When Phil Myre and Dan Bouchard Faced Off As Rivals For The First Time

In the early years of the Atlanta Flames, Phil Myre and Dan Bouchard shared goaltending duties and helped build the foundation for the franchise starting in the 1972-73 NHL season. The tandem was split up when, on December 12, 1977, Myre, along with Curt Bennett and Barrie Gibbs, was traded to the St. Louis Blues for Yves Bélanger, Bob MacMillan, and Dick Redmond.

Just over two weeks later, fate brought the two former teammates face-to-face. On December 29, 1977, the Blues visited the Omni in Atlanta for the first meeting between the two teams since the deal. Both Myre and Bouchard got the start, but the night quickly took a twist. After Claude Larose scored to give St. Louis a 3-2 lead early in the second period, Bouchard was pulled and replaced by Yves Bélanger, who had been part of the same trade.

From that point on, it became a showdown between the two goalies traded for each other. Bouchard had allowed three goals on twelve shots, while Bélanger stood tall in relief, stopping 16 of 17 shots. Myre, facing 34 shots from his old teammates, allowed five goals as Atlanta emerged with a 5-4 victory. Curt Bennett added two assists against his former club, while Bob MacMillan picked up one point for his new team.

When the two teams met again on March 15, 1978, this time in St. Louis, the goaltending story flipped. Bélanger, once again in net for Atlanta, was brilliant with 35 saves and even an assist on Bob MacMillan’s opening goal in a 6-2 Flames win. Myre struggled in the opposite crease, allowing six goals on 27 shots.

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NHL Hockey Trivia: Phil Myre & Dan Bouchard

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

1. In what season did Phil Myre and Dan Bouchard first share goaltending duties for the Atlanta Flames?

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

2. Phil Myre and Dan Bouchard helped the Flames record their first-ever playoff appearance in which NHL season?

1973-74
1974-75
1975-76
1976-77

3. Which goaltender recorded more wins for the Atlanta Flames overall before the team relocated to Calgary?

Phil Myre
Dan Bouchard
They finished tied
Yves Bélanger

4. What was notable about the goaltending rotation between Myre and Bouchard during their time in Atlanta?

They alternated starts almost evenly for several seasons
Bouchard was the starter and Myre only played occasionally
Myre played only home games, Bouchard only road games
They never actually played in the same season

5. Before joining the Flames, which organization originally drafted Dan Bouchard?

Montreal Canadiens
Boston Bruins
Chicago Black Hawks
New York Rangers

December 16, 1970: Cliff Koroll’s Four-Assist Period Ties NHL Record

On December 16, 1970, second-year forward Cliff Koroll carved his name into NHL history. In an 8-3 Chicago Blackhawks win over the St. Louis Blues at Chicago Stadium, Koroll recorded four assists in a single period, tying an NHL record that had stood since 1920-21.

The Blues entered the second period with a 3-1 lead, paced by Jim Lorentz’s two goals and an assist. But Chicago stormed back with five unanswered goals in the middle frame. Koroll set up two goals by Stan Mikita, one by Pit Martin, and one by Dennis Hull to etch his name into the record books. All five Blackhawks goals in that period came against St. Louis goalie Ernie Wakely, who faced 42 shots on the night.

Mikita had an unforgettable game himself. He scored Chicago’s first goal in the opening frame, then added three more in the second for a four-goal outing. He also picked up an assist on Dennis Hull’s goal, finishing with five points.

Koroll went on to play his entire NHL career with the Blackhawks, appearing in 814 regular season and 85 playoff games between 1969-70 and 1979-80. Known for his consistency, he reached the 20-goal plateau in five straight seasons, peaking with 33 goals in 1972-73.

Though Dale Hawerchuk eventually raised the bar to five assists in a period in 1983-84 (later matched by Kris Letang in 2023), Koroll remains part of an exclusive group of players who made NHL history in just one period of play.

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NHL Hockey Trivia: Cliff Koroll

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

1. Cliff Koroll played his entire NHL career with which team?

Chicago Blackhawks
Detroit Red Wings
St. Louis Blues
Minnesota North Stars

2. How many career regular season games did Koroll play in the NHL?

612
814
929
740

3. What was Cliff Koroll’s highest single-season goal total in the NHL?

20
27
33
38

4. Which Hall of Fame linemate did Koroll often skate with during his Chicago years?

Stan Mikita
Bobby Orr
Guy Lafleur
Jean Ratelle

5. After retiring as a player, what role did Cliff Koroll hold with the Blackhawks?

Assistant Coach
General Manager
Team President
Play-by-Play Broadcaster

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?

Steve Durbano’s 10 Points in 5 Games as a Rookie D-Man? Not Orr, But Still Impressive

When someone mentions a defenseman putting up 10 points in five NHL games during the 1972-73 season, your first thought might be Bobby Orr. Fair enough. Orr was in peak form that year. But the blueliner who did it in this stretch was rookie Steve Durbano of the St. Louis Blues.

