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Tuesday, September 16, 2025

Gary Sabourin Scores Four Goals For The California Golden Seals Against His Former Team

On November 7, 1975, the California Golden Seals pulled off a wild 7-5 win over the New York Rangers at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena and the unlikely star of the night was Gary Sabourin.

Not Bobby Orr, but the other guy from Parry Sound, Ontario. Sabourin, once a Rangers prospect, lit up John Davidson and the Blueshirts for four goals, recording his second NHL hat trick (and then some).

Just a year earlier, Sabourin had scored only five goals in 55 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs. By his 15th game as a Seal, he had already surpassed that mark. He opened the scoring at just 1:01 of the first period with his fifth of the season, set up by Bob Girard and Ralph Klassen. A few minutes later, he struck again, once again thanks to Girard, this time with Rick Hampton adding an assist.

In the second period, after Al MacAdam and Rick Middleton traded goals, Sabourin completed his hat trick at 11:02 with Klassen picking up another helper. Early in the third, at 1:03, Sabourin buried the eventual game-winner, assisted by Klassen and former Ranger Jim Neilson. Sabourin, MacAdam, and Dennis Maruk paced the Seals with six shots each, while Phil Esposito and Rod Gilbert each had three-point nights for New York.

Goaltender Gilles Meloche backstopped the Seals with his usual heavy workload, stopping 31 of 36 shots, including six from Esposito.

That four-goal performance helped Sabourin finish the season with 21 goals, the fifth and final time he would hit the 20-goal mark in his career. Twice, with the St. Louis Blues, he topped out at a career-high 28 goals. Sadly, his NHL journey wrapped up shortly after, with just 33 games for the Cleveland Barons in 1976-77 before calling it a career.

NHL Hockey Trivia: Gary Sabourin

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

1. Gary Sabourin scored four goals in one game for the California Golden Seals in 1975. Which team was the opponent?

2. Sabourin twice reached his career-high in goals during a season. How many goals did he score in each of those peak years?

3. Which team did Gary Sabourin spend the majority of his NHL career with?

4. Sabourin’s final NHL season came in 1976-77, when he played 33 games for which franchise?

5. Gary Sabourin was born in Parry Sound, Ontario — the same hometown as which Hockey Hall of Famer?

Saturday, July 26, 2025

Toronto Maple Leafs Waste Bruce Gamble’s Heroics in 1-0 Loss to Rangers

On October 19, 1969, the Toronto Maple Leafs visited Madison Square Garden to take on the New York Rangers in what would be their fourth game of the 1969-70 NHL season. For Leafs fans, the game felt like a one-man show and that man was goaltender Bruce Gamble.

The Rangers won 1-0 on an early goal from Vic Hadfield at the 7:33 mark of the first period, assisted by Jean Ratelle and Brad Park. That lone tally held up the rest of the way, not because the Rangers went into a defensive shell, but because Gamble stood on his head. He turned aside 44 of 45 shots, keeping the Leafs in the game all night long. Hadfield and Ratelle each had seven shots apiece, while former Leaf Ron Stewart chipped in with six.

On the flip side, Ed Giacomin had one of the easiest shutouts of his career. Toronto managed just 17 shots on net, with Paul Henderson and Bob Pulford accounting for nearly half with four shots each.

The lack of offense became a season-long theme. The Leafs finished last in the East Division, a brutal 21 points behind the next-closest team. They scored a division-low 222 goals and allowed a division-high 242, despite Gamble's solid play. Over 52 games, Gamble had five shutouts and a .915 save percentage, remarkable numbers considering the team's struggles.

Bruce Gamble’s career spanned from 1958-59 to 1971-72, playing with the Rangers, Bruins, Leafs, and Flyers. Though solid between the pipes, he’s often remembered for his heart attack during a game in 1972 while playing for the Flyers, a game he finished despite the medical emergency.

Toronto Maple Leafs at Rangers – October 19, 1969 Trivia

We have much more hockey trivia at our hockey trivia website!

