Ken Dryden Makes 46 Saves, but Flyers Beat Canadiens in 1975 Showdown

Ken Dryden stopped nearly everything Philadelphia threw at him on November 16, 1975. He even contributed an assist. Still, the Montreal Canadiens left the Spectrum with a 3-1 loss in an early-season showdown between two teams that would meet again in the 1976 Stanley Cup Final.

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Highlights

• Philadelphia defeated Montreal 3-1 on November 16, 1975.

• Dryden stopped 46 of the 48 shots he faced.

• He also assisted on Guy Lafleur’s opening goal.

• Rick MacLeish recorded ten shots and scored the winner.

• Wayne Stephenson made 26 saves for Philadelphia.

• Gary Dornhoefer sealed the victory with an empty-net goal.

• Dryden followed the loss with a 17-save shutout in Minnesota.

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Montreal struck first when Guy Lafleur beat Wayne Stephenson at 5:02 of the opening period. Pete Mahovlich and Dryden collected the assists, giving the Canadiens’ goaltender a hand in the only goal his team would score all night. At the other end, Philadelphia kept Dryden busy, forcing him to stop 46 of the 48 shots he faced.

Bob Kelly tied the game at 11:05 of the second period before Rick MacLeish put the Flyers ahead at 16:31. Gary Dornhoefer and Ross Lonsberry assisted on MacLeish’s seventh goal of the season, which held up as the winner. MacLeish alone fired ten shots at Dryden, with Montreal’s number 29 stopping nine of them.

Stephenson handled the lighter workload effectively, turning aside 26 of Montreal’s 27 shots. With Dryden on the bench for an extra attacker, Dornhoefer scored into the empty net with six seconds remaining. His goal and earlier assist made him the game’s only player with two points.

Dryden rebounded three nights later in Minnesota, stopping all 17 shots in a 6-0 victory over the North Stars. Remarkably, he had blanked Minnesota by the same score just eight days earlier, making 14 saves in Montreal on November 11. Against Philadelphia, however, even 46 saves and an assist had not been enough.

Hockey’s Best Team Ever: A Chronicle of the 1976-77 Montreal Canadiens' Record-Breaking Season

Relive the legendary 1976-77 Montreal Canadiens season, when a powerhouse roster led by Guy Lafleur, Ken Dryden, and Larry Robinson set an NHL record with 60 regular season wins before capturing the Stanley Cup.

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Rick MacLeish’s Game 7 Hat Trick Ends Islanders’ 1975 Comeback Bid

The New York Islanders had pushed the defending Stanley Cup champions to the brink of an embarrassing collapse. After Philadelphia won the first three games of their 1975 semifinal series, New York answered with three straight victories. That left everything riding on Game 7 at the Spectrum on May 13, 1975. Rick MacLeish made sure the Flyers’ title defence would continue.

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Highlights

• Played May 13, 1975, at the Spectrum.

• New York forced Game 7 after trailing the series 3–0.

• Gary Dornhoefer opened the scoring just 19 seconds in.

• MacLeish scored twice on the power play in the first period.

• His empty-net goal completed the hat trick in a 4–1 win.

• Bernie Parent stopped 14 of 15 shots.

• Philadelphia advanced to face Buffalo and won its second straight Stanley Cup.

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Gary Dornhoefer gave Philadelphia an immediate lift, opening the scoring just 19 seconds after the opening faceoff. MacLeish followed with a power-play goal at 2:27, assisted by Bill Barber and Bobby Clarke. That early marker would stand as the game winner, although the Islanders briefly cut the lead to 2–1 on a Jude Drouin power-play goal at 5:02.

MacLeish restored Philadelphia’s two-goal cushion at 7:11 of the first period, beating Glenn Resch for his second power-play goal of the night. Larry Goodenough supplied the lone assist on the goal, MacLeish’s ninth of the playoffs. The Flyers carried that 3–1 advantage through a scoreless second period and deep into the third.

With Resch pulled for an extra attacker, MacLeish completed his hat trick at 18:52, scoring into the empty net with an assist from Don Saleski. Philadelphia’s 4–1 victory ended New York’s comeback bid and secured a second consecutive trip to the Stanley Cup Final. MacLeish led all players with eight shots, followed by Reggie Leach with seven, while Bernie Parent stopped 14 of the Islanders’ 15 shots.

It was MacLeish’s second hat trick of the 1975 postseason. He had opened Philadelphia’s quarterfinal series against Toronto with three goals and an assist in a 6–3 victory on April 13. Against Buffalo in the Stanley Cup Final, he scored once in six games as the Flyers captured their second straight championship. His Game 7 performance against the Islanders helped ensure they had the opportunity.

So You Think You're a Philadelphia Flyers Fan?: Stars, Stats, Records, and Memories for True Diehards

A deep dive into Flyers history filled with stars, records, stats, and unforgettable memories from the ice — perfect for true diehards and history buffs.

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Future Flyers Legend Bill Barber Explodes For 4 Points In Just His 3rd NHL Game

Philadelphia fans didn’t have to wait long to see that rookie Bill Barber was something special. Selected seventh overall by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 1972 NHL Amateur Draft, Barber spent part of his first professional season with the Richmond Robins of the AHL before getting his opportunity in the NHL. By the time the Flyers hosted the Buffalo Sabres on November 4, 1972 at the Spectrum, Barber was appearing in only the third NHL game of his career.