In February 1973, Durbano scored a goal and assisted on nine others over a five-game tear. What's more surprising? He only took two minor penalties during that span, despite a career built on physicality and time in the box.

February 3, 1973: A Career Night

Durbano’s standout game came in a dominant 6-1 win over the California Golden Seals. He registered four assists, setting up two goals by Floyd Thomson, one from Phil Roberto, and the game-winner by Fran Huck. Durbano led all skaters with six shots on Gilles Meloche, as the Blues peppered the Seals with 51 total shots, compared to just 15 faced by Bob Johnson in the St. Louis net.

Durbano finished the night a +3 and didn’t take a single penalty, a rare stat line for the rugged blueliner.

From First-Round Pick to Journeyman 

Originally a first-round selection by the New York Rangers in 1971, Durbano never played a game for them. After some seasoning in the minors with the Omaha Knights, he broke into the NHL with the Blues in the 1972-73 season.

Over the course of his NHL career (1972-73 to 1978-79), Durbano played 220 regular season games and five playoff contests, suiting up for the Blues, Pittsburgh Penguins, Kansas City Scouts, and Colorado Rockies. True to his reputation, he compiled a staggering 1,127 penalty minutes in those 220 games, averaging over 5 minutes per game.

Steve Durbano Trivia Quiz

For much more NHL hockey trivia, visit our Hockey Trivia Site!

1. How many points did Steve Durbano score in his 5-game streak in 1973?

5
7
10
12

2. Which team did Durbano record 4 assists against on February 3, 1973?

New York Rangers
California Golden Seals
Boston Bruins
Pittsburgh Penguins

3. What unusual stat did Durbano achieve in that February 3 game?

He had a fight and a goal
He had no penalties
He scored a hat trick
He was ejected

4. How many total NHL regular season games did Durbano play?

150
198
220
275

5. Which team originally drafted Steve Durbano?

New York Rangers
St. Louis Blues
Kansas City Scouts
Colorado Rockies

Bobby Orr Begins His Chicago Blackhawks Career With a Three-Point Statement Game

It never felt quite right seeing Bobby Orr in anything but black and gold. Yet on October 7, 1976, Orr officially began the final chapter of his NHL career, this time wearing a Chicago Blackhawks sweater. After a frustrating 1975-76 season marred by recurring knee injuries, fans in the Windy City were hopeful they'd see flashes of the legendary Orr in action. And on opening night, that’s exactly what they got.

Facing the St. Louis Blues at the Checkerdome, Orr made his presence known just 1:32 into the game, assisting on Pit Martin’s opening goal past Blues goalie Ed Staniowski. Then, just 1:27 into the second period, he found the back of the net himself, scoring his first goal as a Blackhawk with help from Cliff Koroll and Dick Redmond.

Later in the same frame, Orr added a second assist on a powerplay goal by Ivan Boldirev, giving him a three-point night in his return to NHL action. The Blackhawks ultimately won the game 6-4, with Pit Martin’s second of the night holding up as the game-winner.

While Orr showed early promise in his new colors, his knee troubles never fully subsided. He would post 23 points in 20 games that season before sitting out the entire 1977-78 campaign. A brief six-game return in 1978-79 marked the final days of his brilliant career.

About Bobby Orr

Bobby Orr played 657 regular season and 74 playoff games in the National Hockey League between 1966-67 and 1978-79 with the Boston Bruins and Chicago Blackhawks. The two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Bruins won the Norris Trophy eight consecutive times as the NHL's top defenseman.

Along with winning the Calder Trophy as NHL rookie of the year in 1966-67, Orr was also a three-time recipient of the Hart Trophy while winning both the Art Ross Trophy and Conn Smythe Trophy twice. Bobby was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1979.

Quick Hockey Trivia Quiz

Just some fun hockey trivia focused on the content above. You can find much more at our hockey trivia website.

Bobby Orr's Chicago Blackhawks Debut Quiz

1. What team did the Blackhawks face in Bobby Orr’s debut?

Detroit Red Wings
St. Louis Blues
Boston Bruins

2. How many points did Orr score in the game?

Two
Three
Four

3. Who scored the first goal of the game assisted by Orr?

Ivan Boldirev
Cliff Koroll
Pit Martin

4. How many games did Orr play in 1976–77?

20
6
82

5. What arena did Orr’s debut take place in?

The Forum
Checkerdome
Boston Garden

In Season Two The St. Louis Blues Finally Get Their First NHL Hat Trick

The St. Louis Blues made their NHL debut in the 1967-68 season, but offensive fireworks were in short supply. Red Berenson led the expansion team in scoring that year, notching 22 goals and 51 points. No other Blues player managed more than 15 goals.

