Guy Lapointe’s Lone NHL Hat Trick Comes in Wild 8–6 Loss to Buffalo

Montreal Canadiens legend Guy Lapointe had plenty of monster nights during his Hall of Fame career, but none quite like November 13, 1974. That evening at the Montreal Forum, the smooth-skating defenseman piled up five points, recorded the only hat trick of his NHL career, and still watched his Canadiens fall 8-6 to the high-flying Buffalo Sabres.

Lapointe was in the middle of a career year in 1974-75, finishing with 28 goals and a third-place finish in the Norris Trophy race behind Bobby Orr and Denis Potvin. Against Buffalo, he did everything in his power to drag Montreal back into the game while still finishing with a +2 rating despite the loss.

The Sabres stormed out to a 3-0 lead in the first before Lapointe setup Yvon Lambert at 13:47 to put Montreal on the board. After Rene Robert restored Buffalo’s three-goal cushion, Lapointe ripped home his sixth of the season at 18:56, with assists from Guy Lafleur and Jacques Lemaire.

Buffalo opened the second period with another three-goal burst, stretching the lead to 6-1 and then 7-2. Lapointe responded at 14:52, scoring his second of the night to cut the deficit to 7-3. A few minutes later, with Glen Sather in the penalty box, Pete Mahovlich buried a shorthanded marker, set up beautifully by Lapointe and fellow blueliner Serge Savard.

Montreal kept pushing in the third, and Lapointe completed his hat trick at 10:25, trimming Buffalo’s lead to 7-5 and capping off his remarkable five-point showing. But the Sabres answered back as Robert completed his own hat trick, and Bob Gainey closed the scoring shortly after. Savard also had a standout game with three assists and a +5 rating.

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NHL Hockey Trivia: Guy Lapointe

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

1. Which trio was Guy Lapointe part of during the Canadiens’ 1970s dynasty?

The Lucky Seven
The Big Three
The Flying Frenchmen
The Blue Line Battalion

2. In which NHL season did Lapointe score his career-high 28 goals?

1972–73
1974–75
1976–77
1978–79

3. Which NHL team did Guy Lapointe finish his career with?

St. Louis Blues
Boston Bruins
Minnesota North Stars
Quebec Nordiques

4. In 1979, Lapointe helped the Canadiens win their fourth straight Stanley Cup. How many Cups did he win in total?

Four
Five
Six
Seven

5. Before becoming director of player personnel in Minnesota, Lapointe worked in which role?

Assistant coach
Goaltending consultant
Salary arbitrator
Team broadcaster

Marc Tardif & Frank Mahovlich Power Ken Dryden’s First NHL Shutout

Ken Dryden’s 1970-71 playoff heroics made him an instant legend. Six regular-season games, 20 playoff starts, and a Stanley Cup run that earned him the Conn Smythe Trophy before he won the Calder as rookie of the year. 

But one milestone escaped him during that magical spring: his first NHL shutout. That moment finally arrived early in the 1971-72 season.

Montreal travelled west to face the Vancouver Canucks at the Pacific Coliseum, just five games into the new campaign. The Canucks, still only in their second year, were a respectable 3-4-0 and held the Canadiens scoreless until the dying minutes of the first period. At 18:01, Marc Tardif broke through with the eventual game-winner on Dunc Wilson, assisted by Henri Richard.

Tardif struck again early in the second, his second of the night and fourth of the season, with J.C. Tremblay and Rejean Houle picking up helpers. From there, Frank Mahovlich took over the scoring, completing a natural hat trick that included a shorthanded tally set up by his brother, Pete.

While the offense rolled, Dryden did his part by turning aside all 28 Vancouver shots in a commanding 6-0 victory. Rosaire Paiement and Dale Tallon each fired four shots for the Canucks, but nothing found its way through.

The shutout was the first of eight for Dryden that season and the first of 46 in his Hall of Fame career. Remarkably, three of his eight blanks in 1971-72 came against Vancouver. Montreal swept all five matchups with the Canucks that year, outscoring them by a staggering 32-8 margin.