1. Who scored the only goal in the Rangers' 1-0 win over the Maple Leafs on October 19, 1969?

A) Rod Gilbert
B) Vic Hadfield ✅
C) Jean Ratelle
D) Brad Park

2. How many shots did Bruce Gamble stop in this game?

A) 35
B) 40
C) 44 ✅
D) 47

3. Which former Leaf had six shots on goal for the Rangers in that game?

A) Ron Stewart ✅
B) Dick Duff
C) Bob Nevin
D) Phil Goyette

4. What was the Maple Leafs’ shot total in the 1-0 loss?

A) 14
B) 17 ✅
C) 21
D) 25

5. What serious health event is Bruce Gamble remembered for during a game in 1972?

A) Concussion
B) Broken collarbone
C) Heart attack ✅
D) Eye injury

Tuesday, July 8, 2025

Tim Kerr’s Historic 4-Goal Period Still Stands As NHL Playoff Record

On April 13, 1985, Tim Kerr of the Philadelphia Flyers etched his name into NHL playoff history with a jaw-dropping performance that still hasn’t been topped. Facing the New York Rangers in Game 3 of their opening-round playoff series, Kerr exploded for four goals in just 8 minutes and 16 seconds, all within the second period at Madison Square Garden.

Before the scoring spree, the Flyers trailed 3-2, and Kerr hadn’t registered a single point. That changed at 10:06 of the second frame, when he lit the lamp for his first goal. What followed was one of the most dominant stretches by an individual player in Stanley Cup Playoff history.

Three of the four goals came on the powerplay
Peter Zezel assisted on three of them
All four beat Rangers goalie Glen Hanlon, who was pulled after the fourth

The outburst gave Philadelphia a 6-3 lead. Despite a late push from the Rangers, including third-period goals by Don Maloney and Anders Hedberg, the Flyers hung on for a 6-5 win and a sweep of the best-of-five series. The Flyers advanced past the Islanders and Nordiques before ultimately falling to the powerhouse Edmonton Oilers in the Stanley Cup Final.

The record has since been matched but never surpassed. On April 25, 1989, Mario Lemieux of the Pittsburgh Penguins netted four goals in the first period of a 10-7 win, coincidentally against the Flyers. Lemieux added a fifth goal and three assists for an unforgettable eight-point night. Even more remarkably, Tim Kerr was on the ice for that game too, contributing two goals and two assists for Philadelphia.

About Tim Kerr

Tim Kerr played 655 regular season and 81 playoff games in the National Hockey League between 1980-81 and 1992-93 with the Philadelphia Flyers, New York Rangers and Hartford Whalers. He came to the Flyers undrafted after four years of junior, mostly with the Kingston Canadiens.

Over his first three year with the Flyers, Kerr scored a total of 54 regular season goals. In the following two, 1983-84 and 1984-85, he scored exactly 54 in each campaign. He followed that up with a pair of 58 goal seasons. Unfortunately, knee and shoulder injuries cut short his NHL career.

Friday, July 4, 2025

Gilles Meloche Faces 58 Shots in Madison Square Garden Showdown

On January 31, 1973, at Madison Square Garden, Gilles Meloche of the California Golden Seals delivered a spectacular goaltending performance, stopping 55 of 58 shots against the powerhouse New York Rangers. Despite the Golden Seals falling 3-1, Meloche’s effort was nothing short of heroic.

It was one of three games that season in which Meloche faced 50 or more shots, and one of 14 games with 40+ shots against. On this particular night, goals from Brad Park, Bobby Rousseau, and Steve Vickers, who also tallied two assists, were the only pucks to beat Meloche. The Seals’ lone goal came off the stick of Walt McKechnie. Meanwhile, Rangers goalie Gilles Villemure had a relatively easy night, needing to stop just 20 of 21 shots.