Things began to shift in the team’s second season. Berenson upped his production, and the addition of veteran sniper Camille “The Eel” Henry added a new scoring threat. On November 3, 1968, at Detroit Olympia, Henry made franchise history by scoring the first hat trick in Blues history in a game against the Red Wings.

Detroit jumped out to a 2-0 lead with goals from Frank Mahovlich and Gary Bergman. Henry got the Blues on the board late in the first period with a powerplay goal at 16:39. By the end of the second, it was 4-2 Red Wings but Henry wasn’t finished.

In the third period, Henry lit the lamp twice in a 15-second span to tie the game. Two of his three goals came on the powerplay, and Red Berenson assisted on two of them. All four St. Louis goals were scored against Red Wings goalie Roger Crozier, and the game ended in a 4-4 tie.

Just four nights later, on November 7, Berenson delivered one of the most iconic single-game performances in NHL history, scoring six goals in an 8-0 road win over the Philadelphia Flyers. Henry added to the onslaught with a goal and two assists, while Berenson recorded seven points in total. Doug Favell was in net for the shell-shocked Flyers.

About Camille Henry

Camille Henry played 727 regular season and 47 playoff games in the National Hockey League between 1953-54 and 1969-70 with the New York Rangers, Chicago Blackhawks and St. Louis Blues. He was the Calder Trophy winner in 1953-54 as NHL rookie of the year and won the Lady Byng Trophy in 1957-58.

Never a Stanley Cup champion, Henry did win a Calder Cup title in the AHL with the Providence Reds in 1955-56. That year, he led the league with exactly 50 goals and added ten more in the post season. His career best in the NHL was 37 goals in 1962-63 with the Rangers. That total placed him second, just a single goal behind leader Gordie Howe.

Dino Ciccarelli Becomes First 50-Goal Scorer in North Stars History

On March 8, 1982, Dino Ciccarelli etched his name into Minnesota North Stars history by becoming the franchise’s first-ever 50-goal scorer. It was the 68th game of the 1981-82 NHL season, and the North Stars were hosting the St. Louis Blues at the Met Center. The crowd was treated to a historic offensive performance as Ciccarelli netted both his 49th and 50th goals of the year, powering Minnesota to an 8-1 victory.

Goal number 49 came just 8:18 into the opening period, with Craig Hartsburg and Neal Broten collecting assists. That goal made it 3-0 early, setting the tone for the night. At 12:04 of the second period, Ciccarelli struck again, this time off a setup from Tom McCarthy and Broten, clinching the milestone 50th goal that had eluded North Stars players since the team’s inception in 1967.

To top it off, Ciccarelli added an assist on Hartsburg’s third-period goal, capping a three-point night and a blowout win. St. Louis goaltender Mike Liut allowed both of Dino’s goals before being relieved by Rick Heinz for the final frame.

Ciccarelli finished the 1981-82 season with 55 goals, a total that still stands as a Minnesota North Stars/Dallas Stars franchise record, tied only by Brian Bellows in 1989-90. Ciccarelli reached the 50-goal mark twice with Minnesota, while Bellows and Mike Modano remain the only other players in team history to do so.

About Dino Ciccarelli  

Dino Ciccarelli played  1,232 regular season and 141 playoff games in the National Hockey League between 1980-81 and 1998-99 with the Minnesota North Stars, Washington Capitals, Detroit Red Wings, Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers. Over that time, he scored 608 goals, placing him 20th all-time just two behind Bobby Hull.

Undrafted to the NHL, Ciccarelli came to the North Stars after a stellar junior career with the London Knights that was marred by broken leg. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2010.

Ron Francis Torches His Cousin Mike Liut in Their First NHL Matchup

Ron Francis began the 1981-82 season playing junior hockey with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the OHL. Just 25 games in, he was called up to the NHL by the Hartford Whalers and quickly made an impact, producing better than a point per game over 59 contests that season. In just his 11th game with Hartford, Francis faced off against the St. Louis Blues and his second cousin, goaltender Mike Liut, for the first time in the NHL.

The matchup took place on December 9,1981, at the Hartford Civic Center, and it was a rough night for Liut and the Blues. Francis assisted on a Blaine Stoughton goal at 8:02 of the second period, which would stand as the game-winner in a dominant 5-1 victory. Later that period, Francis added two power-play goals of his own to stretch the Whalers' lead to 4-0.

He capped off his four-point night with another assist on Stoughton's second goal of the game and 20th of the season at 15:53 of the third period. Liut made 35 saves on 40 shots, including six from Stoughton and four from Francis himself. At the other end, GregMillen stopped 33 of 34 shots to earn the win for Hartford.

