Len Fontaine Bursts Onto The Scene With 3 Points In His 1st NHL Game

On opening night of the 1972-73 NHL season, rookie forward Len Fontaine made a stunning first impression in his very first game with the Detroit Red Wings. Facing the New York Rangers at the Olympia, Fontaine needed less than eight minutes to score his first NHL goal, a power play marker on legendary goalie Ed Giacomin, assisted by Red Berenson and Ron Stackhouse.

Before the first period was over, Detroit held a 4-0 lead, and Fontaine had already picked up two assists, one on Guy Charron’s goal and another on Berenson’s. His debut performance was nothing short of spectacular: three points in his first NHL game.

Detroit followed up with another home win, 4-3 over the Boston Bruins, where Fontaine repeated his performance with another three-point game, setting up two goals by Charron and one by Berenson.

After just two games, fans were beginning to wonder if Detroit had found their next superstar. But as it turned out, those early fireworks would represent the peak of Fontaine’s NHL scoring. His six points in two games, plus a goal against Philadelphia in Game 3, would make up nearly 40% of his total NHL production.

Fontaine went on to play 39 games in 1972-73 and seven more in 1973-74, for a total of 46 NHL games. He then carved out a long and successful career in the International Hockey League (IHL), highlighted by a championship win with the Toledo Goaldiggers in 1977-78.

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NHL Hockey Trivia: Len Fontaine

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

1. Len Fontaine made his NHL debut with the Detroit Red Wings during which season?

1971-72
1972-73
1973-74
1974-75

2. Before turning pro, Fontaine starred in junior hockey with which Ontario team?

London Nationals
Windsor Spitfires
Sarnia Legionnaires
Petrolia Jets

3. Len Fontaine won an International Hockey League (IHL) championship in 1977-78 with which team?

Saginaw Gears
Toledo Goaldiggers
Fort Wayne Komets
Kalamazoo Wings

4. In his first two NHL games, Fontaine collected how many total points?

3
4
5
6

5. After leaving the NHL, Fontaine became a consistent scorer in the minors. Which of these leagues did he *not* play in?

IHL
WHA
AHL
CHL

Guy Charron’s Hat Trick Sparks Red Wings To 5-4 Victory Over Leafs

On November 11, 1973, Guy Charron delivered one of the best performances of his NHL career, scoring three goals to lead the Detroit Red Wings to a 5-4 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs at Olympia Stadium.

Charron, known for playing 734 regular season games without a playoff appearance, was often underrated but had plenty of offensive talent. The 1973-74 campaign marked his breakout year, finishing with 25 goals. Three of those came in this memorable game, his second of five career hat tricks.

He opened the scoring with a first-period powerplay goal, assisted by Mickey Redmond and Ted Harris. Just minutes later, Charron struck again, this time with help from Ace Bailey and Brent Hughes. He completed the hat trick early in the second period, his ninth goal of the season, again assisted by Redmond, giving Detroit a commanding 3-0 lead.

Nick Libett scored Detroit’s other two goals, while Toronto battled back with Norm Ullman (two goals, one assist) and Paul Henderson (three assists) keeping it close. Still, Charron’s scoring touch proved the difference in Detroit’s 5-4 victory.

Charron’s time in Detroit ended early in the 1974-75 season when he was traded to the Kansas City Scouts. He found his stride there, stringing together four straight 27+ goal seasons, including a career-best 38 with the Washington Capitals in 1977-78.

NHL Hockey Trivia: Guy Charron

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

1. How many regular season NHL games did Guy Charron play in his career?

• 534
• 734
• 834
• 934

2. How many playoff games did Charron appear in?

• 0
• 12
• 22
• 34

3. Which team did Guy Charron score his second career hat trick against on November 11, 1973?

• Montreal Canadiens
• Toronto Maple Leafs
• Chicago Blackhawks
• New York Rangers

4. What was Charron’s single-season career high in goals scored?

• 27
• 30
• 35
• 38

5. Which of the following teams did Guy Charron play for during his NHL career?

• Detroit Red Wings, Kansas City Scouts, Washington Capitals
• Detroit Red Wings, Quebec Nordiques, Washington Capitals
• Montreal Canadiens, Detroit Red Wings, Washington Capitals
• Detroit Red Wings, Kansas City Scouts, Buffalo Sabres