During the 1972-73 season, Meloche led the NHL in multiple workload categories:

Games Played: 59
Minutes Played: 3,467
Shots Against: 2,041
Saves: 1,806
Goals Against: 235

Despite these grueling numbers, Meloche didn’t receive Hart Trophy consideration. That kind of recognition had previously been given to Al Rollins in 1953-54, another goalie who carried a poor team, the Chicago Blackhawks, to modest results.

Gilles Meloche went on to have a lengthy NHL career, playing 788 regular season games (20th all-time among goalies), but just 45 playoff appearances. He suited up for the Chicago Blackhawks, California Golden Seals, Cleveland Barons, Minnesota North Stars, and Pittsburgh Penguins between 1970-71 and 1987-88.

While he never played for a true Stanley Cup contender, Meloche remains a symbol of resilience and determination in net, especially during seasons like 1972-73 when the odds were stacked against him nearly every night.

Gilles Meloche And His One 1972-73 Shutout

It wasn't always a firing range with the California Golden Seals in that 1972-73 NHL season. On March 18, 1973, the Seals hosted the Minnesota North Stars at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena. Meloche had to face just 20 shots in the match, turning them all away in a 2-0 shutout.

Joey Johnston scored what would be the game winner just 50 seconds into the game, assisted by Craig Patrick. Stan Weir sealed the deal with an insurance marker late in the third, assisted by Reg Leach and Pete Laframboise. For Meloche, it was his only blank of the season. Gilles Gilbert made a valiant effort in net for the North Stars, stopping 35 of 37 shots.

Thursday, July 3, 2025

Denis Potvin Sparks Islanders’ First-Ever Win Over Rangers in 1973

The New York Islanders didn’t find much early success against their New York City rivals after joining the NHL for the 1972-73 season. Facing the Rangers six times that inaugural year, the Islanders were shut out twice and swept in the season series. But everything changed on October 27, 1973.

In the first meeting of the 1973-74 season, the Islanders finally broke through thanks in large part to a rookie defenseman destined for greatness. On that night at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Denis Potvin opened the scoring just 4:54 into the game, marking not only the Islanders’ first goal of the night but also the first goal of Potvin’s NHL career.

Potvin struck again late in the second period with a powerplay goal at 18:46, giving the Islanders a 3-1 lead. That goal stood as the game-winner, even after Rangers star Jean Ratelle cut the lead to one in the third. The Islanders held on for a 3-2 win, their first-ever victory over the Rangers.

Goaltender Billy Smith stood tall in net, stopping 30 of 32 shots, while Ed Giacomin faced 27 shots for the Rangers. Giacomin also played a direct role in Potvin’s second goal, taking a slashing penalty that led to the powerplay tally.

The game wasn’t without its share of fireworks. A pair of second-period fights kept tensions high, beginning with Brad Park and Andre St. Laurent, followed by a heavyweight clash between Vic Hadfield and Bob Nystrom.

Despite the historic win, the Islanders would finish the season 1-5 against the Rangers. Still, the breakthrough set the tone for a more competitive rivalry in years to come. By the next season, the Islanders had earned two wins and a tie against the Blueshirts, early signs of the power they would soon become in the NHL.

Islanders vs. Rangers 1974-75

The third year for the new New York team saw some dramatic change. The Islanders reached the semi-final and nearly upset the eventual Stanley Cup champion Philadelphia Flyers. In their regular season series with the Rangers, the Isles were 2-3-1.

The Islanders showed improvement all year and the two wins against their cross-town rivals were the last two, within a week of each other. The wins on March 29, 1975 and April 6, 1975 were both by the score of 6-4. Glenn Resch was a standout in goal for both and rookie Clark Gillies led with two points in each match.

As luck would have it, the two teams met in the opening round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, the first time in the post season for the Islanders. In the best of 3 preliminary round set, the away team won each game. The Islanders won game 1 3-2 at Madison Square Garden. The Rangers put up 8 in a game 2 8-3 win. The series clincher was decided in overtime with J.P. Parise scoring just eleven seconds into the extra frame.