The cousins would eventually become teammates. On February 21, 1985, the Whalers acquired Liut and Jorgen Pettersson from St. Louis in exchange for Millen and Mark Johnson. Liut remained in Hartford until late in the 1989-90 season, when he was dealt to the Washington Capitals for Yvon Corriveau. Francis stayed with the Whalers until near the end of the 1990-91 season, when he was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

NHL Hockey Card Greats: Mike Liut [Video]

Red Berenson's Final Year In The NHL

Both O-Pee-Chee and Topps thought Red Berenson was good for another year in the NHL, featuring him on hockey cards in their 1978-79 sets. However, Red decided to call it a career as a player and his final action came during the 1977-78 season with the St. Louis Blues.

Captain Berenson played all 80 games for the Blues in his final campaign at 39 years old. He put up respectable numbers with 13 goal and 25 assists for 38 points. Three of those thirteen came in a February 28, 1978 game against the Minnesota North Stars at the Checkerdome. It was the last of his six NHL hat tricks, the final two coming against the Stars.

Red didn't get on the board until 15:14 of the second period, scoring on Minnesota goalie Paul Harrison with assists going to Bob Hess and goalie Phil Myre. This put the Blues up 4-1 in the game. Just 47 seconds into the third period, Berenson had his second of the night, assisted by Bill Fairbairn. The hat trick goal was scored at 10:09 of the third period, unassisted. That goal was the last of the game in a 7-1 win for the home team.

Over the season, Red also had seven two point games to go with the hat trick. He had two game winning goals, both against the Los Angeles Kings. Both those goals were scored on L.A. goalie Rogie Vachon. In a 3-2 win over the Kings at the Great Western Forum, Berenson broke a 2-2 tie with just 39 seconds left in the match.

Between 1961-62 and 1977-78, Red Berenson played 987 regular season and 85 playoff games in the National Hockey League with the Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, Detroit Red Wings and St. Louis Blues. He won a Stanley Cup championship with the Habs in 1964-65.

NHL Hockey Trivia: The Stanley Cup

The Stanley Cup is the holy grail of hockey. Lord Stanley’s Mug is handed to the National Hockey League’s playoff champion each season. Test your knowledge and broaden your hockey horizons with the following four bits of trivia.

Q. What was the first non-‘Original Six’ NHL team to win the Stanley in the post expansion era?

A. The Philadelphia Flyers, known as the ‘Broad Street Bullies’ won the Stanley Cup with a victory over the Boston Bruins in the 1974 Stanley Cup. The Flyers would repeat the accomplishment the following season with a victory over the Buffalo Sabres. Those were the only two times the Flyers have ever won the Cup, although Philadelphia reached the finals in 1975-76 against the Montreal Canadiens, 1979-80 against the New York Islanders, 1984-85 and 1986-87 against the Edmonton Oilers, 1996-97 against the Detroit Red Wings and 2009-10 against the Chicago Blackhawks.

The Flyers entered the NHL for the 1967-68 season. Previous to their first Stanley Cup championship in 1973-74, Philadelphia had won just one playoff series. In 1972-73, the Flyers knocked off the Minnesota North Stars in the quarter-finals before falling to the Montreal Canadiens in the semi-finals.

Q. Unfortunately, there are defunct franchises throughout the history of the NHL. What was the last now-defunct team to win the Stanley Cup?

A. The Montreal Maroons were the darlings of the English population in Montreal. The Maroons won the Stanley Cup in 1935. In that 1934-35 NHL season, Montreal was just fourth in the nine team league during the regular season. In the finals, they swept the Toronto Maple Leafs in three games. Toronto had finished first overall.

The Maroons entered the National Hockey League for the 1924-25 season. The following year, they captured their first of two Stanley Cup championships. Montreal would also lose in the finals in 1927-28 to the New York Rangers. It was New York's first ever championship in only their second year in the league. The Maroons played their final NHL season in 1937-38.

Q. How many Stanley Cups did the Montreal Canadiens win during the 1970’s?

A. The Habs won a total of six Stanley Cups in the 1970’s. They dominated the Cup from four years from 1976 to 1979. They also won in 1971 and 1973. Montreal has won 24 championships, to date. Since the 1970's, however, the Canadiens have won the Stanley Cup just twice, in 1985-86 over the Calgary Flames and in 1992-93 over the Los Angeles Kings.

Q. What team has gone the longest without winning the Stanley Cup?

A. Until the 2009-10 season ended, the answer to this question was the Chicago Blackhawks, not having won the Stanley Cup since 1961. Chicago's win left the Toronto Maple Leafs as the team that has gone the longest without a Stanley Cup victory. The Leafs last won in 1967, a year before the league expanded to twelve teams. The St. Louis Blues remain the only 1967 expansion team to have never won a Stanley Cup but entered the league a year after Toronto won their last Cup.

