On March 7, 1973, the Minnesota North Stars reached a historic offensive milestone at the Met Center, scoring ten goals in a single game for the first time in franchise history. Facing the Pittsburgh Penguins, the North Stars delivered a dominant performance that would stand as a benchmark moment in team history.
To date, the Minnesota North Stars / Dallas Stars franchise has scored ten goals in a game nine times, surpassing that total only once. The franchise record of 15 goals was set in 1981 against the Winnipeg Jets, but this 1973 outburst marked the beginning of Minnesota’s most explosive nights offensively.
Dennis Hextall and Bill Goldsworthy led the charge with four-point performances. Hextall recorded the first of his two NHL career hat tricks, scoring his 24th, 25th, and 26th goals of the 1972-73 season. He also added an assist on one of Goldsworthy’s second-period goals, capping off a standout night.
Mirage of Destiny: The Story of the 1990-91 Minnesota North Stars
A deep dive into the remarkable season of the Minnesota North Stars — their playoff run, key moments, and legacy.
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Goldsworthy matched Hextall’s impact, scoring his 24th and 25th goals of the season while assisting on two of Hextall’s tallies. All ten Minnesota goals came against Penguins goaltender Andy Brown, who was left in net for the entire game and stopped 32 of 42 shots despite the lopsided score.
Minnesota received strong secondary scoring as well, with Jude Drouin, Buster Harvey, and J.P. Parise each contributing three-point nights. For Pittsburgh, Eddie Shack scored twice and Syl Apps Jr. recorded three assists. North Stars goaltender Cesare Maniago turned aside 30 shots to secure the convincing victory.
Hextall finished the 1972-73 season with career highs in goals (30) and points (82), leading the North Stars in scoring while also topping the team with 140 penalty minutes. Goldsworthy ended the year with 27 goals and 60 points, finishing fifth on the team in scoring during one of the most productive seasons in franchise history.