Tuesday, July 1, 2025

Broadway Hero: Pete Stemkowski’s 3OT Goal vs. Blackhawks

In one of the most dramatic moments of the 1971 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Pete Stemkowski etched his name into New York Rangers history with a triple overtime goal that kept their season alive.

The Rangers had already endured three overtime games in the 1970-71 postseason. In their semi-final series against the Chicago Blackhawks, they had just suffered an overtime defeat in Game 5, courtesy of Bobby Hull, putting them on the brink of elimination. Game 6 on April 29, 1971, at Madison Square Garden was a must-win.

Chicago carried a 2-1 lead into the third period before Jean Ratelle tied it up at 4:21 with help from Vic Hadfield and Rod Gilbert. Regulation solved nothing, nor did the first two overtime periods. Finally, at 1:29 of the third overtime, Pete Stemkowski beat Tony Esposito with the 49th shot of the night for New York. Assists went to Ted Irvine and Tim Horton, and the Rangers had life.

Ed Giacomin faced just 26 shots in net for the Rangers, turning aside all but two. Stemkowski’s goal forced a Game 7, giving fans hope for a miraculous comeback. Unfortunately for New York, the magic ran out in Chicago. The Blackhawks closed the series with a 4-2 win at Chicago Stadium, behind Esposito’s 36-save performance and Bobby Hull’s game-winning goal early in the third.

Stemkowski had joined the Rangers earlier that season in a one-for-one trade with the Detroit Red Wings for Larry Brown. In an odd twist, Brown returned to New York later that same season in a multi-player deal that also involved Bruce MacGregor, Arnie Brown, Tom Miller, and Mike Robitaille.

About Pete Stemkowski

Between 1963-64 and 1977-78, Pete Stemkowski played 967 regular season and 83 playoff games in the National Hockey League with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Detroit Red Wings, New York Rangers and Los Angeles Kings. He was a Stanley Cup champion with the Maple Leafs in 1966-67, playing a prominent role with 12 points in 12 playoff games.

Five times during his NHL career, Stemkowski reached the 20 goal plateau. His career best came in both 1969-70 with the Red Wings an 1973-74 with the Rangers, scoring 25 in each of the those seasons. His career high for points was 70 with the Rangers in that 1973-74 campaign.

Wednesday, June 25, 2025

Former Canadiens Power Rangers to 4-3 Win Over Montreal on December 24, 1966

It was a Christmas Eve clash that felt more like a ghost story for the Montreal Canadiens. On December 24, 1966, the New York Rangers came to the Montreal Forum and stunned the home crowd with a 4-3 victory, led almost entirely by former Habs.

Phil Goyette and Don Marshall had been traded from Montreal to New York before the 1963-64 season. Bernie “Boom Boom” Geoffrion joined the Rangers for the 1966-67 campaign after coming out of retirement. All three had something to prove, and they made their point loud and clear.

Ralph Backstrom got Montreal off to a hot start, scoring just 1:37 into the first period. But it wasn’t long before Bob Nevin tied the game for the Rangers, assisted by Goyette and another ex-Hab, Reg Fleming. Backstrom struck again in the second to give the Canadiens a 2-1 edge. Then the ghosts of Montreal’s past came knocking.

Geoffrion scored twice in the span of six minutes, his first tied the game at 12:16, and his second came on the powerplay, giving the Rangers a 3-2 lead. Goyette and Nevin picked up the assists on both.

Bobby Rousseau, himself a future Ranger, tied it once more midway through the third period. But with just 33 seconds left in regulation, Donnie Marshall delivered the dagger, his 15th of the season, once again set up by Goyette and Nevin.

The trio of ex-Habs finished the night with a combined six points and 14 of New York’s 37 shots on Charlie Hodge. The Rangers may have been the visitors, but on this night, they owned the Forum. Also suiting up for New York that night? Two more former Canadiens: Bill Hicke and Al MacNeil.

The Next Game Didn't Go So Well

The two teams met again on New Year's Eve at the Montreal Forum. This time, the Rangers were blanked 3-0 with Charlie Hodge making 25 saves for the shutout. Marshall led the Rangers with five shots while Geoffrion and Goyette managed just one each.