4 St. Louis Blues Jack Adams Award Winners

The St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League have yet to take home their first Stanley Cup. The team joined the league in the expansion boom of 1967-68. The team has produced some great regular season teams and three coaches that won the Jack Adams Award as the NHL’s coach of the year.

Red Berenson 1980-81

Red Berenson was no stranger to St. Louis when he became head coach of the team in 1979-80. The Blues were one of four teams that Berenson played for during his nearly 1,000 game NHL career, which also saw him play for the Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers and Detroit Red Wings. Red coached the Blues for just three years and won the Jack Adams Award in 1980-81. He has been the head coach of the University of Michigan Wolverines since the 1984-85 season.

That season, the Blues finished with 107 points, 27 more than the previous year. The team finished first in the Smythe Division and powered past the Pittsburgh Penguins in the opening round of the Stanley Cup playoffs before falling to the New York Rangers. The team was led by Bernie Federko, Wayne Babych, Brian Sutter and Mike Liut.

Brian Sutter 1990-91

Brian Sutter moved behind the bench when his playing career ended and became the next St. Louis coach to win the Jack Adams Award in 1990-91. With the help of Brett Hull, Adam Oates and Scott Stevens, the Blues finished with 105 points, a 22 points improvement over the previous year, good for second place in the Norris Division and second overall. St. Louis beat the Detroit Red Wings in the first round of the playoffs but lost to the Minnesota North Stars in the second.

Sutter played his entire career in a Blues jersey, from 1976-77 to 1987-88. He coached in the National Hockey League from 1988-89 to 2003-04. After St. Louis, he coached the Boston Bruins, Calgary Flames and Chicago Blackhawks.

Joel Quenneville 1999-00

Joel Quenneville is the last St. Louis Blues head coach to win the Jack Adams Award. Quenneville won the award in 1999-00 as the Blues posted 114 points to finish first overall in the NHL. It was a 27 point improvement on the previous year. The Stanley Cup playoffs were unkind with St. Louis losing in the first round to the San Jose Sharks. Playing starring roles on the 1999-00 Blues were Pavol Demitra, Chris Pronger and Al MacInnis.

Joel played over 800 games in the NHL from 1978-79 to 1990-91 with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Colorado Rockies, New Jersey Devils, Hartford Whalers and Washington Capitals. He has been a head coach in the National Hockey League since 1996-97. He began with the Blues and after a stint with the Colorado Avalanche, settled in with the Chicago Blackhawks. He was behind the bench for Chicago’s Stanley Cup victories in 2009-10 and 2012-13.

 

Ken Hitchcock 2011-12

 

Hitchcock took over as head coach of the Blues during the 2011-12 season, replacing Davis Payne 13 games into the campaign. It was his first head coaching job since getting let go by the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2009-10. Ken led St. Louis to a first place tie in the Eastern Conference with the New York Rangers and just to points behind the Vancouver Canucks for first overall in the National Hockey League. The Blues were swept in the second round by eventual Stanley Cup champions, the Los Angeles Kings.

 

Never a player, Hitchcock got his start in coaching with the Kamloops Blazers in the WHL. The Blazers never had a losing season during Ken's six years behind the bench. He started out in the NHL in 1990-91 as an assistant coach with the Philadelphia Flyers, under head coach Paul Holmgren. Since 1995-96, Hitchcock has been a head coach in the NHL with the Dallas Stars, Philadelphia Flyers, Columbus Blue Jackets and the Blues. He won a Stanley Cup championship with the Stars in 1998-99.

 

1st Stanley Cup Playoff Action For The 1967 NHL Expansion Teams

For the 1967-68 hockey season, the National Hockey League added six expansion teams to double the number of teams in the league. Although the six new franchises were dismal, their odds of reaching the post-season were quite good. The NHL, in all their wisdom, created two divisions, the East and West. In the East, they placed all the existing ‘Original 6’ teams. In the West were all the expansion clubs. No matter their record, the top four in each division qualified for the playoffs.

That said, four of the six expansion teams, despite none having a .500 record, saw their first playoff action in their first year of existence. Because of the odd division setup, one of these four teams would get a chance to play in the Stanley Cup finals.

Here’s a little history into each of the six 1967 expansion team’s first experience with the Stanley Cup post-season, in no particular order.

Pittsburgh Penguins

The Penguins were slow out of the gate and did not qualify for the playoffs until their third year in the NHL. In 1969-70, Pittsburgh placed second in the West Division with just 64 points in 76 games, 26 points behind the division leader, the St. Louis Blues. During the regular season, the team was led offensively by Dean Prentice with just 51 points in 75 games. The Penguins were coached by Red Kelly.

Pittsburgh came up against the Oakland Seals in the quarter-finals and swept the series in four games. Oakland had finished the regular season fourth with 58 points. The Seals were tied in points with the Philadelphia Flyers but were awarded the final playoff spot on more wins. Two games were decided by just one goal and the fourth game went into overtime. In the semi-finals, the Penguins fell to St. Louis in six games.

