When the NHL began officially tracking shots on goal during the 1959-60 season, few could have imagined a game eventually reaching triple digits in combined shots. Yet on December 18, 1976, the Toronto Maple Leafs and Colorado Rockies produced one of the most remarkable statistical nights in league history at Maple Leaf Gardens. The two teams combined for 104 shots on goal, a record that has stood for nearly half a century.
Despite the relentless shooting, goals were surprisingly scarce. The game remained scoreless until 3:30 of the second period when Tiger Williams finally broke through, beating Michel Plasse to give Toronto a 1-0 lead. Pat Boutette and Jack Valiquette assisted on the play that opened the scoring in what had already become a goaltending showcase.
Toronto eventually built enough offense to secure the victory. Inge Hammarstrom scored twice for the Maple Leafs, while Jim McKenny netted the eventual game-winner with help from Darryl Sittler. Colorado managed only two goals in the barrage of shots, coming from Gary Croteau and Dave Hudson.
The real story of the night, however, was in the crease. Wayne Thomas turned aside 51 of 53 shots for Toronto, while Plasse was nearly as busy at the other end, facing 51 shots himself. Thomas carried the momentum into the Leafs’ next game, stopping 34 of 36 shots in a 6-2 win over the Atlanta Flames. Meanwhile, Plasse received a well-earned rest in Colorado’s following matchup, where Doug Favell faced a similarly exhausting workload of 55 shots in a 4-3 loss to Philadelphia.
Only once since then has an NHL game come close to matching the Leafs–Rockies shot total. In 1988, the Chicago Blackhawks and Minnesota North Stars combined for 103 shots, aided by overtime, in a wild 7-7 tie. Bob Mason faced 63 shots in the Chicago net, while the North Stars split their 40 shots against between Jon Casey and Don Beaupre. Even so, the 1976 clash in Toronto still stands alone as the highest-shot game in NHL history.
Top Shelf Trivia: The Toronto Maple Leafs
Test your knowledge of one of hockey’s most storied franchises with this collection of challenging and fun Toronto Maple Leafs trivia covering players, games, and unforgettable moments.
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