Scoring the game winner for the Habs at 14:29 of the first period was Yvan Cournoyer. The Roadrunner put one past Ed Giacomin on the powerplay with help from Dick Duff and J.C. Tremblay. Duff had spent a short time with the Rangers between his time with the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Montreal Canadiens. Over parts of the 1963-64 and 1964-65 seasons, he played 43 games for the Blue Shirts.

Thursday, June 5, 2025

Bernie Geoffrion Booms Back with 4-Point Game Against Former Team

When Bernie “Boom Boom” Geoffrion returned to the NHL in 1966-67, it wasn’t in a Montreal Canadiens jersey, but rather in the blue of the New York Rangers. After retiring in 1964 following the Canadiens’ playoff run, Geoffrion made his comeback three seasons later. His first game back at the Forum was quiet, but the second? Pure Boom Boom.

On November 12, 1966, the Rangers rolled into the Montreal Forum and left with a 6-3 victory over the Habs. Geoffrion led the charge with a standout four-point performance. He scored once and set up goals by Rod Gilbert, fellow former Canadien Bill Hicke, and Harry Howell. Interestingly, he only fired two shots on Gump Worsley, taking on a more creative playmaker role in his triumphant return.

Geoffrion wasn’t the only former Hab making waves. Reg Fleming, who briefly suited up for Montreal earlier in his career, brought chaos and contributions. He assisted on both Geoffrion’s and Howell’s third-period goals, but not before logging serious time in the penalty box.

In the opening frame, Fleming dropped the gloves with Terry Harper, earning five for fighting. Then in the second period, he tangled with Dick Duff for another fighting major and picked up a 10-minute misconduct for good measure. All that downtime seemed to recharge him, as he contributed offensively to seal the Rangers' win.

About Bernie Geoffrion

Bernie Geoffrion played 883 regular season and 132 playoff games in the National Hockey League between 1950-51 and 1967-68 with the Montreal Canadiens and New York Rangers. He was the second NHL player to reach the 50 goal plateau, scoring exactly 50 for the Habs in 1960-61.

The six time Stanley Cup champion was the Calder Trophy winner as the NHL's top rookie in 1951-52. He won the Art Ross Trophy twice and the Hart Trophy once. Geoffrion was named a first team All-Star once and was selected to the Second Team twice. Bernie was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1972 and his jersey number 5 was retired by the Canadiens in 2006.

Wednesday, May 21, 2025

Ed Giacomin's Dramatic Return to Madison Square Garden After Trade to Detroit Red Wings in 1975

In one of the most emotional moments in NHL history, longtime New York Rangers goaltender Ed Giacomin was unexpectedly sold to the Detroit Red Wings on October 31, 1975. The shocking transaction was even noted on the front of his 1975-76 O-Pee-Chee hockey card, marking a significant turning point in his Hall of Fame career.

Just two days later, Giacomin made his first start for the Red Wings against none other than the Rangers at Madison Square Garden on November 2, 1975. The emotional tension in the arena was palpable as Giacomin faced his former team and fans who had revered him for years.

Detroit Dominates in Giacomin’s Red Wings Debut

In a powerful show of support for their new netminder, the Red Wings came out flying, dominating the opening period with a 4-0 lead. Bill Hogaboam led the charge with two goals, while Nick Libett and Danny Grant each added one. The Rangers managed to respond in the second period with goals from Bill Fairbairn and Rick Middleton, but Detroit held a commanding 6-2 advantage going into the third.

Though the Rangers scored two more times in the final frame, Ed Giacomin turned aside 42 of 46 shots to earn a 6-4 win in his Detroit debut. Offensively, Hogaboam and Dan Maloney led the way with three points each, while Grant, Libett, Phil Roberto, and Barry Salovaara all posted two-point games.

The moment was bittersweet for Rangers fans, many of whom gave Giacomin an emotional ovation, despite rooting for the opposing team. It remains one of the most iconic nights in Madison Square Garden hockey history.

