Friday, November 14, 2025
Butch Goring’s First NHL Game: Marked By A Rare Trip to the Penalty Box
Thursday, October 2, 2025
Oh Brother! The Hull Brothers Dominate the Minnesota North Stars in 1971
The Minnesota North Stars and rookie goalie Gilles Gilbert were in tough on February 6, 1971, when the Chicago Blackhawks came to town. On this night, it wasn’t just one superstar causing havoc, it was two. Brothers Bobby and Dennis Hull teamed up for five of Chicago’s six goals in a convincing 6-2 win.
Minnesota actually held the lead early. Bill Goldsworthy opened the scoring in the first period, giving the Stars a 1-0 edge. But the game quickly turned in the second when, in a furious three-minute span, Bobby Hull netted his 31st of the season and Dennis followed with his 26th to flip the score in Chicago’s favor.
The third period sealed Minnesota’s fate. Stan Mikita scored the eventual game-winner on a power play just 2:29 in, with Dennis Hull earning an assist. From there, the Hull brothers went back to work. Dennis scored again, his 27th of the year, while Bobby completed his hat trick with goals 32 and 33 of the season.
By night’s end, each Hull had five shots on Gilbert, combining for 36% of Chicago’s total attempts. Mikita played the perfect complement, chipping in a goal and two assists to fuel the offensive surge.
The Hulls weren’t done making headlines. Just two weeks later, on February 21, 1971, the brothers overwhelmed the Los Angeles Kings with a combined four goals and seven points in a 7-5 win. Once again, Bobby Hull recorded a hat trick, this time adding two assists, while Dennis contributed a goal and an assist.
NHL Hockey Trivia: The Hull Brothers
Saturday, September 20, 2025
The Last Goalie To Play Every Minute Of An NHL Season: Ed Johnston’s Historic 1963-64 Feat
On March 22, 1964, Boston Bruins netminder Ed Johnston etched his name into NHL history. That night, he played all 60 minutes of Boston’s 70th and final game of the 1963-64 season. When the final buzzer sounded, Johnston had become the last goaltender in league history to play every single minute of an entire season.
In this final game against the Chicago Blackhawks, Johnston faced 40 shots, the 17th time he had to turn aside more than 40 in a single outing that year. Boston’s porous defense allowed fewer than 30 shots in just 12 of their 70 games. Leading the Chicago attack were Ab McDonald and the legendary Bobby Hull, each firing seven shots.
Johnston did everything he could to keep his last-place Bruins competitive. He surrendered four goals, while Glenn Hall allowed three at the other end in a 4-3 Blackhawks win. Still, there were bright spots: Stan Mikita was held off the scoresheet, and Hull managed only one assist.
Despite Boston’s struggles, Johnston led the NHL in both shots against and saves. His remarkable endurance and determination didn’t go unnoticed, he even received Hart Trophy (MVP) consideration, finishing tied for 10th in voting with Toronto defenseman Tim Horton.
About Ed Johnston
Eddie Johnston played 592 regular season and 18 playoff games in the National Hockey League between 1962-63 and 1977-78 with the Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, St. Louis Blues and Chicago Blackhawks. The two-time Stanley Cup champion as a player with the Bruins recorded 32 regular season shutouts and added a single blank in the post season.
NHL Hockey Trivia: Ed Johnston
Wednesday, August 13, 2025
Hull and Hall Power Blackhawks Past Red Wings in 1962 Olympia Showdown
Both the Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings were underachieving going into a February 1, 1962 match-up in Motown. The defending Stanley Cup champs from Chicago were one game over .500. The Wings, despite an all-star lineup that included Gordie Howe, Alex Delvecchio, Norm Ullman and Terry Sawchuk, were six games below even.
Detroit jumped out to a 3-0 lead after the first period with Delvecchio assisting on the first two and scoring the third. However, Bobby Hull and the Blackhawks burst out of the gates in the second and the score was tied at four after two. Hull scored his 27th and 28th of the season in that second frame.
In the third, it was all Chicago. Reggie Fleming scored the game winning goal while Hull scored two more, his 29th and 30th of the 1961-62 campaign, for a four goal game in the 7-4 win. Bill Hay assisted on three of the four.
But, if it wasn't for goalie Glenn Hall, the game could have ended up quite different. Detroit pounded Mr. Goalie with 55 shots, with Hall turning away nearly 93%. Delvecchio led the way with eight while Warren Godfrey, Claude Laforge and Len Lunde each had six. At the other end of the ice, Terry Sawchuk faced a modest 27 shots while allowing the seven goals.
