Derek Sanderson’s 6-Point Explosion vs Toronto Previews 1969 Playoffs

On March 16, 1969, the Boston Bruins sent a loud and clear message to their upcoming playoff opponents, the Toronto Maple Leafs. After falling 7-4 in Toronto the night before, the Bruins turned the tables at Boston Garden, hammering the Leafs 11-3 in their final regular-season meeting.

At the center of the offensive onslaught was Derek Sanderson. The flashy forward piled up six points, including a natural hat trick in the second period. He also added three assists, two on goals by Garnet “Ace” Bailey and one on Wayne Cashman’s tally. All of Sanderson’s goals came against starter Bruce Gamble, who was pulled after 40 minutes in favor of Al Smith.

The Bruins dominated in every facet, firing 51 shots on goal. Sanderson and Bobby Orr led the team with eight shots each, though Orr was surprisingly kept off the scoresheet. Ace Bailey and Phil Esposito matched the production with five-point nights, while Ken Hodge and Cashman each added four. Gerry Cheevers faced 30 shots and gave up three goals, with Norm Ullman scoring twice for Toronto.

This rout foreshadowed the playoff beatdown to come. Boston outscored Toronto 17-0 in the first two games of their quarter-final series and swept the Leafs in four straight. Sanderson carried his hot hand into the postseason, scoring eight goals in just nine playoff games before the Bruins fell to the Montreal Canadiens in the semi-finals.

About Derek Sanderson

Derek Sanderson played 598 regular season and 56 playoff games in the National Hockey League between 1965-66 and 1977-78 with the Boston Bruins, New York Rangers, St. Louis Blues, Vancouver Canucks and Pittsburgh Penguins. The 1967-68 Calder Trophy winner won two Stanley Cup championships with Boston.

NHL Hockey Trivia: Derek Sanderson

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

1. Which NHL team did Derek Sanderson debut with in 1965-66?

New York Rangers
Boston Bruins
Philadelphia Flyers
Chicago Black Hawks

2. In which season did Sanderson win the Calder Trophy as NHL Rookie of the Year?

1966-67
1967-68
1968-69
1969-70

3. Derek Sanderson is perhaps best known for his role centering which legendary Bruins line?

The French Connection
The Big Bad Bruins' "Orr-Esposito-Sanderson" unit
The Kraut Line
The Legion of Doom

4. Sanderson made headlines in 1972 when he signed with which WHA franchise for a record contract?

Winnipeg Jets
Philadelphia Blazers
Houston Aeros
Quebec Nordiques

5. How many Stanley Cups did Derek Sanderson win with the Boston Bruins?

One
Two
Three
Four

Gerry Cheevers’ 40-Save Shutout And Wild Brawl Highlight Boston's 10-0 Playoff Win

On April 2, 1969, the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs opened their playoff series with one of the wildest games in Stanley Cup history. The Bruins dominated from start to finish, crushing Toronto 10-0, but the storyline was far more than just the score.

Goaltender Gerry Cheevers stood tall in net, stopping all 40 shots sent his way. While it might seem like a goalie in a 10-0 win would have little to do, Cheevers was busy all night and even got into a fight with Toronto’s Forbes Kennedy late in the game.

Key Highlights From Game 1

• The 10-0 victory remains the second-highest scoring shutout in Stanley Cup playoff history, behind Montreal’s 11-0 win over Toronto in 1944.

• Phil Esposito had a monster night, scoring four goals and adding two assists for six points. His four-goal game still ties him for sixth on the all-time playoff list.

• Toronto’s Forbes Kennedy racked up 38 penalty minutes, the sixth most ever in a single NHL playoff game.

• Pat Quinn delivered a brutal hit that knocked young Bobby Orr out of the game.

• Including the regular season finale, Toronto suffered three straight shutouts, with Boston taking Game 2 by a 7-0 score.

The Chaos Unfolds

The mayhem peaked at 16:14 of the third period after a whistle in the Boston zone. Kennedy tried to take on nearly the entire Bruins roster, including Cheevers. Things crossed the line when he punched linesman George Ashley and then attacked John “Pie” McKenzie, who held his own in the scrap. That game turned out to be Kennedy’s last in the NHL.

Meanwhile, Esposito fired 13 of Boston’s 51 shots at Toronto’s goaltending duo of Bruce Gamble and Johnny Bower, who were left shell-shocked. Esposito continued his hot streak with three more points in Game 2 and scored again in Game 4 as Boston swept the Maple Leafs out of the postseason.

About Gerry Cheevers

Between 1961-62 and 1979-80, Gerry Cheevers played 418 regular season and 88 playoff games in the National Hockey League with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins. He also appeared in 191 regular season and 19 playoff games in the WHA with the Cleveland Crusaders between 1972-73 and 1975-76. The two-time Stanley Cup champion was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1985.

NHL Hockey Trivia: Gerry Cheevers

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

1. With which NHL team did Gerry Cheevers win two Stanley Cups?
   Toronto Maple Leafs
   Boston Bruins
   Cleveland Barons
   
2. Cheevers was famous for his goalie mask, decorated with what design?
   Flames
   Stitches
   Shamrocks
   
3. Gerry Cheevers also played in the WHA. Which team did he join?
   Cleveland Crusaders
   Winnipeg Jets
   Quebec Nordiques
   
4. In what year was Gerry Cheevers inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame?
   1985
   1990
   2001
   
5. Which unique distinction did Cheevers’ Bruins hold in the early 1970s?
   Highest-scoring team in NHL history
   Longest unbeaten streak ever
   Most consecutive shutouts
   

Gerry Cheevers Shuts Out Maple Leafs for First NHL Blank in 1966

Before he became one of the NHL’s most recognizable goaltenders, complete with his trademark mask artwork, Gerry Cheevers was just a rookie fighting for a spot on a struggling Boston Bruins team. By the end of his career, Cheevers would rack up 26 shutouts, most of them during the Bruins’ powerhouse years, but the very first came on November 10, 1966, against the defending Stanley Cup champion Toronto Maple Leafs.