A Quieter Return: Second Game Back at MSG

Giacomin’s second game back in New York came just weeks later but this time, the result wasn’t as favorable. Despite a solid performance with 36 saves on 39 shots, the Rangers shut out the Red Wings 3-0.

John Davidson made just 23 saves for the shutout, as the Rangers controlled much of the play. The game remained scoreless until Pete Stemkowski broke the deadlock at 14:42 of the second period. In the third, SteveVickers and Walt Tkaczuk added goals to seal the win for New York.

About Ed Giacomin

Eddie Giacomin played 609 regular season and 65 playoff games in the National Hockey League between 1965-66 and 1977-78 with the New York Rangers and Detroit Red Wings. Ed was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1987 and the Rangers retired his jersey number 1 in 1989.

He was a First Team All-Star twie and was selected to the Second Team three times. In 1970-71, he shared the Vezina Trophy with Gilles Villemure. His 54 career regular season shutouts tie him for 24^th all-time with Bernie Parent. Before getting his start with the Rangers, Giacomin spent seven years in the minors playing for six different teams in three leagues.

NHL Hockey Card Greats: Ed Giacomin

Tuesday, November 26, 2024

Phil Esposito as a New York Ranger

Phil Esposito is best known for his time in the NHL with the Boston Bruins but he had some productive years with the New York Rangers at the end of his career. In his four full seasons with the Blue Shirt, he scored no less than 34 goals.

The Trade

On November 7, 1975, Phil and Carol Vadnais were sent to the Rangers from Boston for Brad Park, Jean Ratelle and Joe Zanussi. Esposito had started the 1975-76 NHL season playing 12 games, putting up six goals and ten assists for 16 points - pretty decent numbers.

The was the second blockbuster trade involving Esposito over his career. After starting out with the Chicago Blackhawks, he was traded to the Bruins on May 15, 1967 with Ken Hodge and Fred Stanfield for Gilles Marotte, Hubert "Pit" Martin and Jack Norris.

Arrival In The Big Apple

Phil had always worn number seven during his NHL career with both the Blackhawks and Bruins. When he arrived in New York, Rod Gilbert was wearing and had long worn the number. Esposito started with the Rangers wearing number 12 - he is shown on the front of his 1976-77 O-Pee-Chee card with that on his jersey. He also wore 5 for a time before settling into 77.

In his first game with the Rangers, Esposito scored two goals and added an assist for three points in a game against the California Golden Seals. Despite the effort, New York lost the game 7-5. The Seals were propelled by a four goal performance put in by Gary Sabourin and 31 saves made by Gilles Meloche.

His best season as a Ranger came in 1978-79 when he scored 42 goals. This total led the team and placed him eighth overall in the NHL. In the post season, Esposito contributed 20 points over 18 games, leading New York to the Stanley Cup final before losing to the Montreal Canadiens.

After another decent year in 1979-80, Esposito's numbers dwindled and he called it a career 41 games into the 1980-81 season. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1984.

Thursday, March 19, 2015

Vintage Hockey Card Video Series

montreal canadiens parkhurst hockey card

As I write this, I'm fighting with some sort of glitch that is freezing up the upload for the final of six videos featuring vintage hockey cards from the NHL's Original 6 teams. This is just a shout out to anyone reading 'Hockey History Hub' that these videos are nearly 100% online at YouTube. If you're reading something here and enjoying this site, then chances are you'll want to kill some time looking at some of the greatest in the game's history on some classic cardboard.

Each of the Original 6 team videos has at least 100 different vintage hockey cards and each video lasts between three and five minutes. Each is produced with what I think is some pretty great background music. So, if you're at work, yes - there is audio so turn it down...