For Bobby Hull, 1961-62 was the first of five times he would reach the 50 goal plateau. At the time, just Maurice Richard and Bernie Geoffrion had accomplished the feat. That year, Bobby was a First Team All-Star while Glenn Hall made the Second Team.
Hockey Trivia Quiz: Hull and Hall vs. the Red Wings – February 1, 1962
Sunday, August 10, 2025
Esposito, Hull, Howe: The Race to the NHL’s First 100-Point Season
Before 1968-69, no NHL player had ever scored 100 points in a single season. The closest came in the mid-60s: Bobby Hull with 97 points in 1965-66, and Stan Mikita matching the feat the next year. Mikita even won the 1967-68 Art Ross Trophy with just 87 points. But the next season would change NHL history forever.
In 1968-69, not one, but three hockey legends shattered the 100-point barrier for the first time: Phil Esposito, Bobby Hull, and Gordie Howe.
Phil Esposito: The First to 100
On March 2, 1969, Boston Bruins centre Phil Esposito reached the milestone in style. Facing the Pittsburgh Penguins at Boston Garden, Esposito scored his 39th goal of the season just 17 seconds into the third period, assisted by Ken Hodge and Ted Green. That goal marked point number 100.
He wasn’t done, adding a shorthanded goal later in the period, assisted by Hodge and Bobby Orr, on the way to a 4-0 win. Esposito ended the year with 126 points, earning his first of five Art Ross Trophies.
Bobby Hull: The Golden Jet Follows
On March 20, 1969, in the same Boston Garden, Bobby Hull of the Chicago Blackhawks became the second man to hit 100 points. Needing two points going into the game, Hull scored his 54th goal with less than three minutes left, then struck again just 13 seconds later for the magic number.
Hull closed the season with 107 points, finishing second to Esposito in the scoring race.
Gordie Howe: Mr. Hockey Joins the Club
Finally, on March 30, 1969, Gordie Howe entered the Detroit Red Wings last game of the season with 99 points. Against Hull’s Blackhawks, Howe scored his 43rd goal just 33 seconds into the second period for point number 100.
He added another goal and two assists for a four-point night, finishing the season with 103 points, good for third in the Art Ross race.
Quiz: NHL’s First Triple 100-Point Season (1968-69)
Thursday, July 10, 2025
Bobby Hull’s First 4-Goal NHL Game Came at the Expense of Johnny Bower and the Toronto Maple Leafs
On February 21, 1960, Bobby Hull delivered one of the most memorable offensive performances of his career at Chicago Stadium, scoring four goals in a 7-5 Chicago Black Hawks win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. This milestone marked Hull’s first of four career four-goal games in the NHL. He never surpassed that number in a single match, despite recording an impressive 30 career hat tricks.
The game opened with Hull striking early. At 8:07 of the first period, he buried his 30th goal of the season, assisted by Murray Balfour and Dollard St. Laurent. Early in the second, he scored again, this time with help from Pierre Pilote and Bill Hay, making it 2-0 for Chicago.
Even after Toronto’s Frank Mahovlich cut the lead in half, Hull completed his hat trick just over four minutes into the second frame, assisted by Elmer “Moose” Vasko and Pilote. Before the period ended, Hull added an assist on Balfour’s goal to stretch the lead to 5-2.
Then came the dagger: just 59 seconds into the third period, Hull scored his fourth goal of the night, making it 6-2. This goal would stand as the game-winner, his 33rd of the season. Bill Hay added another before Toronto mounted a furious but ultimately futile comeback with goals from Gerry James, Johnny Wilson, and Tim Horton.
A Golden Season for the “Golden Jet”
By the end of the 1959-60 season, Hull tallied 39 goals and 42 assists for 81 points, narrowly edging Boston’s Bronco Horvath for the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL’s top scorer. Despite the scoring crown, Hull fell short of MVP honors, finishing second in Hart Trophy voting behind Detroit’s Gordie Howe.
It was a breakout campaign for the 21-year-old Hull, and his first 4-goal game against a future Hall of Famer like Johnny Bower remains a signature performance in his legendary career.
Tuesday, July 1, 2025
Broadway Hero: Pete Stemkowski’s 3OT Goal vs. Blackhawks
In one of the most dramatic moments of the 1971 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Pete Stemkowski etched his name into New York Rangers history with a triple overtime goal that kept their season alive.