In the post-season, Pittsburgh was led by Michel Briere. The rookie had five goals and eight points in ten games and was said by many to be on his way to super-stardom. Unfortunately, in the off-season, Briere was involved in a car accident that placed him in a coma. He died a year later.

Los Angeles Kings

The Kings finished their inaugural NHL season with 72 points, placing second in the West, one point behind the Philadelphia Flyers. Another Red Kelly coached team, Los Angeles was led by Eddie Joyal during the regular season, contributing 57 points in 74 games.

Los Angeles came up against the Minnesota North Stars in the quarter-finals and the series went the full seven games. The Kings held a 3-2 lead in the series but Minnesota won game six in overtime then blew out the Kings in game seven, 9-4. L.A. was led offensively in the series by Lowell MacDonald and Doug Robinson who totalled seven points each.

The Kings would win their first playoff series the following year. In the 1968-69 Stanley Cup quarter-finals, Los Angeles beat their California Rivals, the Oakland Seals, in seven games to advance.

Philadelphia Flyers

The Flyers were the first of the six 1967 expansion teams to capture the Stanley Cup, but that wouldn’t come until 1973-74. In 1967-68, Philadelphia qualified for the post-season, finishing first in the West with just 73 points in 74 games. The team was led by Lou Angotti with just 49 points in 70 games.

Philadelphia met the Blues in the quarter-finals with the series going the full seven games before St. Louis came out victorious. The Flyers were led offensively by Forbes Kennedy and Andre Lacroix with five points each. Philly would not win their first playoff series until 1972-73 when they beat the North Stars 4-2 in the quarter-finals.

St. Louis Blues

The Blues were the top expansion franchise right out of the gate, reaching the Stanley Cup finals in their first three years of existence. As mentioned earlier, the Blues beat the Flyers in their first playoff series, a quarter-final meeting that went the full seven games. St. Louis then took out Minnesota in seven games to earn a berth in the Stanley Cup finals. The Montreal Canadiens swept the Blues in four.

During the 1967-68 regular season, the Blues finished third in the West with 70 points, just three points out of first place. In regular season play, it was Red Berenson leading the way with 51 points in 55 games. In the playoffs, a Hockey Hall of Famer had his last kick at the can. Dickie Moore led the team with 14 points over 18 games.

Oakland Seals

The Oakland Seals played in the Stanley Cup playoffs just twice in an NHL existence that lasted from 1967-68 to just 1975-76. After that, the franchise moved to Ohio, where they became the Cleveland Barons for two years. Somewhere in the Dallas Stars bloodlines lie this ill-fated California team.

Their first series came in 1968-69 when they met the St. Louis Blues in the quarter-finals. The Seals extended the series to seven but couldn’t conquer the Blues. During the regular season, the Seals had their best year in their short history, finishing second in the West with 69 points. The team was led in the regular season by Ted Hampson with 75 points in 76 games. In the post season, it was Earl Ingarfield leading the way with ten points in seven games.

Oakland, later known as the California Golden Seals, would reach the post season on just one other occasion. In 1969-70, the Seals met the Pittsburgh Penguins in the quarter-finals. The Penguins made haste with a four game sweep.

Minnesota North Stars

The direct descendant of the modern day Dallas Stars, Minnesota clung to the fourth and final playoff spot in their first year with 69 points in 74 games. The North Stars were led during the regular season by Wayne Connelly with 56 points in 74 games.

Minnesota faced off against the Los Angeles Kings in the quarter-finals and took the full seven games to eliminate their foes. The North Stars then went another full seven games in the semi-finals before falling to the St. Louis Blues. In the post season, it was Bill Goldsworthy leading the way with 15 points in 14 games.

NHL Hockey Trivia: Al Arbour

Al Arbour played 626 games in the National Hockey League from 1953-54 to 1970-71. Yet it was his accomplishments as a head coach with the New York Islanders than earned him a spot in the Hockey Hall of Fame. Test and expand your knowledge of Al Arbour and the NHL with these hockey trivia questions.

Q. What team did Al Arbour begin his NHL career with?

A. Arbour began his NHL career with the Detroit Red Wings during the 1953-54 season. Arbour played with Detroit until the end of the 1957-58 season. He began the next year with the Chicago Black Hawks. He would also play for the St. Louis Blues and Toronto Maple Leafs.

In 1953-54, Al played in 36 games with the Red Wings and contributed just one assists. He also appeared in 19 games in the QHL with the Sherbrooke Saints. Arbour would not play in the National Hockey League again until the Stanley Cup playoffs in 1955-56. After a full season in the WHL with the Edmonton Flyers, Al joined the Red Wings for the playoffs. He played in four of the team’s ten post season games as Detroit fell in the finals to the Montreal Canadiens.