Mostly, the cards are from the 1951-52 to 1979-80 range and come from sets produced by Parkhurst, Topps and O-Pee-Chee. There are cards from before and after the range in some of the videos but not a whole lot. Because it just didn't look right to have 'landscape' card fronts mixed with the usual 'portrait' fronts, some years have been left out. These would be your 1963-64 Topps, 1968-69 O-Pee-Chee and sets like that. Also, we didn't put in any of the 1964-65 Topps tallboys because they just wouldn't fit the format (yep, I'm a little anal about that stuff...).

All the cards are included in the Virtual Hockey Card Collection at Vintage Hockey Cards Report. This is what is becoming a fairly complete online collection of hockey cards (front and back). This is a project that I hope will expand beyond the NHL and the range of years given above. I plan to move into minor league, junior and even European sets in the relatively near future. It's pretty time consuming, though. The images have to be collected, straightened, cropped then added to a template and uploaded. I'm not the most technical so my method is pretty labour intensive (aka slow).

I've embedded one of the videos below to give you a taste. Hopefully you'll head over to the YouTube channel to check out the others. Links to each video are found in the index of the Virtual Collection. I've also grouped them into a clean and tidy YouTube playlist so they can be watched consecutively without having to keep hitting play...

The video below features the Chicago Blackhawks. Of course, there's a fair share of Bobby Hull, Glenn Hall and Stan Mikita cards but there's a lot more there, as well. Be sure to hit the Thumb's Up if you like it!

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Steve Durbano: PIM Champ In 4 Different Leagues

steve durbano st. louis blues 1972-73 o-pee-chee

The hockey ‘goon’ is considered by some as an untalented stain on the game. Yet, the physical conditioning and subsequent punishment these players go through is unbelievable. Everyone loves a hockey fight, as is evident by the standing ovation received each and every time, yet the actual fighters are not truly appreciated.

Steve Durbano was a hockey ‘goon’. He played 220 games in the National Hockey League, sitting 1,127 minutes in the penalty box during that time for an average of 5.1 minutes per game. Perhaps, just as well known for his antics off the ice as on, Durbano should at least be recognized for the fact that he led four different leagues in the penalty minute department.

Steve played three years of junior hockey with the Toronto Marlboros of the Ontario Hockey Association. He provided decent offense from the blue line with 32 points in 53 games in his second year and 39 points in 49 games in his second. In those final two seasons with the Marlboros, Durbano led the league in penalty minutes with 371 in 1969-70 and 324 in 1970-71.

The New York Rangers saw something they liked and drafted Durbano in the first round of the 1971 NHL Amateur Draft, 13th overall. In fact, Steve was taken seven positions ahead of Hockey Hall of Fame defenseman, Larry Robinson.

His first year of professional hockey was spent with the Omaha Knights of the Central Hockey League. Playing in 70 of the team’s 72 regular season games in 1971-72, Durbano sat out 402 minutes in penalties. He also finished with 41 points, sixth on the team.

Steve made his NHL debut the following season with the St. Louis Blues. However, it was in 1975-76 when he became a made the headlines. In a season split between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Kansas City Scouts (today’s New Jersey Devils), Durbano totaled 370 PIM to lead the league.

With 1977-78, came a new league for Durbano to lead in the penalty minutes category. Skipping to the World Hockey Association after playing just 19 games in the NHL the season before, Steve led the league with 284 PIM in just 45 games. He was the leader of the WHA’s version of the Broad Street Bullies, the Birmingham Bulls. Birmingham had the top four penalty box sitters in the WHA on the roster.

Durbano played one more season of pro hockey in 1978-79, returning to the St. Louis Blues for 13 games and playing an additional 10 games with the Salt Lake Golden Eagles of the Central Hockey League. Steve passed away in 2002 after a bout with liver cancer. Sure, he’ll be remembered as a goon but the fact is: he made it. He played at a level of hockey so very few can even come close to. He didn’t just fight and sit in the penalty box. He played defense and even scored a few goals.

