Eddie Westfall Scores A Pair Of Shorthanded Game Winners For The Boston Bruins In 1968-69

Ed Westfall is known for his penalty killing abilities. With 26 of his 231 regular season goals in the NHL scored while shorthanded, he was a predecessor to what they now call the "Power Kill". In 1968-69 with the Boston Bruins, he had four shorthanded markers and four game winning goals. On two occasions, his shorties were the game winners.

On February 2, 1969, the Bruins hosted the Detroit Red Wings at Boston Garden. At 9:59 of the second period, Westfall scored on Roy Edwards, assisted by Don Awrey while teammate Derek Sanderson was in the box serving a minor penalty for high sticking. The goal made the score 3-0 for the home team. The goal would hold as the game winner in the 4-2 Boston win.

Later that month, on February 27, 1969, the Bruins were on the road for a game against the Oakland Seals at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena. 2:25 into the game, Westfall scored shorthanded on Chris Worthy, assisted by Boston goalie Ed Johnston. The goal was shorthanded with Ron Murphy in the box for hooking. 

That goal was also all the Bruins needed and Westfall's shorthanded marker was the game winning goal in a 9-0 shutout. In the match, Ed also assisted on a pair of goals by Eddie Shack for a three point game. Phil Esposito and Ken Hodge also had three point games in the lopsided win.

Over that 1968-69 NHL season, Westfall also had shorthanded goals against the Minnesota North Stars and New York Rangers. His other two game winning goals were scored on the Los Angeles Kings and St. Louis Blues. He continued his power kill in the playoffs with one shorty each against the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens. He had just three total goals in the playoffs.

  

NHL Hockey Trivia: New York Islanders

The New York Islanders are a National Hockey League that began play in 1972-73 along with their expansion partners, the Atlanta Flames. The Islanders reached their pinnacle less than a decade later when they ruled the NHL with four consecutive Stanley Cup championships. Since, the organization has fallen into disarray but a move to Brooklyn may change the fortunes of the franchise.

Test and expand your knowledge of the NHL’s New York Islanders with these four hockey trivia questions.

Q. Which player is the New York Islanders all-time leader in regular season points?

A. Bryan Trottier contributed 1,353 points over his fifteen seasons in an Islanders jersey. Trottier was an essential part of the formula during the Stanley Cup streak of the 1980’s. Mike Bossy comes in second with 1,126 points. However, Bossy played just 752 games for the Islanders, compared to 1,123 for Trottier. Denis Potvin is the only other player in NYI history to top 1,000 points with 1,052 over 1,060 games.

Q. Who was the first team captain of the New York Islanders?

A. Ed Westfall was taken away from the Boston Bruins in the 1972 NHL Expansion Draft. Westfall had played eleven seasons with the Bruins before coming to New York. He served as captain until the end of the 1976-77 season. At the point, the ‘C’ was transferred to Clark Gillies. Westfall remained with the team for two more seasons and retired after the 1978-79 season, missing the New York’s first Stanley Cup victory by one year.

Q. What New York Islander holds the team record for the most goals in a single regular season?

A. Mike Bossy scored 69 goals in 1978-79. Bossy surpassed the 60 goal plateau on five occasions and scored less than 50 in only one season during his career, his last. Bossy is one of just four players in Islanders history to top the 50 goal plateau. Bryan Trottier scored 50 in 1981-82, Pat Lafontaine scored 54 in 1989-90 and Pierre Turgeon netted 58 in 1992-93.

Q. The number 9 is retired by the New York Islanders in honour of what player?

A. Clark Gillies was the fifth of six players to have their number retired by the Islanders.  Clark was a fourth overall pick of the Islanders at the 1974 NHL Entry Draft. Gillies played twelve seasons with the Islanders and two additional seasons with the Buffalo Sabres before retiring.

As metioned, he took over the captaincy of the Islanders from Ed Westfall for the 1977-78 season. That responsibility was transferred to Denis Potvin two years later. Gillies sits fourth all-time for the Islanders in goals, assists and points behind Bryan Trottier, Mike Bossy and Denis Potvin. Clark was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2002.