Q. What team did Al Arbour play his final NHL game with?

A. Arbour played his final season, 1970-71 with the St. Louis Blues. He took over as head coach of the Blues during that season. In that final year, Arbour played just 22 regular season games. He was credited with 50 games as head coach of the team before being replaced by Scotty Bowman. In the playoffs, Al played another six games for the Blues. St. Louis fell in the opening round to the Minnesota North Stars in six games, ending their run of consecutive Stanley Cup finals appearances at three. In his four years as a player with St. Louis, Arbour served as team captain.

Q. How many years did Al Arbour coach the New York Islanders?

A. Arbour coached the Islanders for nineteen seasons, beginning in 1973-74. He coached through to the end of the 1985-86 season. He then took over as head coach again in 1988-89 and lasted until the end of the 1993-94 season. He coached one game in the 2007-08 season.

Q. How many Stanley Cup winning teams did Al Arbour coach?

A. Arbour coached the New York Islanders to four consecutive Stanley Cups from 1979-80 to 1982-83. These were the only four Stanley Cups that Arbour would win. Leading up to that dynastic run, the Islanders reached the final four in four of Al’s first six years behind the bench in Long Island. The team fell in the semi-finals in 1974-75, 1975-76, 1976-77 and 1978-79. In 1983-84, New York reached the final again, looking for their fifth straight championship but fell to the Edmonton Oilers in five games. Arbour reached the semi-finals one more time, losing to the Montreal Canadiens in 1992-93.

NHL Hockey Trivia: St. Louis Blues Individual Single Season Records

The St. Louis Blues were one of six teams to enter the National Hockey League in 1967-68 as part of the first wave of modern expansion. The individual records of the Blues were certainly not all set in a couple of magical seasons, as is with the case with many NHL teams. The current team records range in the date they were set from the second year of the franchise to just three years ago.

Test and expand your hockey trivia knowledge of the St. Louis Blues individual records with these four St. Louis Blues trivia questions.

Q. What player holds the St. Louis Blues record for most assists in a single season?

A. Adam Oates had 90 assists in the 1990-91 season, mostly setting up line mate Brett Hull. This was not the best season for Oates when it came to assists. The setup man had 97 helpers with the Boston Bruins in 1992-93. Oates finished his career in sixth on the NHL all-time list for assists with 1,079.

Q. What goalie broke a long standing team record for most shutouts in a season in 2011-12?

A. In 2011-12, Brian Elliott broke a long standing franchise record with nine shutouts. The mark topped a performance by a Hockey Hall of Fame goalie in just the team’s second year in the National Hockey League. Glenn Hall, the team’s main goalie for their first two seasons in the NHL, held opponents goal-less eight times in the 1968-69 season. The effort earned him his third Vezina Trophy.

What’s really impressive about Elliott’s record is that he was not the number one goalie for St. Louis in 2011-12. Brian played in 38 games while Jaroslav Halak appeared in 46. The two combined for 15 shutouts on the season. In 1968-69, Hall appeared in 41 games while Jacques Plante played in 37. The duo combined for 13 shutouts. It should be noted that the schedule in 1968-69 was six games shorter than it was in 2011-12.

Q. Who holds the St. Louis Blues record the most penalty minutes in a single season?

A. In 1975-76 Bob Gassoff sat out 306 minutes. Gassoff was killed shortly after the end of the following season in a freak motorcycle accident. His number 3 was retired by the team the following season and is one of only six St. Louis Blues retired numbers. 1975-76 was the third of just four seasons Bob played in the NHL before his untimely demise.

Q. What St. Louis Blues goaltender holds the team record for the highest save percentage in a single regular season (minimum 25 games played)?

A. Brian Elliott broke another record in 2011-12. Elliott recorded an amazing .940 save percentage to go along with his nine shutouts and team record 1.56 goals against average. The previous record had been set just a few years before by Chris Mason. Elliott simply shattered Mason’s mark of .916. However, Chris saw plenty more action, appearing in 57 games for the Blues in 2008-09.

6 St. Louis Blues With 100 Point Seasons

The St. Louis Blues entered the National Hockey League for the 1967-68 season along with five other teams, doubling the league in size. It took until the 1980-81 season before the Blues had a player surpass the 100 point plateau in a single season. Six different players to date have accomplished the feat in St. Louis history, two have done it four times and one has done it twice. 1993-94 was the last time a Blues player surpassed 100.

Bernie Federko

Bernie Federko was the first ever St. Louis Blues player to reach 100 points in a season. Bernie accomplished the feat a total of four times over his career with St. Louis. In 1980-81, he totalled 104 then topping that with 107 in 1983-84. He added 103 in 1984-85 and 102 the following season. In the first three years, he finished ninth in the NHL for points. In 1985-86, his 102 points weren’t good enough to make the top 10.

