Al MacAdam's Hat Trick Keeps Golden Seals Perfect To Start 1975-76

A perfect start to a season wasn't something California Golden Seals fans got to experience very often. But, for at least two games in October 1975, the Seals could enjoy life without a loss. After opening the 1975-76 NHL season with a 4-3 victory over the Atlanta Flames at the Omni, California travelled to Detroit to face the Red Wings on October 11, 1975.

Highlights

• California opened the 1975-76 season with consecutive victories.

• Al MacAdam scored a hat trick in the 5-2 win over Detroit.

• His first goal was an unassisted shorthanded marker.

• MacAdam's second goal, just 1:10 into the third, was the game winner.

• It was the first of three NHL hat tricks in MacAdam's career.

• Gary Simmons stopped 24 shots for California.

• Dennis Maruk led the Golden Seals with six shots on goal.

• California won just one of its next 12 games and relocated to Cleveland after the season.

Al MacAdam was the star of the night at Detroit Olympia. The Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island native opened the scoring at 8:38 of the first period with an unassisted shorthanded goal on Detroit goaltender Jim Rutherford. Bob Stewart was serving a charging penalty at the time. The Red Wings battled back and the teams entered the third period tied 2-2.

MacAdam wasted little time putting California back in front. Just 1:10 into the third, he scored his second of the game, assisted by Mike Christie. The goal stood as the game winner. MacAdam then completed the hat trick at 16:26, with Christie and rookie Dennis Maruk picking up the assists. It was the first of three hat tricks MacAdam would record during his NHL career.

Bob Murdoch finished off the scoring with an empty-net goal as California came away with a 5-2 victory. Gary Simmons earned the win in net with 24 saves, while the Golden Seals fired 36 shots at Rutherford. Maruk led California with six shots on goal.

For the Golden Seals, the 2-0 start provided a brief moment of optimism during what would be their final season in California. The momentum disappeared quickly, with the club winning just one of its next 12 games. California finished 1975-76 with 27 wins and 65 points, missing the playoffs for a sixth consecutive season. The franchise relocated to Ohio that summer and became the Cleveland Barons.

The California Golden Seals: A Tale of White Skates, Red Ink, and One of the NHL's Most Outlandish Teams

Discover the fascinating and unconventional story of the California Golden Seals — one of the NHL’s most memorable and unusual franchises.

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Al MacAdam Scores the Only Penalty Shot Goal in Cleveland Barons History

During their brief time in the NHL, the Cleveland Barons had just one chance at a penalty shot and it came courtesy of Prince Edward Island’s own Al MacAdam. On December 16, 1976, in a road matchup against the Pittsburgh Penguins, MacAdam was awarded the rare opportunity after being tripped on a breakaway by Russ Anderson.

At 9:23 of the second period, MacAdam made the most of it, firing the puck past Penguins goalie Denis Herron to tie the game 3-3. It was his eighth goal of the season and marked a moment of franchise history, the only successful penalty shot ever recorded by the Cleveland Barons.

MacAdam wasn’t finished there. He added another goal in the third period, assisted by Dennis Maruk and Mike Christie, once again tying the game, this time at 4-4. Unfortunately, just 39 seconds later, Pierre Larouche buried the game-winner for Pittsburgh, sealing a 5-4 Penguins victory.

Jean Pronovost led the way for the Penguins that night with a four-point performance, two goals and two assists, while adding a shorthanded tally set up by Syl Apps.

Though the Barons’ history was short-lived, MacAdam’s effort stood out. Across his 864 game NHL career, he proved a model of consistency and leadership with the Philadelphia Flyers, California Golden Seals, Cleveland Barons, Minnesota North Stars, and Vancouver Canucks.

