Ken Hodge’s 6 Assist Game Still a Boston Bruins Record

On February 9, 1971, Ken Hodge turned playmaker and carved his name into Boston Bruins history with a record-setting performance that still stands today. Known more for lighting the lamp than setting up goals, Hodge dished out six assists in a 6-3 win over the visiting New York Rangers.

That night, Hodge played provider on two goals by Bobby Orr, two by Wayne Cashman, one by Phil Esposito, and one by Johnny Bucyk. Though he fired four shots of his own at Rangers goalie Gilles Villemure, he couldn’t find the back of the net. But it was his incredible setup work that stole the spotlight.

Just weeks earlier, Bucyk had tied the club’s previous record with five assists in a single game. Hodge surpassed it with his six-helper night, becoming the sole record-holder, though not for long. On January 1, 1973, Bobby Orr matched the feat with six assists of his own against the Vancouver Canucks. As of today, Hodge and Orr remain co-holders of the Bruins' single-game assist record.

Interestingly, Hodge joined the list of Bruins players with five-assist nights just over a year later, doing it again on November 9, 1972, in a game versus Detroit.

The 1970-71 season would prove to be Hodge’s best. He tallied 62 assists and 43 goals for 105 points, ranking fourth in the NHL in all three categories. Still, he remained somewhat in the shadows with teammates Phil Esposito and Bobby Orr were busy shattering league records of their own.

About Ken Hodge

Ken Hodge played 880 regular season and 97 playoff games in the National Hockey League between 1964-65 and 1977-78 with the Chicago Blackhawks, Boston Bruins and New York Rangers. Prior to his NHL start, he earned the Eddie Powers Trophy as the OHA Junior A (OHL) top scorer in 1964-65, putting up 63 goals and 123 points with the St. Catharines Black Hawks.

Involved in two major trades over his NHL career, Hodge was shipped from Chicago to Boston on May 15, 1967 with Phil Esposito and Fred Stanfield for Gilles Marotte, Pit Martin and Jack Norris. On May 26, 1976, he was traded from the Bruins to the Rangers for Rick Middleton. Middleton went on to a great career with Boston while Hodge soon fizzled out and played just one full season with the Blue Shirts.

NHL Hockey Card Greats: Ken Hodge [Video]

Bobby Clarke and the Flyers Unleash Offensive Fury Against Detroit

On February 2, 1974, the Philadelphia Flyers reminded the NHL they weren’t just fists and fury, they had firepower, too. In a dominant 12-2 victory over the Detroit Red Wings at the Spectrum, the Broad Street Bullies showcased the killer offense that would help propel them to a Stanley Cup championship just months later.

Captain Clarke Leads the Charge

Flyers captain Bobby Clarke wasted no time, opening the scoring just 2:38 into the first period. By the end of the night, Clarke had recorded a hat trick and three assists for a six-point performance, scoring a goal in every period and tallying both the first and last goals of the game.

Franchise History Made

The 12-goal outburst set a new franchise record at the time. Although the record would later be broken twice in 1984, this win stood out not just for the sheer number of goals, but for the balanced attack. Ross Lonsberry also netted a hat trick, completely separate from Clarke’s scoring line, while Simon Nolet recorded a goal and four assists for a five-point night, with three of his helpers coming on Lonsberry’s goals.

Wings Goalies Left Reeling

Detroit goaltender Jim Rutherford faced a barrage in the first two periods, stopping 29 of 36 shots before being replaced by Bill McKenzie, who fared no better, allowing five more goals on 19 shots in the third. The Flyers fired 55 total shots, with Clarke leading the way with nine and Bill Barber adding two goals on eight shots.

Redmond’s Lone Bright Spot for Detroit

In a game that offered little joy for Red Wings fans, Mickey Redmond managed to break through twice, notching his 29th and 30th goals of the season. He’d go on to score 51 that year, his second consecutive 50-goal campaign.

A Glimpse of Greatness to Come

While the Flyers were known for their grit and physical dominance during the Broad Street Bullies era, this game showed they had more than just muscle, they had elite offensive talent. Clarke’s performance was a statement, and it echoed loudly all the way to the 1974 Stanley Cup.

About Bobby Clarke

A lowly second round pick by the Philadelphia Flyers at the 1969 NHL Amateur Draft, Bobby Clarke went on to play 1,144 regular season and 136 playoff games in the National Hockey League between 1969-70 and 1983-84, all with the Flyers. Clarke topped the 100 point plateau three times, putting up a personal best 119 in 1975-76. He would take home his third and final Hart Trophy that same year.

Along with leading the Flyers to consecutive Stanley Cup championships in 1973-74 and 1974-75, Bobby was the NHL's assists leader in 1974-75 and 1975-76, contributing 89 helpers in each campaign. Clarke was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1987.

NHL Hockey Card Greats: Bobby Clarke [Video]

Stan Mikita Nets 4 in Chicago’s First-Ever Home Game vs. Penguins

On December 6, 1967, Stan Mikita recorded the first four-goal game of his Hall of Fame career as the Chicago Blackhawks hosted the expansion Pittsburgh Penguins for the very first time at Chicago Stadium.

Despite Pittsburgh being in its inaugural NHL season, both teams entered the contest with nine wins apiece. Mikita wasted no time setting the tone, scoring just 3:58 into the game on Les Binkley with help from Pierre Pilote and Ken Wharram. Though the Penguins answered quickly, Mikita struck again unassisted at 7:36. By the end of the first, it was tied 2-2 but that would be the last time Pittsburgh would find the back of the net.

Mikita completed his hat trick at 11:32 of the second, once again with help from Pilote and Wharram. This marker ultimately stood as the game-winner. In the third period, he added a fourth goal at 8:49, capping off a dominant performance. By then, Pittsburgh had swapped goaltenders, with Hank Bassen replacing Binkley following a Pierre Pilote goal late in the second.

Mikita wasn’t done, he also assisted on Bobby Hull’s second goal of the night, giving him a five-point evening. Hull had a two-goal, one-assist effort while racking up ten shots. Pilote finished with a goal and three helpers in a 7-2 Chicago victory.

Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Chicago Blackhawks in 1967-68

The Pittsburgh Penguins played the Chicago Blackhawks four times in their inaugural 1967-68 NHL season, two at the Pittsburgh Civic Arena and two at Chicago Stadium. In just their sixth game as a team, the Penguins knocked off the Hawks 4-2 at home on October 21, 1967. After Eric Nesterenko opened the scoring with a shorthanded goal for Chicago, Pittsburgh, powered by a Ken Schinkel hat trick, won their second game of the year and left the Blackhawks with an 0-5 record.

After the above mentioned 7-2 loss, the two teams battled to a 1-1 draw at the Civic Arena in mid-December. Ken Wharram scored for the visitors and Art Stratton scored for the Pens. Their final head-to-head on March 13, 1968 in Chicago was a close one. Chicago went up 3-0 by the midway point of the game but the Penguins made it close with the score ending 4-3 for the Blackhawks.