Cheevers had a brief history with Toronto, appearing in two games for the Maple Leafs back in 1961-62. By the start of the 1966-67 season, he had just seven NHL games under his belt. The Bruins, despite boasting future stars like rookie Bobby Orr, were still a last-place club searching for brighter days.

That night at the Boston Garden, Cheevers was unbeatable. He stopped all 31 shots he faced, including some prime scoring chances from Toronto’s veteran forwards. Murray Oliver made life easier for his young netminder by scoring the game-winning goal just 1:17 into the first period. Johnny Bucyk, Pit Martin, and Wayne Connelly added insurance markers, giving Boston a 4-0 win.

Remarkably, the Bruins managed just 23 shots of their own, but made the most of them. Toronto starter Terry Sawchuk surrendered three goals on 18 shots before being replaced by Bruce Gamble for the third period, who allowed one goal on five shots.

It was a rare high point in a rough year for Boston, one of only 17 wins all season, and their lone shutout victory. The team also suffered through several lopsided losses, including an 11-2 drubbing by Montreal and a 10-2 loss to Chicago. But change was coming fast. Just three seasons later, Cheevers, Orr, and the Bruins would be Stanley Cup champions.

About Gerry Cheevers

Between 1961-62 and 1979-80, Gerry Cheevers played 418 regular season and 88 playoff games in the National Hockey League with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins. In the WHA, he appeared in 191 regular season and 19 playoff games between 1972-73 and 1975-76, all with the Cleveland Crusaders. Gerry was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1985.

NHL Hockey Trivia: Gerry Cheevers

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

1. How many career NHL shutouts did Gerry Cheevers record?

18
26
31

2. Before joining the Boston Bruins full-time, Cheevers briefly played for which NHL team?

Toronto Maple Leafs
Detroit Red Wings
New York Rangers

3. In addition to his NHL career, Cheevers was also a star goaltender in which rival league during the 1970s?

World Hockey Association (WHA)
International Hockey League (IHL)
American Hockey League (AHL)

4. Gerry Cheevers is famous for his goalie mask design, which featured what unique artwork?

Team logo pattern
Stitches marking where pucks had hit his mask
Flames across the front

5. How many Stanley Cups did Cheevers win as a player with the Boston Bruins?

One
Two
Three

NHL Hockey Card Greats: Gerry Cheevers [Video]

Hockey Trivia: 1971-72 Boston Bruins

Before 2011, the 1972 Boston Bruins were the last to bring the Stanley Cup to Beantown. The 1971-72 Boston Bruins can be considered among the top National Hockey League teams of all time, losing just 13 of 78 games during the regular season and finishing ten points beyond the second place team before storming their way to the Stanley Cup victory.

Test and expand your hockey trivia knowledge of the 1972 Boston Bruins with the following four hockey trivia questions:

Q. What Bruins player was the team leader in both goals and points in 1971-72?

A. Phil Esposito, coming off a record 76 goals and 152 points in 1970-71, led the team with lower, but still impressive, numbers than the year before. Esposito finished out the year with 66 goals and 130 points.

There’s a bit of an asterix here as Esposito tied Bobby Orr for the team lead with 24 points during the playoffs. In the goals department, Esposito, John Bucyk and Ken Hodge all tied for the team lead in the post season with nine each. Assists? It was all Bobby Orr. Orr led the team during the regular season with 80 assists and led in the playoffs with 19.

Q. Each of the Boston Bruins goaltending tandem finished off the 1971-72 season with an equal 27 wins. Although Gerry Cheevers is thought of when the topic of Boston goaltenders from the 1970’s comes up, who was the goalie that platooned with Cheevers that season?

A. Eddie Johnston quietly had the same number of wins, although his goals against average was slightly higher than that of Gerry Cheevers. Johnston played in the National Hockey League from 1962-63 to 1977-78 with the Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, St. Louis Blues and Chicago Blackhawks. His days in Chicago were limited to the final four games of his Eddie’s NHL career.

Q. What team did the Boston Bruins beat in the finals to win the 1972 Stanley Cup?

A. The Bruins met the New York Rangers in the Stanley Cup finals and won the series in four games. The Rangers finished second overall in the NHL during the regular season, ten points behind the Bruins. The Rangers took out the Montreal Canadiens in the quarter-finals then swept the Chicago Black Hawks in the semi-finals to earn the match-up against Boston.

Even though the teams had both been in the NHL since the mid 1920’s, it was just the second time Boston and New York met in the Stanley Cup finals. The previous time came in 1928-29 with the Bruins sweeping the best of three series in two games.

Q. The Boston Bruins lost just thirteen games in 1971-72. One team was responsible for nearly a quarter of those losses. Which team did Boston lose three games to in the regular season?

A. Not too shockingly, the Bruins lost three to the Montreal Canadiens. Interestingly, two of the thirteen losses came at the hands of the lowly California Golden Seals. Seven of the thirteen losses came against teams that finished the year below .500.