Bob Bourne Delivers Clutch Goals and Grit vs. the Jets

The New York Islanders dynasty wasn’t built solely on superstars like Mike Bossy, Bryan Trottier, and Denis Potvin. Players like Bob Bourne quietly carved out reputations as game-changers in crucial moments. On March 11, 1981, he delivered one of his finest performances.

That season, Bourne scored 35 goals, including nine on the power play, seven shorthanded, and five game-winners. He was the very definition of a special teams specialist, thriving when it mattered most.

When the Islanders visited the Winnipeg Jets at Winnipeg Arena, the matchup looked lopsided. New York had 39 wins, while the Jets had only eight. Yet after the first period, the game was knotted 2-2. Bourne picked up an assist on Mike Bossy’s 62nd goal of the year to help even the score late in the frame.

In the second period, with Bob Nystrom serving a penalty, Bourne struck shorthanded. At 10:04, he snapped home his 28th goal of the season past Michel Dion, assisted by Denis Potvin. It stood up as the game-winning goal in a 6-3 Islanders victory.

Just 45 seconds later, Bourne showed he could mix it up, too. Dropping the gloves with Danny Geoffrion, he earned a five-minute major for fighting, giving him a Gordie Howe Hat Trick.

Bourne capped his night by scoring into the empty net with three seconds left, finishing with a three-point performance. His 35 goals and 76 points that season were both career highs, and he remained a vital cog in the Islanders’ machine during their run of four straight Stanley Cups.

About Bob Bourne

Bob Bourne played 964 regular season and 139 playoff games in the National Hockey League between 1974-75 and 1987-88 with the New York Islanders and Los Angeles Kings. Bourne was originally a draft pick of the Kansas City Scouts. He was selected in the third round of the 1974 NHL Amateur Draft after a junior career with the Saskatoon Blades. He was traded to the Islanders just prior to the start of the 1974-75 NHL season.

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NHL Hockey Trivia: Bob Bourne

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

1. Bob Bourne spent the majority of his NHL career with which team?

Winnipeg Jets
New York Islanders
Calgary Flames
Minnesota North Stars

2. Bourne’s best NHL season came in 1980-81. How many goals did he score that year?

29
35
41
25

3. Bourne was part of how many consecutive Stanley Cup championships with the Islanders?

4
2
3
5

4. After leaving the Islanders, Bourne played for which NHL team?

New Jersey Devils
Toronto Maple Leafs
Los Angeles Kings
Buffalo Sabres

5. Which honor did Bob Bourne receive in 1988 recognizing his contributions beyond the game itself?

Induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame
Conn Smythe Trophy
Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy
Lester Patrick Trophy

Rick Middleton Shines with Four-Point Night in Fiery Win Over North Stars (Feb. 26, 1981)

Boston Garden was buzzing as the Bruins hosted the Minnesota North Stars, but no one made a bigger impact than Rick Middleton. In a 5-1 Bruins victory that was equal parts highlight reel and penalty box parade, Middleton delivered a vintage performance.

In the first period, Middleton helped open the scoring by assisting on a shorthanded goal by Mike O’Connell. Later in the frame, he teamed up with Ray Bourque to set up Jean Ratelle, who notched what would be the final goal of his illustrious NHL career, fittingly on the powerplay.

While chaos unfolded around him in a game that featured a staggering 404 penalty minutes, still one of the most penalized games in NHL history, Middleton managed to stay clear of the rough stuff until late in the second. At 17:13, he and former teammate Joe Zanussi dropped the gloves, each earning five-minute majors. Keith Crowder, however, led the penalty parade with 43 PIM, a mark that still ranks in the top 25 all-time for a single game.

Middleton wasn’t finished. In the third period, he returned to the scoresheet with style, netting two shorthanded goals just 62 seconds apart. One came unassisted, the other with help from Ratelle. Both came while Mike O’Connell was in the box, and both beat Minnesota goalie Gilles Meloche. Interestingly, both Meloche and Bruins netminder Rogie Vachon had earlier picked up minor penalties of their own during one of the game’s many melees.

By the end of the night, Middleton had posted two goals and two assists, all on special teams. He finished +3 and fired four of Boston’s 27 shots. It was a performance for the ages, not only for its offensive brilliance but for its poise amid the mayhem.

About Rick Middleton

Rick Middleton played 1,005 regular season and 114 playoff games in the National Hockey League between 1974-75 and 1987-88 with the New York Rangers and Boston Bruins. Originally, he was a first round pick by the Rangers at the 1973 NHL Amateur Draft out of the Oshawa Generals.

In 1973-74, between his junior days and NHL career, Middleton was awarded the Dudley Red Garrett Award as the AHL's top rookie. Playing for the Providence Reds, Rick scored 36 and assisted on 48 for 84 points in 63 regular season games. In the post season, he added 15 points in 15 games with the Reds losing the Calder Cup final to the Hershey Bears.

Left out of the Hockey Hall of Fame, Middleton has been honoured by the Boston Bruins with jersey number 16 retired by the club in 2018. From the start of his NHL career with the Rangers in 1974-75, Rick scored 20 or more goals in eleven consecutive seasons. He had eight years with 30 or more goals and topped out with a career high 51 in 1981-82.

NHL Hockey Card Greats: Rick Middleton [Video]