Johnny Bower’s Final NHL Shutout: A Vintage Performance in Philadelphia

On December 12, 1968, in the twilight of his remarkable career, Johnny Bower turned back the clock one last time. Playing at the Spectrum in Philadelphia, the veteran netminder stopped all 27 shots he faced to backstop the Toronto Maple Leafs to a 1-0 win over the Flyers. Ron Ellis provided the game’s lone goal, beating Bernie Parent for the decisive tally. Among the Flyers, Simon Nolet kept Bower busiest, firing five shots on goal.

Earlier that same 1968-69 season, Bower had recorded his final home shutout at Maple Leaf Gardens, a 2-0 victory over the Boston Bruins. In that contest, he turned aside 29 shots while Larry Mickey and Dave Keon did the scoring. Keon’s third-period shorthanded marker against Gerry Cheevers sealed the win, in a game that also featured a spirited scrap between Tim Horton and Derek Sanderson.

That season would be Bower’s last as a regular contributor, appearing in 20 regular-season and four playoff games while sharing duties with Bruce Gamble. The following year, he suited up for just a single game before retiring from the NHL.

Between 1953-54 and 1969-70, Bower appeared in 552 regular season and 74 playoff games with the New York Rangers and Toronto Maple Leafs. Known for his fearless play and famous poke check, “The China Wall” became one of hockey’s most beloved figures and, fittingly, his career ended as it had so often been defined: with a shutout.

Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1976, Johnny Bower’s final blanking of the Flyers remains a classic example of his enduring brilliance between the pipes.

The PDF versions of some of our hockey books are now available for free download: Take a look!

NHL Hockey Trivia: Johnny Bower

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

1. Before joining the Toronto Maple Leafs, Johnny Bower began his NHL career with which team?

Chicago Black Hawks
New York Rangers
Detroit Red Wings
Boston Bruins

2. Bower was affectionately nicknamed “The China Wall.” What was the main reason for this nickname?

His unbreakable goaltending style
His time spent playing in China
His habit of wearing a mask made in China
His connection to the Great Wall through his ancestry

3. How many Stanley Cups did Johnny Bower win with the Toronto Maple Leafs?

Two
Three
Four
Five

4. What unique goaltending technique was Johnny Bower especially known for perfecting?

The butterfly style
The poke check
The stand-up save
The glove flash

5. In what year was Johnny Bower inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame?

1970
1972
1976
1980

April 8, 1971: The Night Vic Hadfield Nearly Broke the PIM Record

Perhaps Jim Harrison said something about Vic Hadfield’s golf game. On April 8, 1971, Madison Square Garden played host to Game 2 of the Stanley Cup quarter-finals between the New York Rangers and the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Rangers were up 1-0 in the series, but Toronto fought back with a 4-1 victory and then things got really interesting.

After the goals came the gloves. Vic Hadfield piled up 34 penalty minutes before the night was over, at the time, the fourth-most in a single Stanley Cup playoff game (It still ranks among the top dozen today).

The all-time record of 42 minutes, held by Billy Coutu since 1923, is a bit of an outlier thanks to long-gone rules and two hefty misconducts. In the modern era, Hadfield was chasing Forbes Kennedy’s 38 minutes and John Ferguson’s 37, both set in 1969.

Hadfield’s trouble started midway through the second period. At 9:22, he tangled with Toronto’s Jim Harrison and earned an extra two minutes for high-sticking, his second trip to the box after a roughing call earlier. Then at 15:18 of the third, they went at it again, sparking a full-on melee that also pulled in Darryl Sittler and Brad Park. Hadfield picked up two ten-minute misconducts and a five for fighting, ending his night early.

Moments later, Park joined him in the dressing room when both he and Sittler were assessed game misconducts. Each finished with 27 penalty minutes.

On the scoresheet side of things, Toronto’s Paul Henderson led the way with two goals, while Dave Keon added a goal and an assist. Tim Horton scored the lone Rangers goal against his former team.

About Vic Hadfield

Vic Hadfield played 1,002 regular season and 74 playoff games in the National Hockey League between 1961-62 and 1976-77 with the New York Rangers and Pittsburgh Penguins. In 1971-72, he became the first player in Rangers history to score 50 goals in a season with exactly 50.

The PDF versions of some of our hockey books are now available for free download: Take a look!