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NHL Hockey Trivia: Ken Dryden

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

1. In which season did Ken Dryden famously win the Conn Smythe Trophy before winning the Calder Trophy?

1970-71
1969-70
1971-72
1972-73

2. Ken Dryden spent his entire NHL career with which team?

Montreal Canadiens
Toronto Maple Leafs
Detroit Red Wings
New York Rangers

3. How many Vezina Trophies did Ken Dryden win during his NHL career?

Five
Two
Three
Six

4. Ken Dryden retired surprisingly early. How old was he when he played his final NHL game?

31
35
33
29

5. Which team did Dryden face in his first career postseason start — a series that helped launch him to the Conn Smythe?

Boston Bruins
Chicago Black Hawks
New York Rangers
Buffalo Sabres

80 Years Later: The Montreal Canadiens Record That Still Belongs to The Rocket

Over 80 years later, one record still stands tall in Montreal Canadiens history: the night Maurice “Rocket” Richard racked up eight points in a single game. It happened on December 28, 1944, during a dominant 9-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings at the Montreal Forum, and no Canadiens player has surpassed it since.

That 1944–45 season was already legendary for the Rocket, he became the first NHL player to score 50 goals in one season. But on that December night, he set a different kind of milestone. Richard scored five goals and added three assists, becoming the first player in NHL history to record eight points in a single game.

All nine Montreal goals came against Detroit goalie Harry Lumley, and Richard even took a minor penalty in the second period, just to make sure his name appeared everywhere on the scoresheet. His five goals were numbers 20 through 24 of the season, one of four hat tricks he recorded that year.

Richard’s linemates Elmer Lach and Toe Blake also had monster nights. Lach posted two goals and three assists, while Blake had one goal and three helpers. Together, they formed the iconic “Punch Line,” one of the most dominant trios in NHL history. Lach went on to lead the league in scoring with 80 points, followed by Richard (73) and Blake (67).

Although the Canadiens were eliminated by Toronto in the playoffs, Richard’s explosive scoring continued with six goals in six games, including four in one night during a 10-3 win over the Maple Leafs.

A decade later, on January 9, 1954, Bert Olmstead tied Richard’s single-game record with four goals and four assists in a 12-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Fittingly, the Rocket was part of the action again, this time setting up five of Olmstead’s points.

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NHL Hockey Trivia: Maurice “Rocket” Richard

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

1. In which season did Maurice “Rocket” Richard become the first NHL player to score 50 goals in 50 games?

1943–44
1944–45
1945–46
1946–47

2. How many times did Maurice Richard lead the NHL in goal scoring during his career?

5
8
9
10

3. Which famous linemates formed the “Punch Line” with Maurice Richard on the Montreal Canadiens?

Jean Béliveau and Bernie Geoffrion
Elmer Lach and Toe Blake
Henri Richard and Dickie Moore
Doug Harvey and Bert Olmstead

4. How many Stanley Cups did Maurice Richard win during his career with the Montreal Canadiens?

5
6
7
8

5. What major NHL trophy was introduced in 1999 to honour Maurice Richard’s legacy?

The Art Ross Trophy
The Rocket Richard Trophy
The Hart Memorial Trophy
The Conn Smythe Trophy

The Canadiens Game Where Roles Reversed: Richard the Playmaker, Olmstead the Sniper

On January 9, 1954, the Montreal Forum witnessed one of the most remarkable role reversals in NHL history. Maurice "Rocket" Richard, usually the goal-scoring machine, became the playmaker, while Bert Olmstead, best known as a setup man, lit up the scoreboard.

Olmstead, whose career-high in goals came as a rookie with 20 for the Chicago Blackhawks, was typically among the league’s leaders in assists. Richard, on the other hand, was almost exclusively a finisher, his career defined by relentless goal-scoring. But on this night against the struggling Blackhawks, the script was flipped.

Olmstead tied Richard’s franchise record by recording eight points on four goals and four assists in Montreal’s 12-1 blowout victory. Richard, though goal-less, piled up five assists in the win. Jean Béliveau added to the fireworks with a five-point performance of his own (two goals and three assists).

The game was over early, as Chicago entered with just eight wins in 40 games and went on to win only 12 all season, finishing a distant last, 37 points behind the next team. Olmstead’s game-winning tally came at 10:20 of the first period, assisted by Richard and Béliveau. He followed with two second-period powerplay goals and capped off his night with a fourth in the third, plus a final assist on Ken Mosdell’s hat trick marker.