Season	Team	Lge	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1968-69	Toronto Marlboros	OHA	45	5	6	11	158
1969-70	Toronto Marlboros	OHA	53	7	25	32	371
1970-71	Toronto Marlboros	OHA	49	7	32	39	324
1971-72	Omaha Knights	CHL	70	7	34	41	402
1972-73	St. Louis Blues	NHL	49	3	18	21	231
1973-74	Pittsburgh Penguins	NHL	33	4	14	18	138
1973-74	St. Louis Blues	NHL	36	4	5	9	146
1974-75	Pittsburgh Penguins	NHL	1	0	1	1	10
1975-76	Pittsburgh Penguins	NHL	32	0	8	8	161
1975-76	Kansas City Scouts	NHL	37	1	11	12	209
1976-77	Colorado Rockies	NHL	19	0	2	2	129
1976-77	Rhode Island Reds	AHL	9	1	2	3	55
1977-78	Birmingham Bulls	WHA	45	6	4	10	284
1978-79	Salt Lake Golden Eagles	CHL	10	1	4	5	41
1978-79	St. Louis Blues	NHL	13	1	1	2	103
	NHL Totals		220	13	60	73	1127
	WHA Totals		45	6	4	10	284

Friday, September 5, 2014

Springfield Indians 1959 to 1962: Best All-Time AHL Team?

The Springfield Indians of the early part of the 1960’s were perhaps the best American Hockey League ever assembled. The Indians won the Calder Cup in three consecutive years from 1959-60 to 1961-62, the only AHL team to ever accomplish this feat. Five players from those teams are now enshrined in the AHL Hall of Fame and two are in the Hockey Hall of Fame. In addition, owner of the Indians, Eddie Shore, is in both.

Check out this unique hockey trivia revolving around that 3-peat Springfield Indians team:

The top 5 all-time Springfield Indians point producers played in at least two of those three years. Jim Anderson, Bill Sweeney, Brian Kilrea and Floyd Smith played on all three, while Harry Pidhirny played in 1959-60 and 1960-61.

Five that played for the Indians during those three years are now members of the AHL Hall of Fame. Bill Sweeney, Jim Anderson, Noel Price and Marcel Paille played all three years while Harry Pidhirny played two of the three. The AHL Hall of Fame was inaugurated in 2006. Team owner Eddie Shore has also been inducted.

Two players are now members of the Hockey Hall of Fame. Lorne ‘Gump’ Worsley played just 15 games with the Indians in 1959-60. Gump was inducted into the Hall in 1980. Brian Kilrea was inducted in 2003 in the builder’s category for his work with Ottawa 67’s of the Ontario Hockey League. In addition, Eddie Shore was long a member of the Hall of Fame before Springfield’s glory days, inducted in 1947 for his NHL accomplishments with the Boston Bruins.

Surprisingly, the Indians didn’t dominate the AHL’s individual awards during the three year stretch. In 1959-60, they were shut out of the awards ceremony. Bill Sweeney and Floyd Smith finished 2-3 in AHL scoring but it was Fred Glover of the Cleveland Barons that took the John B. Sollenberger Trophy.

In 1960-61, Bill Sweeney took the scoring title as Springfield placed five players in top ten. Bob McCord won the Eddie Shore Award as the league’s top defenseman and Marcel Paille won the Harry ‘Hap’ Holmes Award for the goalie with the lowest goals against average. 1961-62 was a bit of a repeat, except it was Kent Douglas winning the Eddie Shore, not McCord.

Interestingly, over the three year span, not one of the highly talented Springfield Indians won the Les Cunningham Award as AHL MVP. Fred Glover won twice and Phil Maloney of the Buffalo Bisons won in the middle year. In fact, over the life of the franchise, just one player was honoured as MVP. Ross Lowe will forever be in the Springfield hockey trivia books as the lone man, winning in 1954-55.

At the time, Springfield was the minor league affiliate of the NHL’s New York Rangers. The Rangers were not enjoying as much success, to say the least. 1961-62 was the only year New York made the Stanley Cup playoffs between 1958-59 and 1965-66. They were quickly ousted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round. It is said by many that the team in Springfield would have done better in the NHL than the Rangers.

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