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

Bill Masterton Makes History in North Stars Debut Game

On October 11, 1967, history was written on multiple fronts in the National Hockey League. The expansion-era Minnesota North Stars played their very first NHL game on the road against the also-new St. Louis Blues. This historic matchup marked the NHL debut for both teams and one unforgettable goal-scorer.

That man was Bill Masterton, who would sadly play only 38 NHL games before a tragic on-ice injury took his life on January 13, 1968. But on this night, Masterton made a lasting mark in the league’s record books.

With just under five minutes remaining in the second period, and his team on the power play, Masterton scored the first goal in Minnesota North Stars history, an unassisted tally at the 15:20 mark. It was one of four shots he would take on St. Louis netminder Seth Martin, who, like Masterton, was making his NHL debut. Martin would go on to play only 32 NHL games, all in that single 1967-68 season.

The third period brought more milestones. Larry Keenan etched his name into the St. Louis Blues' history by scoring their first ever goal, assisted by Bob Plager and Fred Hucul. The game would end in a 2-2 tie, with DaveBalon and Wayne Rivers trading goals for Minnesota and St. Louis, respectively.

Additional firsts included:

• Bob Plager receiving the first penalty in Blues franchise history.

• Murray Hall taking the North Stars' first penalty.

• The first recorded fight between the two teams: Roger Picard (Blues) vs. Ted Taylor (North Stars).

About Bill Masterton

Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Bill Masterton played three years of NCAA hockey with the University of Denver Pioneers from 1958-59 to 1960-61 before turning pro. In 1961-62, he helped the Hull-Ottawa Canadiens to an EPHL title. That club featured future NHLers Keith McCreary, Jim Roberts, BarclayPlager, Terry Harper and Cesare Maniago.

Moving up the AHL for 1962-63, Masterton finished seventh in overall scoring with 82 points playing for the Cleveland Barons. He left for the USHL after that and would play for the U.S. National Team in 1966-67, prior to joining the North Stars.