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NHL Hockey Trivia: Al MacAdam

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

1. Al MacAdam was originally drafted by which NHL team in 1972?

California Golden Seals
Philadelphia Flyers
Minnesota North Stars
Cleveland Barons

2. MacAdam scored the only penalty shot goal in Cleveland Barons history during a 1976 game against which team?

Chicago Blackhawks
Pittsburgh Penguins
St. Louis Blues
New York Rangers

3. Al MacAdam’s best NHL season came with the Minnesota North Stars in 1979-80. How many points did he record that year?

55
63
93
78

4. MacAdam won the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy in 1979-80. What does this award recognize?

The league’s top scorer
The player showing perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey
The best defensive forward
The league’s most gentlemanly player

5. Over his NHL career, Al MacAdam played for five different teams. Which of the following was not one of them?

Philadelphia Flyers
Vancouver Canucks
California Golden Seals
Boston Bruins

NHL Hockey Trivia: Minnesota North Stars

The Minnesota North Stars were one of the six expansion teams that doubled the size of the NHL for the 1967-68 season. The North Stars remained in the Twin Cities until the end of the 1992-93 season when they were moved to Dallas where they became known as simply the Stars. NHL hockey returned to Minnesota in 2000 as the Wild entered the league.

Test and expand your knowledge of Minnesota North Stars trivia with the following questions.

Q. In their first trip to the Stanley Cup finals in 1981, which team did the Minnesota North Stars lose to?

A. The North Stars lost to the New York Islanders. For New York, it was their second of four consecutive Stanley Cup victories. The North Stars finished the 1980-81 regular season in third place in the Adams Division, behind the Buffalo Sabres and Boston Bruins. Minnesota knocked off both those teams before upsetting the Calgary Flames in the conference final.

The playoff hero for Minnesota was Steve Payne with 17 goals and 29 points over 19 games. He was followed close behind by Bobby Smith and Dino Ciccarelli. Now in the Hockey Hall of Fame, Ciccarelli played the last half of the 1980-81 season with the North Stars, his first National Hockey League action, after starting the year with the Oklahoma City Stars of the CHL. Minnesota was coached that year by Glen Sonmor with Murray Oliver and J.P. Parise at his side.

Q. In their second trip to the Stanley Cup finals, which team beat the North Stars in 1991?

A. The Pittsburgh Penguins took out the North Stars in six games. The North Stars finished the regular season with an anaemic 27 wins but upset Chicago, St. Louis and Edmonton before bowing out to the Penguins.

That version of the North Stars had a Montreal Canadiens feel behind the bench with Bob Gainey acting as head coach and Doug Jarvis by his side as assistant coach. Minnesota was led in the playoffs by Dave Gagner’s 12 goals and Brian Bellows and his 29 points. Mike Modano was in just his second year in the NHL and contributed 20 points over 23 playoff games.

Q. The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy was named for the Minnesota North Stars player who died as a result of an on-ice injury during Minnesota’s first season. Who was the only Minnesota North Star to win the Masterton?

A. Al MacAdam won the award in 1979-80. MacAdam started his NHL career with the Philadelphia Flyers, playing just five games with the club in 1973-74. The following year, he was a member of the California Seals and followed that franchise through Cleveland and eventually to Minnesota.

In 1979-80, Al scored 42 goals and assisted on 51 for 93 points, leading the team in goals and points. Over his career, MacAdam played 864 regular season games in the NHL with the Flyers, Seals, Barons, North Stars and Vancouver Canucks.

Q. In their second season in the NHL, which Minnesota North Stars forward won the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie?

A. Danny Grant won the Calder in 1968-69. Grant played the season before with the Montreal Canadiens but didn’t appear in enough regular season games to qualify as a rookie. He helped Montreal in the playoffs as they won the 1969 Stanley Cup. Grant is one of just four players to win the Stanley Cup before winning the Calder.

In that 1968-69 season, Grant scored 34 and assisted on 31 for 65 points over 75 games, leading the North Stars in goals and points. Danny played 736 regular season games in the National Hockey League between 1965-66 and 1978-79 with the Canadiens, North Stars, Detroit Red Wings and Los Angeles Kings. He was a 50 goal scorer with Detroit in 1974-75.