The Rangers had already endured three overtime games in the 1970-71 postseason. In their semi-final series against the Chicago Blackhawks, they had just suffered an overtime defeat in Game 5, courtesy of Bobby Hull, putting them on the brink of elimination. Game 6 on April 29, 1971, at Madison Square Garden was a must-win.
Chicago carried a 2-1 lead into the third period before Jean Ratelle tied it up at 4:21 with help from Vic Hadfield and Rod Gilbert. Regulation solved nothing, nor did the first two overtime periods. Finally, at 1:29 of the third overtime, Pete Stemkowski beat Tony Esposito with the 49th shot of the night for New York. Assists went to Ted Irvine and Tim Horton, and the Rangers had life.
Ed Giacomin faced just 26 shots in net for the Rangers, turning aside all but two. Stemkowski’s goal forced a Game 7, giving fans hope for a miraculous comeback. Unfortunately for New York, the magic ran out in Chicago. The Blackhawks closed the series with a 4-2 win at Chicago Stadium, behind Esposito’s 36-save performance and Bobby Hull’s game-winning goal early in the third.
Stemkowski had joined the Rangers earlier that season in a one-for-one trade with the Detroit Red Wings for Larry Brown. In an odd twist, Brown returned to New York later that same season in a multi-player deal that also involved Bruce MacGregor, Arnie Brown, Tom Miller, and Mike Robitaille.
About Pete Stemkowski
Between 1963-64 and 1977-78, Pete Stemkowski played 967 regular season and 83 playoff games in the National Hockey League with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Detroit Red Wings, New York Rangers and Los Angeles Kings. He was a Stanley Cup champion with the Maple Leafs in 1966-67, playing a prominent role with 12 points in 12 playoff games.
Five times during his NHL career, Stemkowski reached the 20 goal plateau. His career best came in both 1969-70 with the Red Wings an 1973-74 with the Rangers, scoring 25 in each of the those seasons. His career high for points was 70 with the Rangers in that 1973-74 campaign.
Thursday, May 22, 2025
Bobby Hull vs Bronco Horvath: 1960 Art Ross Trophy Showdown in Season Finale
In a thrilling conclusion to the 1959-60 NHL regular season, Chicago Blackhawks legend Bobby Hull narrowly captured the Art Ross Trophy, edging out Boston Bruins forward Bronco Horvath by a single point. The two scoring leaders went head-to-head on March 20, 1960, at the historic Boston Garden in what became a memorable offensive showdown.
Heading into the final game, Horvath led the league with 80 points and topped the NHL goal-scoring list with 39. Hull trailed closely behind with 79 points and 38 goals. With the Art Ross Trophy, awarded to the NHL's top point scorer, hanging in the balance, all eyes were on these two stars.
Midway through the second period, Hull tied Horvath in both points and goals, scoring his 39th goal of the season on a powerplay against Bruins goaltender Don Simmons. The goal was assisted by Pierre Pilote and Elmer Vasko. Then, with just under seven minutes remaining in the third period, Hull notched a critical assist on an Eric Nesterenko goal, bringing his point total to 81.
Despite the Bruins scoring five goals in the 5-5 tie, Horvath was held off the scoresheet. He registered three shots on Blackhawks netminder Glenn Hall but failed to tally a point. Teammates DougMohns and Don McKenney led the way for Boston with three points each.
Hull’s late-game heroics earned him his first career Art Ross Trophy, the first of three he would go on to win. While Horvath shared the league lead in goals, he fell just short in the overall points race. The 1959-60 season marked the pinnacle of Horvath’s NHL career, which declined shortly thereafter. In a twist of fate, he later joined Hull on the Blackhawks roster during the 1961-62 season.
About Bobby Hull
For Bobby Hull, his narrow Art Ross Trophy win in 1959-60 was the first of three over his NHL career, all with the Chicago Blackhawks. He would also win the Hart Trophy twice to go with his one Stanley Cup championship with the Hawks in 1960-61.
Between 1957-58 and 1979-80, Hull played 1,063 regular season and 119 playoff games in the National Hockey League with the Chicago Blackhawks, Winnipeg Jets and Hartford Whalers. He alos appeared in 411 regular season and 60 playoff games in the WHA between 1972-73 and 1978-79, all with the Winnipeg Jets.
The Golden Jet was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1983. That same year, the Blackhawks retired his jersey number 9. It was the second number to be retired by the club following Stan Mikita in 1980.
