Marc Tardif & Frank Mahovlich Power Ken Dryden’s First NHL Shutout

Ken Dryden’s 1970-71 playoff heroics made him an instant legend. Six regular-season games, 20 playoff starts, and a Stanley Cup run that earned him the Conn Smythe Trophy before he won the Calder as rookie of the year. 

But one milestone escaped him during that magical spring: his first NHL shutout. That moment finally arrived early in the 1971-72 season.

Montreal travelled west to face the Vancouver Canucks at the Pacific Coliseum, just five games into the new campaign. The Canucks, still only in their second year, were a respectable 3-4-0 and held the Canadiens scoreless until the dying minutes of the first period. At 18:01, Marc Tardif broke through with the eventual game-winner on Dunc Wilson, assisted by Henri Richard.

Tardif struck again early in the second, his second of the night and fourth of the season, with J.C. Tremblay and Rejean Houle picking up helpers. From there, Frank Mahovlich took over the scoring, completing a natural hat trick that included a shorthanded tally set up by his brother, Pete.

While the offense rolled, Dryden did his part by turning aside all 28 Vancouver shots in a commanding 6-0 victory. Rosaire Paiement and Dale Tallon each fired four shots for the Canucks, but nothing found its way through.

The shutout was the first of eight for Dryden that season and the first of 46 in his Hall of Fame career. Remarkably, three of his eight blanks in 1971-72 came against Vancouver. Montreal swept all five matchups with the Canucks that year, outscoring them by a staggering 32-8 margin.

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NHL Hockey Trivia: Ken Dryden

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

1. In which season did Ken Dryden famously win the Conn Smythe Trophy before winning the Calder Trophy?

1970-71
1969-70
1971-72
1972-73

2. Ken Dryden spent his entire NHL career with which team?

Montreal Canadiens
Toronto Maple Leafs
Detroit Red Wings
New York Rangers

3. How many Vezina Trophies did Ken Dryden win during his NHL career?

Five
Two
Three
Six

4. Ken Dryden retired surprisingly early. How old was he when he played his final NHL game?

31
35
33
29

5. Which team did Dryden face in his first career postseason start — a series that helped launch him to the Conn Smythe?

Boston Bruins
Chicago Black Hawks
New York Rangers
Buffalo Sabres

When Denis DeJordy Ruled December: Chicago’s Forgotten Goalie Hero

Between the eras of Glenn Hall and Tony Esposito, Chicago fans were treated to another standout goaltender: Denis DeJordy. Though often overlooked, DeJordy was no mere stopgap; he shared the Vezina Trophy with Hall in 1966-67 before Hall was claimed by the St. Louis Blues in the 1967 NHL Expansion Draft.

With Hall gone, DeJordy took over as the Blackhawks’ number one goalie for the 1967-68 season and quickly proved he was up to the task. He posted a 2.71 goals-against average with four shutouts over 50 games, guiding Chicago past the Rangers in the playoffs before bowing out to the powerhouse Montreal Canadiens.

But it was December 1967 that defined his season, a stretch where DeJordy was simply unbeatable.

On December 10, he blanked the Philadelphia Flyers 3-0 at the Spectrum, stopping 30 shots as Doug Mohns and Bobby Hull provided the offense. A week later, on December 17, he turned away 29 shots to shut out the Toronto Maple Leafs 2-0 at Chicago Stadium, with Pit Martin finally breaking through Johnny Bower late in the third.

To cap off the month, DeJordy cruised to a 3-0 New Year’s Eve win over the expansion Oakland Seals, needing just 23 saves as Dennis Hull, Mohns, and Martin took care of the scoring.

His fourth and final shutout of the campaign came on February 29, when he stopped 38 shots in a 1-0 victory over Toronto at Maple Leaf Gardens with Bobby Schmautz netting the lone goal.

Though his time as Chicago’s starter was short-lived, Tony Esposito’s arrival soon pushed him out, DeJordy’s December heroics remain a bright chapter in Blackhawks history. After a stint with the Los Angeles Kings, his NHL career began to fade, but for one icy month in 1967, Denis DeJordy was as good as any goaltender in the league.

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NHL Hockey Trivia: Denis DeJordy 🏒

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

1. Denis DeJordy shared the 1966–67 Vezina Trophy with which legendary goaltender?

Tony Esposito
Glenn Hall
Gerry Cheevers
Eddie Giacomin

2. During December 1967, how many shutouts did DeJordy record for the Chicago Blackhawks?

Two
Three
Four
Five

3. Which future Hall of Famer replaced Denis DeJordy as Chicago’s starting goalie in 1969–70?

Ken Dryden
Bernie Parent
Tony Esposito
Ed Belfour

4. After leaving Chicago, which NHL team did Denis DeJordy play for as their number one goaltender?

Los Angeles Kings
Detroit Red Wings
St. Louis Blues
Pittsburgh Penguins

5. DeJordy was part of the Blackhawks organization between two of the greatest goalies in NHL history. Who were they?

Terry Sawchuk and Ken Dryden
Glenn Hall and Tony Esposito
Jacques Plante and Bernie Parent
Johnny Bower and Rogie Vachon