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Highlights:

• Bill Barber recorded 4 points in just his 3rd NHL game

• The game took place November 4, 1972 at the Spectrum

• Barber scored the first NHL goal of his career against Roger Crozier

• He added 3 assists in a 5-3 Flyers victory over Buffalo

• Rick MacLeish scored twice in the third period

• Barber finished his rookie season with 64 points in 69 games

• He later scored 420 NHL regular season goals

• Barber entered the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1990

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It didn’t take long for the young winger to make an impact. Just 4:31 into the opening period, Barber beat goaltender Roger Crozier for the first regular season goal of his NHL career. Assisted by Joe Watson and Rick MacLeish, the goal opened the scoring in what would become a memorable night for the rookie. It was also the first of 420 regular season goals Barber would score during an outstanding NHL career.

Barber wasn’t finished there. He picked up an assist on a second-period goal by Tom Bladon before helping set up two more goals by MacLeish in the third period. By the end of the night, Barber had piled up a goal and three assists for a four-point performance as Philadelphia defeated Buffalo 5-3.

The big night was an early sign of the consistency Barber would bring to the Flyers throughout the 1970s and early 1980s. During his rookie season in 1972-73, Barber scored 30 goals and added 34 assists for 64 points in 69 games. He finished second in Calder Trophy voting behind Steve Vickers of the New York Rangers.

From 1972-73 through 1983-84, Barber played 903 regular season games and another 129 playoff contests, all with Philadelphia. He became one of the most respected forwards in franchise history, helping the team to a pair of Stanley Cup championships, and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1990. His number 7 jersey was eventually retired not only by the Flyers, but also by the Kitchener Rangers, the junior club where his rise to hockey stardom began.

So You Think You're a Philadelphia Flyers Fan?: Stars, Stats, Records, and Memories for True Diehards

A deep dive into Flyers history filled with stars, records, stats, and unforgettable memories from the ice — perfect for true diehards and history buffs.

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Bobby Clarke’s Historic Night: First 100-Point Season in Flyers History

On March 29, 1973, at the Spectrum in Philadelphia, Bobby Clarke etched his name into franchise history. With two goals against the Atlanta Flames, Clarke became the first player in Philadelphia Flyers history to reach the 100-point mark in a single season. The Flyers defeated the Flames 4-2 that night, but the bigger story was the milestone achieved by their captain.

Clarke entered the game on the brink of history. His first goal came late in the second period at 18:26, beating goaltender Phil Myre with assists from Tom Bladon and Bill Barber. The tally gave Philadelphia a 3-1 lead following two earlier goals by Simon Nolet and marked Clarke’s 99th point of the season. It would also stand as the game-winning goal.

The historic 100th point arrived at 14:53 of the third period. Clarke scored his 35th goal of the 1972-73 campaign, once again solving Myre, this time with help from Rick MacLeish and Bladon. Despite surrendering the milestone marker, Myre was outstanding in goal, stopping 42 of 46 shots in a valiant losing effort.

This was game number 76 of the season for the Flyers, and Clarke had set the standard. MacLeish would soon follow, reaching 100 points in game 78. He did so in dramatic fashion, scoring his 50th goal of the season, alongside 50 assists for a perfect 100 points, against the Pittsburgh Penguins. The milestone goal came at 2:02 of the second period against goaltender Cam Newton, assisted by Gary Dornhoefer.

Clarke would go on to finish the 1972-73 season with 37 goals and 104 points, setting a new offensive benchmark for the young Flyers franchise. It was a defining moment not only for Clarke personally, but for a Philadelphia team that was rapidly evolving into a powerhouse in the early 1970s.

So You Think You're a Philadelphia Flyers Fan?: Stars, Stats, Records, and Memories for True Diehards

A deep dive into Flyers history filled with stars, records, stats, and unforgettable memories from the ice — perfect for true diehards and history buffs. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}

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Rick MacLeish’s Lone Penalty Shot Goal Comes Against Billy Smith in 1978

On March 20, 1978, the Philadelphia Flyers hosted the New York Islanders at the Spectrum in a battle for Patrick Division supremacy. The Isles came in with a seven-point edge in the standings, but on this night, Rick MacLeish made a little history.

Just 6:20 into the first period, MacLeish was awarded a penalty shot, something that would turn out to be the only one of his 846-game NHL career. The Cannington Kid made it count, slipping it past the always-fiery Billy Smith to give the Flyers a 1-0 lead. Despite firing 11 shots in the game, nearly 30% of the team’s total, this would be MacLeish’s only goal of the night and his 31st of the season. It also ended up being his final regular season goal of 1977-78.

The Flyers would go on to win the game 4-2, with Mel Bridgman, Reg Leach, and Bill Barber adding goals of their own. Barber’s 36th of the campaign proved to be the game-winner. Between the pipes, BernieParent was solid, turning away 26 shots to seal the victory.

MacLeish’s career spanned from 1970-71 to 1983-84, playing for the Flyers, Hartford Whalers, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Detroit Red Wings. He racked up 349 regular season goals and another 54 in the playoffs. Notably, in 1972-73, he became the first player in Flyers history to notch 50 goals in a single season.

Rick MacLeish vs. Billy Smith – Trivia Quiz

For much more hockey trivia, check out our Hockey Trivia Website.

1. What date did Rick MacLeish score his only career penalty shot goal?
   March 10, 1978
   March 20, 1978
   March 25, 1978
   


2. Who was the goaltender Rick MacLeish scored on during the penalty shot?
   Bernie Parent
   Billy Smith
   Rogie Vachon
   


3. How many shots on goal did MacLeish register in the game?
   7
   11
   5
   


4. Who scored the game-winning goal for the Flyers in the 4–2 win?
   Rick MacLeish
   Mel Bridgman
   Bill Barber
   


5. How many career regular-season goals did Rick MacLeish score?
   349
   402
   296