NHL Hockey Trivia: Vic Hadfield

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

1. Vic Hadfield spent the majority of his NHL career with which team?

Chicago Blackhawks
New York Rangers
Pittsburgh Penguins
Boston Bruins

2. Hadfield was part of the Rangers’ famous “GAG Line.” What did “GAG” stand for?

Goal-A-Game
Great and Gritty
Goaltenders Always Guessing
Grind-And-Goal

3. In the 1971–72 season, Vic Hadfield became the first Rangers player to reach what major milestone?

50 goals in a season
100 career power play goals
1,000 career points
10 hat tricks in one season

4. After leaving the Rangers, Hadfield finished his NHL career playing for which team?

Buffalo Sabres
Pittsburgh Penguins
Los Angeles Kings
St. Louis Blues

5. Which best describes Vic Hadfield’s playing style?

Defensive specialist and shot blocker
Tough, skilled power forward with scoring touch
Pure finesse playmaker
Enforcer with limited offensive output

Dave Keon’s Six-Point Explosion Powers Leafs Over First-Place Red Wings in 1964

On December 5, 1964, the Toronto Maple Leafs faced off against the league-leading Detroit Red Wings at Maple Leaf Gardens. Though Detroit sat comfortably atop the NHL standings, 13 points ahead of the fourth-place Leafs, the night belonged to Dave Keon.

Keon, a cornerstone of the Leafs dynasty, delivered one of the most dominant performances of his career, scoring two goals and adding four assists for a total of six points. That single game accounted for 12% of his total points for the 1964-65 season, in which he finished with 50.

Toronto opened with a modest 2-1 lead after the first period, with Keon held off the scoresheet. But the second period turned into a Blue and White clinic. The Leafs scored four more before Detroit’s Norm Ullman, a future Maple Leaf himself, added the Wings’ second and final tally of the night. Keon assisted on goals by Jim Pappin and Ron Ellis during the frame.

In the third period, Keon put on a show. Just 21 seconds in, he and Red Kelly assisted on Andy Bathgate’s goal. Then came two goals of his own before assisting on Ellis’s second of the game at 13:06.

Bathgate had a four-point night himself (1G, 3A), leading the team with six shots on goal. Toronto outshot Detroit 41-36, with rookie Roger Crozier under siege in the Wings’ net. At the other end, former Red Wing Terry Sawchuk made 34 saves in his third appearance against his former club since joining the Leafs in the off-season. Only Pit Martin and Ullman managed to beat him.

About Dave Keon

Dave Keon played 1,296 regular season and 92 playoff games in the National Hockey League between 1960-61 and 1981-82 with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Hartford Whalers. The four-time Stanley Cup champion was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in 1966-67.

Starting with his Calder Trophy winning 1960-61 NHL season, Keon scored at least 20 goals eleven times. His career best of 38 was scored in 1970-71 with the Maple Leafs, placing him tied for sixth in the league with Gilbert Perreault of the Buffalo Sabres.

Between 1975-76 and 1978-79, Dave played an additional 301 regular season and 36 playoff games in the WHA with the Minnesota Fighting Saints, Indianapolis Racers and New England Whalers. Keon was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1986.

NHL Hockey Card Legends: Dave Keon

Penalty Kill Perfection: Dave Keon Nets a Hat Trick (Including 2 SHG) in 1970

On December 2, 1970, Toronto Maple Leafs captain Dave Keon put on a penalty-killing clinic at Maple Leaf Gardens and turned it into a hat trick showcase.

Facing the Los Angeles Kings, Keon scored two shorthanded goals and added a third at even strength, powering the Leafs to a dominant 7-0 victory. His first shorty came in the second period while Jim Harrison was in the box for elbowing. George Armstrong, "The Chief", in his final NHL season, provided the assist as Keon beat Jack Norris at 9:36.

Then, early in the third, Keon struck again on the penalty kill, this time assisted by Billy MacMillan while Paul Henderson was off for tripping. He finished off the hat trick midway through the final frame with a five-on-five tally from Mike Pelyk and Garry Monahan.

Veteran goalie Jacques Plante turned aside 35 shots for the shutout, and Ron Ellis chipped in with two goals and an assist. Even Armstrong, nearing the end of his storied career, notched a pair of helpers.

This game marked just the seventh win in the Leafs' first 23 games of the 1970–71 season. But Keon’s inspired play was a bright spot in a rough start.