Federko played with St. Louis from 1976-77 to 1988-89 after being the seventh overall pick by the club at the 1976 NHL Amateur Draft. In junior hockey, he was awarded the Brownridge Trophy as the WHL’s top scorer, accumulating 187 points with the Saskatoon Blades. The Brownridge Trophy has since been renamed the Bob Clarke Trophy.

Brett Hull

Brett Hull also surpassed 100 points four times as a member of the Blues. In four consecutive seasons, starting in 1989-90, he accomplished the feat. In 1990-91, he recorded 131 points with the help of 86 goals. The point total is a St. Louis Blues record and the 86 goals is the second highest total in NHL history, behind Wayne Gretzky’s 92. In 1989-90, Hull has 113 points, in 1991-92 it was 109 and in 1992-93 he totalled 101.

Hull was originally drafted in the sixth round of the 1984 NHL Entry Draft by the Calgary Flames. He played with St. Louis from 1987-88 to 1997-98. Brett was awarded the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP in 1990-91 for his stellar performance.

Adam Oates

Adam Oates twice recorded more than 100 points in a season with the Blues, 1989-90 (102) and 1990-91 (115). He would accomplish the feat twice more with the Boston Bruins, topping out at 142 points in 1992-93. Oates was undrafted and started out his NHL career with the Detroit Red Wings. Adam played for the Blues from 1989-90 to 1991-92.

Doug Gilmour

Doug Gilmour contributed 105 points in 1986-87, finishing fifth in the NHL. Gilmour played with St. Louis from 1983-84 to 1987-88 after being a late seventh round pick by the club at the 1982 NHL Entry Draft. He topped 100 points twice more in his career, both times with Toronto, topping out at 127 points in 1992-93. Gilmour earned the Eddie Powers Trophy in the Ontario Hockey League after a 177 point performance with the Cornwall Royals.

Craig Janney

Craig Janney had a 106 point season in 1992-93. The total didn’t even place in the top ten that season, with Mark Recchi’s 123 points holding down tenth spot. Janney played with St. Louis from 1991-92 to 1994-95. He was originally a first round pick of the Boston Bruins in 1986.

Brendan Shanahan

Brendan Shanahan was the last St. Louis player to crack the 100 point plateau. In 1993-94, Shanahan reached 102 points and finished eighth in the NHL. Brendan played for the Blues from 1991-92 to 1994-95. He was originally a second overall pick by the New Jersey Devils in 1987.

Hockey Trivia: St. Louis Blues Retired Numbers

The St. Louis Blues entered the National Hockey League for the 1967-68 season, along with five other teams which doubled the NHL in size. The Blues immediately made their mark, making it to the Stanley Cup finals in their first three seasons, something they have not done since.

The team has officially retired the jersey numbers of six players and unofficially has honoured three others. Test and expand your knowledge of St. Louis Blues retired number hockey trivia with the following four questions.

Q. Number 24 is retired by the St. Louis Blues for what player?

A. Bernie Federko was the seventh overall pick in the 1976 NHL Entry Draft by the Blues. Federko played with St. Louis from 1976-77 to 1988-89 and was team captain in his final year with the club. His final year in the National Hockey League was spent with the Detroit Red Wings. Over the summer of 1989, Bernie, along with Tony McKegney, was traded to Detroit for Adam Oates and Paul MacLean. He was elected into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2002, way too long after retiring.

Q. The Blues retired number 2 in honour of what defenseman?

A. Al MacInnis was the 15^th overall pick of the Calgary Flames in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft. McInnis played for the Blues from 1994-95 to 2003-04. In 1990-91, while still a member of the Flames, Al totalled 103 points. The point total makes one of just five defensemen in National Hockey League history to reach the 100 point plateau. The other four are Bobby Orr, Paul Coffey, Denis Potvin and Brian Leetch. Al was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2007.

Q. Number 3 is retired by the St. Louis Blues in honour of which player?

A. Bob Gassoff played just four years with the Blues before his life was cut short due to a fatal motorcycle accident in the off-season after the 1976-77 season. The third round pick by St. Louis at the 1973 NHL Amateur Draft, Gassoff played in 245 regular season NHL games, all with the Blues. He scored just 11 goals and totalled 58 points but filled a specific role with 866 penalty minutes.

Q. St. Louis retired number 8 to recognize what player?

A. Barclay Plager was an original St. Louis Blue, getting his start in the NHL with St. Louis during their inaugural season, 1967-68. He played with the team until the end of the 1976-77 season and was part of the team’s coaching staff until his death in 1988 from cancer. From 1972-73 to 1975-76, Plager served as team captain. After four years of junior hockey in the OHA with the Peterborough Petes, Barclay’s pro career started in 1961-62. He played several years of minor pro hockey in the EPHL, AHL, CPHL and WHL before catching on with the Blues.