Ralph Backstrom’s 2 Goals in 6 Seconds Set Kings Record

When the Boston Bruins visited the Los Angeles Kings at the Forum on November 2, 1972, Ralph Backstrom delivered one of the fastest scoring bursts in Kings history.

Backstrom was already riding a hot streak, with 8 goals and 9 assists over a seven-game stretch. Against Boston, the game was tied 1-1 entering the third period, with Serge Bernier scoring for L.A. late in the first and Mike Walton tallying for the Bruins.

At 8:30 of the third, Backstrom put the Kings ahead 2-1 with his sixth goal of the season, beating Boston goalie Eddie Johnston unassisted. Just six seconds later, he struck again, this time with help from Butch Goring, to extend the lead to 3-1. The Kings went on to win 5-2, with Backstrom firing seven of the team’s 33 shots on net. Goalie Gary Edwards held Boston to just two goals on 31 shots.

Backstrom finished the 1972-73 season with 20 goals in 63 games for the Kings, including six game-winners. Traded to the Chicago Blackhawks in February 1973, he wrapped up his NHL career before moving to the WHA.

His two goals in six seconds remain a Kings franchise record. The closest anyone has come since was Jari Kurri’s pair in 1991, just ten seconds apart.

About Ralph Backstrom

Ralph Backstrom played 1,032 regular season and 116 playoff games in the National Hockey League between 1956-57 and 1972-73 with the Montreal Canadiens, Los Angeles Kings and Chicago Blackhawks. In 1958-59, Ralph was awarded the Calder Trophy as NHL rookie of the year. With the Habs, Backstrom was a six-time Stanley Cup champion.

In the WHA, Backstrom played another 304 regular season and 38 playoff games between 1973-74 and 1976-77 with the Chicago Cougars, Ottawa Civics and New England Whalers. In his first year with Chicago he scored 33 goals, the most over his major league career.

NHL Hockey Trivia: Ralph Backstrom

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

1. Ralph Backstrom played the majority of his career with which NHL team?

Los Angeles Kings
Chicago Blackhawks
Montreal Canadiens
Minnesota North Stars

2. How many Stanley Cups did Ralph Backstrom win as a member of the Montreal Canadiens?

3
6
4
2

3. In 1972, Backstrom set a Kings franchise record by scoring two goals how many seconds apart?

4 seconds
6 seconds
8 seconds
10 seconds

4. Which player assisted on Backstrom’s second goal in that record-setting 1972 game?

Serge Bernier
Eddie Johnston
Butch Goring
Jari Kurri

5. After his NHL career, Ralph Backstrom played in which league before retiring?

WHA
AHL
IHL
OHA

1961-62 NHL Team Leaders

The Toronto Maple Leafs won the first of three consecutive Stanley Cup championships in 1961-62. The second place Leafs met the third place Chicago Black Hawks in the finals with Toronto coming out on top in six games. Montreal dominated the regular season while the Boston Bruins reached franchise lows. Boston’s .271 winning percentage that year still stands as the second lowest in team history today. The lowest came in their first year of existence, 1924-25, when the team won just 6 of its 30 games, equal to .200.

Bobby Hull – Chicago Black Hawks

Bobby Hull led the Chicago Black Hawks with 84 points and was awarded the Art Ross Trophy as league leader. Andy Bathgate of the New York Rangers also ended up with 84 points. Hull and Bathgate both played the full 70 game schedule but Hull was awarded the scoring championship on his 50 goals to Bathgate’s 28. It was the second of three times that Bobby received the Art Ross.

Andy Bathgate – New York Rangers

Andy Bathgate and the Rangers squeaked into the post season, four points better than fifth place Detroit. The Maple Leafs took six games to oust New York in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Andy was named to the First All-Star Team at right wing.

Gordie Howe – Detroit Red Wings

Gordie Howe’s consistent finish in the top five was not enough to push the Red Wings into the post season. Howe tied Chicago’s Stan Mikita for third in the NHL with 77 points. The team had only Gordie, Alex Delvecchio and Norm Ullman to rely on for offense. The trio scored 84 of the team’s 184 goals.

Frank Mahovlich – Toronto Maple Leafs

Frank Mahovlich led the Stanley Cup champion Toronto Maple Leafs with 71 points, good enough for fifth in the NHL. However, surprisingly it was defenseman Tim Horton that led the team in the playoffs with 16 points in 12 games. Mahovlich contributed 12 points in 12 games, en route to the championship.

Ralph Backstrom – Montreal Canadiens

The Montreal Canadiens finished first overall with an outstanding 98 points, 13 more than second place Toronto. The team scored 27 more goals than any other team and allowed 14 less than their next opponent. Yet, Ralph Backstrom led the team with just 65 points, a total that was good for seventh place in the race for the Art Ross Trophy. Despite their domination during the regular season, Montreal fell to the third place Black Hawks in the opening round of the playoffs.

Johnny Bucyk – Boston Bruins

Johnny Bucyk led the downtrodden Boston Bruins with 60 points. Boston’s 177 goals was the lowest in the league but the killer was the 306 they allowed. The next highest goals against belonged to the Red Wings at 219.