Over his Hall of Fame career, Keon scored 32 shorthanded goals, placing him in a four-way tie for 17th all-time alongside Peter Bondra, Bobby Clarke, and Joe Sakic. His eight SHG in 1970–71 tied him for the league lead with Boston’s Ed Westfall and Don Marcotte.

About Dave Keon  

Dave Keon played 1,296 regular season and 92 playoff games in the National Hockey League between 1960-61 and 1981-82 with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Hartford Whalers. He also played 301 regular season and 36 playoff games in the WHA between 1975-7 and 1978-79 with the Minnesota Fighting Saints, Indianapolis Racers and New England Whalers.

A four time Stanley Cup champion with the Maple Leafs, Keon won the Calder Trophy as NHL rookie of the year in 1960-61. In the following two seasons, he was the recipient of the Lady Byng Trophy. Dave was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in Toronto's 1966-67 run to the Stanley Cup championship. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1986 and his jersey number 14 has been retired by the Maple Leafs.

NHL Hockey Card Legends: Dave Keon [Video]

5 That Played 1,000 Games In A Toronto Maple Leafs Jersey

Throughout the long and storied National Hockey League history of the Toronto Maple Leafs, five players have appeared in over 1,000 regular season games with the club. The team has existed in the NHL since 1917. However, four of the five players played during generally the same era.

George Armstrong – 1,187

George Armstrong leads the way with 1,187 regular season games played in a Toronto Maple Leafs jersey. Armstrong played from 1949-50 to 1970-71, always with Toronto. In that time, he totaled 713 points and appeared on four Stanley Cup winning teams (1961-62, 1962-63, 1963-64 and 1966-67). His number 10 is honoured by the Maple Leafs and George was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame 1975.

Tim Horton – 1,185

Tim Horton fell just two games shy of Armstrong with 1,185 games played with Toronto. However, Horton did play more NHL games, totaling 1,446 in a career that spanned from 1949-50 to 1973-74. Horton finished his career, playing with the New York Rangers, Pittsburgh Penguins and Buffalo Sabres.

Horton was part of the same four Stanley Cup winning teams as George Armstrong. His number 7 is honoured by the team and he posthumously entered the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1977.

 

Borje Salming – 1,099

Borje Salming played 1,099 games with Toronto from 1973-74 to 1988-89. He played one more NHL season with the Detroit Red Wings and retired with 1,148 regular season games. He totalled 768 points from the Toronto blue line and his 620 assists are a Toronto Maple Leafs record for most career assists. Borje’s number 21 has been honoured by the Maple Leafs. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1996 and two years later he became a member of the IIHF Hall of Fame.

Dave Keon – 1,062

Dave Keon played 1,062 of his 1,296 NHL games with the Toronto Maple Leafs between 1960-61 and 1974-75. Keon played an additional 301 games in the World Hockey Association with the Minnesota Fighting Saints, Indianapolis Racers and New England Whalers. 

Keon returned to the NHL to play three years with the Hartford Whalers before retiring. Dave was part of the four Stanley Cup teams in the 1960’s. He won the Calder Trophy as NHL rookie of the year in 1960-61, the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in 1966-67 and two Lady Byng Trophies. Keon was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1986.

Ron Ellis – 1,034

Ron Ellis played 1,034 games with Toronto in an NHL career that spanned from 1963-64 (1 game) to 1980-81. In that time, he scored 332 goals and accumulated 640 points. He was a big part of the 1966-67 Stanley Cup winning team. Ellis is the only one of the five not in the Hockey Hall of Fame. If there were an honourable mention category, Ron would be there.

 

NHL Hockey Trivia: Toronto Maple Leafs Individual Records

The Toronto Maple Leafs are one of the oldest franchises in the National Hockey League and were once one of the most successful. The individual records of the Toronto Maple Leafs may not be as flashy as other NHL teams but the players involved are often legends of the game.

Test and expand your knowledge of Toronto Maple Leafs records with these four hockey trivia questions and answers.

Q. Before Rick Vaive came along in the early 1980’s and lifted Toronto’s goal scoring record above the 50 goal plateau, the Maple Leafs record for most goals in a season had stood since the 1960-61 season. Who held Toronto’s record for most goals in a season previous to the 1981-82 NHL season?

A. In 1960-61, Frank Mahovlich finished the season with 48 goals. The total was good for second in the NHL behind Bernie Geoffrion of the Montreal Canadiens who scored 50. It should be noted that Mahovlich did this when the Maple Leafs only played a 70 game schedule. Frank topped his personal best in 1968-69 as a member of the Detroit Red Wings, scoring 49.

