From Enforcer to Record Holder: Tiger Williams and his 7-Second Strike

By the 1986-87 NHL season, the career of rugged forward Dave “Tiger” Williams was beginning to wind down. Known far more for his toughness than his scoring touch, Williams still managed to produce one of the most memorable moments in Los Angeles Kings history during that campaign.

Williams finished that season with 16 goals and a staggering 358 penalty minutes, a career high that reflected the gritty style that made him one of hockey’s most famous enforcers. Yet it was one of those goals, not the penalty minutes, that secured him a place in the Kings record book.

On February 14, 1987, the Kings hosted the Hartford Whalers at the Forum in Inglewood. Valentine’s Day offered little love for Hartford goaltender Mike Liut. Just seven seconds after the opening faceoff, Williams surprised everyone by beating Liut to give Los Angeles an instant lead. The goal, assisted by Bernie Nicholls and Dean Kennedy, was Williams’ 12th of the season.

That quick strike still stands as the fastest goal to start a game in Los Angeles Kings franchise history. After that lightning start, Williams stayed off the scoresheet and unusually, out of the penalty box for the remainder of the night.

The Kings went on to defeat the Whalers 5-2, fueled by three-point performances from offensive stars Marcel Dionne and Luc Robitaille.

Interestingly, Williams’ 358 penalty minutes during the 1986-87 season also stood as a Kings franchise record for several years. That mark was eventually surpassed by Marty McSorley, who recorded 399 penalty minutes during the 1992-93 campaign.

Williams finished the 1986-87 season with Los Angeles and returned briefly the following year, appearing in just two games for the Kings before closing out his NHL career with the Hartford Whalers, playing the final 26 games of his long and colorful run in the league.

Tiger: A Hockey Story (Autobiography of Tiger Williams)

The colorful and candid autobiography of Dave “Tiger” Williams, the NHL’s all-time penalty minute leader, filled with unforgettable stories from one of hockey’s toughest and most entertaining personalities.

Buy on Amazon

The PDF versions of some of our hockey books are now available for free download: Take a look!

Hockey Trivia: Los Angeles Kings Individual Single Season Records

The Los Angeles Kings entered the National Hockey League for the 1967-68 season in what was the first of several rounds of expansion. The Kings have been host to several players with a talent for offence. The team’s individual single season scoring records can be considered unsurpassable in today’s defensive minded NHL game.

Test and expand your hockey knowledge of the Los Angeles Kings with these four trivia questions focused on the team’s individual single season records.

Q. What player holds the Los Angeles Kings record for most points in a single regular season?

A. Wayne Gretzky became a Los Angeles King for the 1988-89 season and he impressed his new fans with a 168 point season. The second highest point total in history also belongs to Gretzky when he contributed 163 in 1990-91. The highest non-Gretzky single season point total in Los Angeles history is the 150 of Bernie Nicholls in 1988-89.

Q. Who holds the Los Angeles Kings single season record for most goals?

A. With the influence of Wayne Gretzky in 1988-89, Bernie Nicholls went over and above his talents and scored 70 goals. The next best goal scoring output by a King was Luc Robitaille with 63 in 1992-93. Nicholls and Robitaille are the only two L.A. players to top the 60 goal plateau. When it comes to scoring 50 goals, just Marcel Dionne, Charlie Simmer, Jimmy Carson and Gretzky can be added to the list.

Q. Two Los Angeles Kings players have led the team in goals scored on eight occasions. Who was the latest to accomplish this feat?

A. Luc Robitaille first led the team with 45 goals in 1986-87. The last occasion was the 1999-00 season when he scored 36. His best was 63 in 1992-93 and he surpassed the 50 goal plateau on two other occasions. Marcel Dionne is the other Los Angeles King to lead the team in goals on eight occasions.

Q. What Los Angeles King holds the team record for most penalty minutes in a single regular season?

A. Marty McSorley surpassed Dave ‘Tiger’ Williams’ team record of 358 PIM with 399 of his own during the 1992-93 season. McSorley came to Los Angeles from the Edmonton Oilers along with Wayne Gretzky for the 1988-89 season and led the Kings in PIM a total of five times.

For Tiger, 1987-88 was his second last season in the NHL and his final full season, playing just 28 games in 1988-89. His 358 PIM placed him second in the NHL in 1987-88, three minutes behind leader Tim Hunter of the Calgary Flames.

McSorley’s 399 PIM led the NHL in 1992-93, 29 more than second place Gino Odjick of the Vancouver Canucks. In over 961 regular season NHL games between 1983-84 and 1999-00, Marty sat 3,381 minutes in the penalty box. This total ranks him fourth all-time, behind Tiger Williams, Dale Hunter and Tie Domi. The group are part of an exclusive nine NHL players to accumulate more than 3,000 PIM in a career.