Miroslav Frycer’s Four-Goal Night Leads Maple Leafs Past Gretzky’s Oilers in 1986 Shootout

The mid-80s Edmonton Oilers were an offensive juggernaut, capable of lighting up the scoreboard at will. In 1985-86, they scored eight or more goals in a game 15 different times, including one with 13 and two with 12. But on January 8, 1986, inside Maple Leaf Gardens, they were stunned by the Toronto Maple Leafs in one of the wildest games of the decade.

Toronto, a team that had managed just 10 wins in 37 games up to that point, outgunned Wayne Gretzky and company in an 11-9 upset victory. The unlikely hero was Miroslav Frycer, who delivered the game of his life. Frycer scored four goals, his 14th through 17th of the season, including the game-winner at 10:51 of the third period.

The Leafs weren’t relying on Frycer alone. Wendel Clark, Russ Courtnall, Dan Hodgson and Steve Thomas all chipped in with three-point performances to fuel the offensive explosion. Goaltender Tim Bernhardt, despite surrendering nine goals on 31 shots, earned the win, one of only four victories he posted in his 23 appearances that season.

Amazingly, the Oilers still had players who outproduced Frycer on the scoresheet. Wayne Gretzky recorded a hat trick and three assists, while Jari Kurri notched a goal and five helpers, both finishing with six points apiece. Paul Coffey also had a four-point night.

For Frycer, it was a career milestone. The game marked his only four-goal performance in 415 NHL games. The 1985-86 season would be his best overall, with career highs of 32 goals, 43 assists, and 75 points. Over his NHL career (1981-89), Frycer suited up for the Quebec Nordiques, Toronto Maple Leafs, Detroit Red Wings, and Edmonton Oilers, with Toronto acquiring him from Quebec in 1982 in exchange for Wilf Paiement.

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NHL Hockey Trivia: Miroslav Frycer

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

1. Miroslav Frycer scored the only four-goal game of his NHL career against which team in 1986?
   Detroit Red Wings
   Montreal Canadiens
   Edmonton Oilers
   Buffalo Sabres
   
2. Frycer was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1982 from which NHL team?
   Quebec Nordiques
   Detroit Red Wings
   New York Rangers
   Edmonton Oilers
   
3. What were Frycer’s career-high totals in points during the 1985-86 season?
   55 points
   65 points
   75 points
   85 points
   
4. Frycer played his final NHL season in 1988-89 with which team?
   Toronto Maple Leafs
   Detroit Red Wings
   Quebec Nordiques
   Edmonton Oilers
   
5. How many total NHL games did Miroslav Frycer play in his career?
   315
   415
   515
   615
   

3 Goals and 1 Fight: Wendel Clark’s Rookie Statement Game

On February 25, 1986, Toronto Maple Leafs fans witnessed a performance that would define the fiery rookie season of Wendel Clark, the franchise’s first-ever first overall draft pick.

Facing the higher-ranked New York Rangers at Maple Leaf Gardens, the Leafs quickly fell behind 2-0. But Clark and company stormed back in thrilling fashion to earn a 7-3 victory and the young forward played a starring role.

In a game that had everything, Wendel served five minutes for fighting after a heated scrap with RonGreschner. Just seconds after leaving the box, he netted his 24th goal of the season, the eventual game-winner, assisted by Russ Courtnall, who had a standout night himself with a goal and three helpers.

Clark wasn’t done. He added two more goals in the third period, his 25th and 26th of the season, both again set up by Courtnall to complete the hat trick. All seven Leafs goals were scored on John Vanbiesbrouck, with Clark’s third tally sending the goalie to the bench in favor of Glen Hanlon.

Clark wrapped up his 1985-86 rookie season with 34 goals and helped the Leafs win their first playoff series since 1979. He would finish second in Calder Trophy voting, just behind Gary Suter of the Calgary Flames.

About Wendel Clark

Wendel Clark played 793 regular season and 95 playoff games in the National Hockey League between 1985-86 and 1999-00 with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Quebec Nordiques, New York Islanders, Tampa Bay Lightning, Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks. He was originally a first overall pick by Toronto at the 1985 NHL Entry Draft.

Despite an injury plagued career that saw Wendel play just one full schedule, he totaled 330 regular season goals. Clark's career best came in 1993-94 when he scored 46 for the Maple Leafs in just 64 games.

Wendel Clark Rookie Game Trivia Quiz

The first set of trivia questions pertains to the content above. Following that, there's another short hockey trivia quiz for Wendel Clark's NHL career. 

There is much more NHL hockey trivia at our hockey trivia website!

1. How many goals did Wendel Clark score in the February 25, 1986 game against the Rangers?
   2
   3
   4
   5
   


2. Who did Wendel Clark fight in that game?
   Barry Beck
   Ron Greschner
   Ulf Samuelsson
   George McPhee
   


3. Which teammate assisted on all three of Clark’s goals that night?
   Russ Courtnall
   Gary Leeman
   Al Iafrate
   Steve Thomas
   


4. How many goals did Wendel Clark score in his rookie season?
   26
   34
   38
   40
   


5. Who won the Calder Trophy over Wendel Clark in 1985-86?
   Brian MacLellan
   Claude Lemieux
   Gary Suter
   Patrick Roy
   