Q. What Hockey Hall of Fame member holds the Toronto Maple Leafs record for most assists in a single season?

A. Doug Gilmour holds the record with 95 in 1992-93. This is the seventeenth highest single season total in NHL history. Gilmour also holds the number 2 spot in this category with 84 assists in the following season.

Gilmour totalled 964 assists over his NHL career. He played in the league from 1983-84 to 2002-03 with the St. Louis Blues, Calgary Flames, Toronto, New Jersey Devils, Chicago Blackhawks, Buffalo Sabres and Montreal Canadiens. Doug was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2011.

Q. What Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender holds the team career record for most shutouts, most wins and most losses?

A. Walter ‘Turk’ Broda played with Toronto from 1936-37 to 1951-52. Toronto was Broda’s only NHL club and finished his career with 62 shutouts, 302 wins and 224 losses. In eight of his seasons with the Maple Leafs, Broda appeared in every single regular season game. Twice, he was the recipient of the Vezina Trophy. In 1967, 15 years after retiring as a player, Turk was finally inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Q. There are four players that have scored more than 300 goals as a Toronto Maple Leaf. Who holds the record for most goals in a Maple Leafs jersey?

A. Mats Sundin left Toronto after the 2007-08 season having scored 420 goals for the Maple Leafs. Darryl Sittler had held the mark at 389 before that. Dave Keon scored 365 as a Maple Leaf and Ron Ellis scored 332 in Toronto.

Sundin scored 564 goals over his National Hockey League career. That total ties him for 21^st overall with Joe Nieuwendyk. The first overall pick at the 1989 NHL Entry Draft by the Quebec Nordiques played in the NHL from 1990-91 to 2008-09 with Quebec, Toronto and the Vancouver Canucks. Sundin entered the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2012.

Hartford Whalers in the Hockey Hall of Fame

I can hear Hartford Whalers fans crying foul at the title of this article, already. Indeed, there were six Hockey Hall of Fame members that skated for the Whalers but two didn’t stay long enough to work in their blades.

Bobby Hull, inducted in 1983, played nine games for the Whalers in 1979-80, the last nine games of his NHL career. Paul Coffey began the 1996-97 season with Hartford but was shipped to the Philadelphia Flyers after just 20 games. Then there’s Emile Francis who is in the Hall as a builder. Francis was General Manager of the Whalers from 1983 to 1989.

Gordie Howe

Gordie Howe entered the Hall five years before playing his first game with the WHA’s New England Whalers. In a strange twist of fate, Howe retired after the 1970-71 season and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1972. He was coaxed back into professional hockey by the Houston Aeros of the World Hockey Association so that he could play with his sons, Mark and Marty, for the 1973-74 season. After four years in Houston, the Howe family moved to New England for the last two years of the WHA’s existence. Gordie played one full season with the NHL’s Hartford Whalers in 1979-80 before retiring for good.

Dave Keon

Dave Keon played with the WHA Whalers for three seasons and the NHL Whalers for three more. After a long NHL career with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Keon jumped ship to the WHA for the 1975-76 season. He played with the Minnesota Fighting Saints and Indianapolis Racers before joining New England. Dave Keon is the only player in history to win the Lady Byng Trophy in the NHL and the Paul Deneau Trophy in the WHA. Both awards honour the most gentlemanly player. Keon won two of each. After Bobby Hull and Gordie Howe retired from the Whalers after 1979-80, Keon became the oldest active player in the NHL.

Ron Francis

Ron Francis was the fourth overall pick at the 1981 NHL Entry Draft, taken by the Hartford Whalers. Francis spent the better part of ten seasons with the Whalers from 1981-82 to 1990-91. After a stint with the Pittsburgh Penguins that put his name on the Stanley Cup twice, Francis made a homecoming of sorts, returning to the Carolina Hurricanes, the team formerly known as the Hartford Whalers. Like Keon, Francis was a gentleman, winning the Lady Byng on three occasions. Ron was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2007.

Mark Howe

The WHA career of Mark Howe mimicked his father’s. He began in Houston and ended up in New England. Howe played three years with the NHL Whalers before moving on to the Philadelphia Flyers. Mark’s NHL career came to an end after the 1994-95 season with the Detroit Red Wings. Howe is a member of the most recent Hall of Fame class, inducted in 2011.