About Bert Olmstead

Bert Olmstead played 848 regular season and 115 playoff games in the National Hockey League between 1948-49 and 1961-62 with the Chicago Blackhawks, Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs. His time in Chicago was limited to one full season, 1949-50. That year, he scored 20 goals and added 29 assists for 49 points while finishing third in voting for the Calder Trophy as NHL rookie of the year.

In December 1950, Olmstead was part of a trade with the Detroit Red Wings that sent Vic Stasiuk to the Wings in exchange for Lee Fogolin and Steve Black. Without playing a game for Detroit, Bert was then traded to the Canadiens for Leo Gravelle. With Montreal, he was an important part of four Stanley Cup championships. He won a fifth with the Maple Leafs in 1961-62.

NHL Hockey Trivia: Bert Olmstead

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

1. Which team did Bert Olmstead begin his NHL career with?

Montreal Canadiens
Chicago Blackhawks
Toronto Maple Leafs
Detroit Red Wings

2. In the 1950s, Olmstead led the NHL in assists. What was his single-season career-high total?

42
50
56
61

3. How many Stanley Cups did Bert Olmstead win during his career?

3
4
5
6

4. Which superstar center was often paired with Olmstead in Montreal, forming one of hockey’s most effective lines?

Jean Béliveau
Henri Richard
Doug Harvey
Elmer Lach

5. In what year was Bert Olmstead inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame?

1972
1975
1985
1988

J.C. Tremblay’s Historic 4-Assist Period vs. Detroit in 1962

On December 29, 1962, Montreal Canadiens defenseman J.C. Tremblay carved out a slice of NHL history with a second-period performance that stood unmatched for more than six decades. In a 5-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings at the Montreal Forum, Tremblay notched four assists, all in the middle frame alone.

That burst of playmaking was part of a dominant showing that helped the Canadiens take a 4-0 lead into the final frame. Bill Hicke and Bernie Geoffrion each scored twice in that middle period, with Tremblay assisting on all four goals. Geoffrion completed his hat trick early in the third.

Detroit’s legendary goaltender Terry Sawchuk faced a barrage of 51 shots, while JacquesPlante had a far quieter night at the other end, stopping 25 of 26. The Red Wings’ lone goal came from AlexDelvecchio at 9:08 of the third period.

Tremblay’s four-assist outburst set the NHL record for most assists in a single period by a defenseman, a mark that stood until Kris Letang tallied five in the second period of a 2023 game between the Penguins and Islanders.

Though others would later match Tremblay’s four in a period, names like BobbyOrr, Phil Housley, Rob Blake, and Scott Stevens, none would surpass it until Letang's historic night.

Tremblay’s offensive contributions only grew from there. He recorded back-to-back seasons with 50+ assists in 1970-71 (52) and 1971-72 (51), and led the WHA with 75 assists as a member of the Quebec Nordiques in 1972-73.

About J.C. Tremblay

J.C. Tremblay played 794 regular season and 108 playoff games in the National Hockey League between 1959-60 and 1971-72, all with the Montreal Canadiens. Over that time, he helped the Habs to five Stanley Cup championships.

Between 1972-73 and 1978-79, the full duration of the World Hockey Association, Tremblay played 454 regular season asnd 34 playoff games in the WHA, all with the Quebec Nordiques. He helped the team to an Avco World Trophy championship in 1976-77.

Try The Trivia Challenge

Here's a series of trivia questions derived from the content above. Can you get a perfect score?

We have much more hockey trivia at our Hockey Trivia Website.

J.C. Tremblay Hockey Trivia

1. Which Canadiens defenseman recorded four assists in one period in 1962?

B) J.C. Tremblay A) Doug Harvey C) Serge Savard D) Larry Robinson

2. Who broke Tremblay’s record with five assists in one period?

A) Bobby Orr B) Phil Housley C) Kris Letang D) Rob Blake

3. True or False: Tremblay’s four-assist period happened in the first period.

False True

4. Who scored a hat trick in that same game for Montreal?

C) Bernie Geoffrion A) Henri Richard B) Jean Beliveau D) Dick Duff

5. True or False: Jacques Plante faced more shots than Terry Sawchuk in the game.

False True