Wendel Clark NHL Career Trivia Quiz

1. In what year was Wendel Clark selected 1st overall in the NHL Draft?
   1985
   1983
   1986
   1984
   


2. What position did Wendel Clark play for most of his NHL career?
   Left Wing
   Defense
   Center
   Right Wing
   


3. Wendel Clark was traded from the Leafs to which team in a blockbuster 1994 deal?
   Edmonton Oilers
   Quebec Nordiques
   New York Islanders
   Detroit Red Wings
   


4. What future superstar did the Leafs receive in return for Wendel Clark in 1994?
   Mats Sundin
   Joe Sakic
   Owen Nolan
   Mike Modano
   


5. How many times did Wendel Clark score 30 or more goals in an NHL season?
   1
   3
   5
   7
   

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

NHL Hockey Trivia: Maple Leaf Gardens In Toronto

For nearly seventy years, Maple Leaf Gardens was the home of the National Hockey League’s Toronto Maple Leafs. The arena, known in short as MLG, was also home to several other teams over the years in the sports of indoor soccer, lacrosse and basketball. Test and expand your hockey knowledge of Toronto’s Maple Leaf Gardens with the following four hockey trivia questions.

Q. Besides the Toronto Maple Leafs, what other professional hockey team called Maple Leaf Gardens home?

A. The Toronto Toros of the World Hockey Association called MLG home for the 1974-75 and 1975-76 season after played their first year at Varsity Arena. The Toros began as a WHA franchise in Ottawa and moved to Birmingham for the 1976-77 season.

Q. In what season did the Toronto Maple Leafs win the first Stanley Cup in their new home?

A. The Maple Leafs began play at Maple Leaf Gardens in 1931-32. The team won the Stanley Cup that year with a final series victory over the New York Rangers. Toronto swept New York in the best of five series with the final game being played at MLG. Of the three games, only one was played in New York and Toronto each with the other played in Boston due to the Circus taking over Madison Square Garden in New York. Starring for Toronto that year were Busher Jackson, Joe Primeau and Charlie Conacher.

Q. What was the first NBA team to play home games at Maple Leaf Gardens?

A. The Buffalo Braves of the National Basketball Association played a total of 16 home games at MLG over four seasons between 1971 and 1975. The Braves are the predecessors of the current Los Angeles Clippers. The franchise played mainly out of the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium from 1970-71 to 1977-78. They then moved to San Diego where they took on the Clippers name for the first time. The franchise lasted in San Diego from 1978-79 until 1983-84 before moving north to Los Angeles.

The Toronto Raptors never called Maple Leafs Gardens home. The NBA franchise began play for the 1995-96 season and played home games at the SkyDome until the Air Canada Centre opened for the 1999-00 season.

Q. In what year did Maple Leaf Gardens host the first annual NHL All-Star Game?

A. In October of 1947, the first official NHL All-Star Game was played at MLG. 13 years earlier, in 1934, the first NHL All-Star game of any kind was played as a benefit for Ace Bailey. The 1947 game featured the defending Stanley Cup champion Toronto Maple Leafs against an All-Star team from the other five teams in the league. The All-Stars came out on top 4-3 before a crowd of 14,169 with Doug Bentley scoring the winning goal in the third period, assisted by Maurice ‘Rocket’ Richard and Milt Schmidt.

Keys To The 1931-32 NHL Season

1931-32 marked the fifteenth season of the National Hockey League. A long, long way from the game that is played in thirty NHL cities today, 1931-32 still leaves us with some timeless names like Howie Morenz, King Clancy, Babe Siebert and Busher Jackson. What follows are seven keys to the 1931-32 NHL season.

The Ottawa Senators and Philadelphia Quakers left the league after the 1930-31 season, reducing the NHL to eight teams for 1931-32. The league was divided into two divisions of four teams, the Canadian and American. Ottawa returned the following season but the Quakers were not to rise again.

1931-32 was the last time the Detroit franchise would be nicknamed the Falcons. Following bankruptcy at the end of the season, the team was re-organized and came out as the Red Wings for the 1932-33 season.

The Hart Memorial Trophy for the NHL’s most valuable player went to Howie Morenz of the Montreal Canadiens. Morenz led the Canadiens with 49 points in 48 games as the team finished atop the Canadian Division. Morenz was third in points behind the Toronto duo of Busher Jackson and Joe Primeau.

The Canadiens finished first overall in the league. After winning the Stanley Cup the previous two seasons, Montreal was a heavy favourite to repeat. However, due to injuries, the Canadiens lost to the New York Rangers in the semi-finals.

The Toronto Maple Leafs enjoyed their first season in their new home, Maple Leaf Gardens. MLG was built in under six months at the start of 1931 and was ready for the November start to the 1931-32 season. Maple Leaf Gardens remained the home of the Maple Leafs until 1999.

Toronto christened their new home with a Stanley Cup victory. The Maple Leafs finished third overall and second in the Canadian Division during the regular season. They took out the Chicago Black Hawks and Montreal Maroons to earn a berth in the finals against the New York Rangers. Toronto swept New York in the best of five series. The first game was played at Madison Square Garden in New York. The second was on neutral ground at the Boston Garden and the final game was played at Maple Leaf Gardens.

It was fifteen years before the Art Ross Trophy was first given to the NHL’s top point getter. Busher Jackson was the NHL’s leader in 1931-32 with 53 points. Teammate Charlie Conacher led the league in goals with 34. Uncharacteristic of many defensive minded Toronto teams to come, the Maple Leafs led the league in total goals scored with 155.