About Bronco Horvath
Bronco Horvath played 434 regular season and 36 playoff games in the NHL between 1955-56 and 1967-68 with the New York Rangers, Montreal Canadiens, Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Toronto Maple Leafs and Minnesota North Stars. He spent six years in the minors before making his NHL debut with the Rangers.
His 39 goal and 80 points season in 1959-60 was the pinnacle of Horvath's NHL career. His 30 goals in 1957-58 was the only other time he surpassed the 20 goal plateau. In the minors, he won a scoring title in the WHL with the Edmonton Flyers in 1954-55. He won a championship with the Flyers that year and was part of three Calder Cup championship teams with the Rochester Americans of the AHL.
Thursday, February 25, 2016
1979-80 O-Pee-Chee NHL: Beyond Wayne Gretzky
Gordie Howe
Bobby Hull
Mike Bossy
Barry Melrose
Friday, May 1, 2015
Top Valued 1958-59 Topps NHL Hockey Cards
Glenn Hall – Chicago Blackhawks
Terry Sawchuk – Detroit Red Wings
Eddie Shack – New York Rangers
Gordie Howe – Detroit Red Wings
Bobby Hull – Chicago Blackhawks
Friday, October 3, 2014
Top 5 NHL Goal Scorers In 1968-69
Bobby Hull – Chicago Blackhawks
Phil Esposito – Boston Bruins
Frank Mahovlich – Detroit Red Wings
Ken Hodge – Boston Bruins
Gordie Howe – Detroit Red Wings
Gordie Howe 1968-69 O-Pee-Chee Hockey Card [YouTube Shorts]
Friday, September 12, 2014
1974-75 WHA Goal Scoring Leaders
Bobby Hull – Winnipeg Jets
Wayne Rivers – San Diego Mariners
Serge Bernier – Quebec Nordiques
Anders Hedberg – Winnipeg Jets
Tom Simpson – Toronto Toros
Tuesday, August 12, 2014
1960-61 NHL Top 5 Goal Scorers
Bernie Geoffrion – Montreal Canadiens
Frank Mahovlich – Toronto Maple Leafs
Dickie Moore – Montreal Canadiens
Jean Beliveau – Montreal Canadiens
Bobby Hull – Chicago Blackhawks
NHL Hockey Trivia: Chicago Blackhawks Retired Numbers
Monday, May 26, 2014
NHL Hockey Trivia: Stan Mikita
| Season | Team | Lge | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 1956-57 | St. Catharines Teepees | OHA | 52 | 16 | 31 | 47 | 0 |
| 1957-58 | St. Catharines Teepees | OHA | 52 | 31 | 47 | 78 | 0 |
| 1958-59 | St. Catharines Teepees | OHA | 45 | 38 | 59 | 97 | 0 |
| 1958-59 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| 1959-60 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 67 | 8 | 18 | 26 | 119 |
| 1960-61 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 66 | 19 | 34 | 53 | 100 |
| 1961-62 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 70 | 25 | 52 | 77 | 97 |
| 1962-63 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 65 | 31 | 45 | 76 | 69 |
| 1963-64 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 70 | 39 | 50 | 89 | 146 |
| 1964-65 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 70 | 28 | 59 | 87 | 154 |
| 1965-66 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 68 | 30 | 48 | 78 | 58 |
| 1966-67 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 70 | 35 | 62 | 97 | 12 |
| 1967-68 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 72 | 40 | 47 | 87 | 14 |
| 1968-69 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 74 | 30 | 67 | 97 | 52 |
| 1969-70 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 76 | 39 | 47 | 86 | 50 |
| 1970-71 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 74 | 24 | 48 | 72 | 85 |
| 1971-72 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 74 | 26 | 39 | 65 | 46 |
| 1972-73 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 57 | 27 | 56 | 83 | 32 |
| 1973-74 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 76 | 30 | 50 | 80 | 46 |
| 1974-75 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 79 | 36 | 50 | 86 | 48 |
| 1975-76 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 48 | 16 | 41 | 57 | 37 |
| 1976-77 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 57 | 19 | 30 | 49 | 20 |
| 1977-78 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 76 | 18 | 41 | 59 | 35 |
| 1978-79 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 65 | 19 | 36 | 55 | 34 |
| 1979-80 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 17 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 12 |
| NHL Totals | 1394 | 541 | 926 | 1467 | 1270 |















