   Detroit Red Wings
   Atlanta Flames
3. Unger was traded from Detroit to St. Louis in 1971 in a blockbuster deal involving which star player going the other way?
   Red Berenson
   Phil Esposito
   Marcel Dionne
   Bernie Federko
4. What was Garry Unger’s highest single-season goal total in the NHL?
   38
   41
   50
   54
5. Unger’s consecutive games streak ended in 1979 when he was benched by which coach?
   Al Arbour
   Don Cherry
   Al MacNeil
   Bernie Geoffrion

NHL Hockey Card Greats: Garry Unger

Dan Bouchard Of The Atlanta Flames Stands Tall for First NHL Shutout

Starting your NHL career as a goaltender on a 1970s expansion team wasn’t for the faint of heart. Just ask Dan Bouchard, the rookie netminder for the Atlanta Flames during the 1972-73 season. Bouchard routinely faced a barrage of shots that year, seeing 40 or more pucks in eight separate games. But on December 13, 1972, he not only weathered the storm, he silenced it.

In a clash at the legendary Detroit Olympia, the Flames and Red Wings entered the contest with identical records at 12 wins apiece. By the final buzzer, the rookie from Val-d'Or, Quebec had earned his first of 27 career NHL shutouts, stopping all 46 shots fired his way in a gritty 2-0 win.

It was a true test of fortitude. Marcel Dionne led the Red Wings with six shots, while Mickey Redmond, Tim Ecclestone, and Thommie Bergman each had five. Opposing goalie Roy Edwards had a solid night himself, stopping 25 of 27 shots, but Bouchard was simply unbeatable.

The Flames got all the offense they needed from Curt Bennett, who scored both goals, his first at 14:52 of the opening period and the insurance marker midway through the third. Both goals were assisted by Bill MacMillan and Keith McCreary, giving Atlanta the edge over their Original Six opponents.

Interestingly, this wasn’t the first shutout in franchise history. That honor belonged to PhilMyre, who blanked the New York Islanders on November 16, 1972, making 25 saves in a 4-0 win at Atlanta’s Omni Coliseum.

About Dan Bouchard

Dan Bouchard played 655 regular season and 43 playoff games in the National Hockey League between 1972-73 and 1985-86 with the Atlanta Flames, Calgary Flames, Quebec Nordiques and Winnipeg Jets. Originally, he was a second round pick by the Boston Bruins at the 1970 NHL Amateur Draft after a year of major junior with the London Knights.

Hockey Trivia Quiz Time

Much more NHL hockey trivia can be found at our Hockey Trivia website!

The first quiz is based on the content above. The second is on Dan Bouchard's NHL career, in general.

Dan Bouchard's First NHL Shutout – Trivia Quiz

1. Who did Dan Bouchard earn his first NHL shutout against?
   New York Islanders
   Toronto Maple Leafs
   Detroit Red Wings
   Montreal Canadiens


2. How many saves did Bouchard make in that shutout?
   34
   40
   46
   50


3. Which Atlanta Flames forward scored both goals in the game?
   Bill MacMillan
   Curt Bennett
   Keith McCreary
   Rey Comeau


4. What team did Phil Myre shut out for the first Flames shutout in franchise history?
   Vancouver Canucks
   New York Islanders
   California Golden Seals
   Minnesota North Stars


5. Where was Bouchard’s shutout game played?
   The Omni Coliseum
   Montreal Forum
   Detroit Olympia
   Boston Garden

Dan Bouchard – NHL Career Trivia Quiz

1. Which team drafted Dan Bouchard in the NHL?
   Quebec Nordiques
   Boston Bruins
   Atlanta Flames
   Montreal Canadiens


2. With which NHL team did Dan Bouchard finish his career?
   Calgary Flames
   Winnipeg Jets
   Quebec Nordiques
   Boston Bruins


3. In what year did Bouchard represent Canada at the Canada Cup?
   1972
   1976
   1981
   He never played in the Canada Cup


4. What was the highest number of wins Bouchard recorded in a single NHL season?
   22
   26
   29
   31


5. Which NHL team did Dan Bouchard never play for?
   Calgary Flames
   Atlanta Flames
   Quebec Nordiques
   Vancouver Canucks