For Toronto Maple Leafs power forward Wendel Clark, the 1986-87 NHL season began with fireworks. After scoring once in the season opener against Montreal, Clark exploded for four goals in Game 2, all against Buffalo Sabres goalie Darren Puppa, marking the first four-goal game of his career.
Unfortunately, his hot streak didn’t last. Following this dominant night, Clark managed just one goal over his next seven games. But for one October evening, the Leafs’ young leader was unstoppable.
The game opened with Mike Foligno putting Buffalo ahead early on Ken Wregget, but Clark answered with two quick goals. Foligno tied it again with his second, only for Wendel to complete the hat trick before the end of the first period. Gilbert Perreault’s late goal made it 3-3 after a wild opening frame.
The scoring show continued through the second and third. Despite Clark’s heroics, the Leafs trailed 5-4 after two periods, with Wilf Paiement (a former Leaf himself) scoring twice for Buffalo and Steve Thomas cutting the gap for Toronto. Clark’s fourth goal at 9:44 of the third tied things up 5-5 and that’s how it stayed, as overtime solved nothing.
It was a night for offense, not defense:
Gary Leeman assisted on all four Clark goals for a four-point performance.
Paiement and Perreault both finished with three points for the Sabres.
Goaltending struggled on both ends: Puppa allowed five on 25 shots, Wregget five on 23.
About Wendel Clark
Wendel Clark played 793 regular season and 95 playoff games in the National Hockey League between 1985-86 and 1999-00 with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Quebec Nordiques, New York Islanders, Tampa Bay Lightning, Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks. The often injured Clark had a career year in 1993-94, scoring 46 goals in just 64 games.
