Lanny McDonald's Short Time With The Colorado Rockies

On December 29, 1979, Lanny McDonald was traded from the Toronto Maple Leafs to the Colorado Rockies with Joel Quenneville for Wilf Paiement and Pat Hickey. McDonald hit the ground running (or skating) in Denver, scoring 25 goals in 46 games to finish out the 1979-80 NHL season.

Time In Denver

Lanny was with the Rockies for the full 1980-81 season and 16 games at the start of 1981-82. He scored a total of 66 goals for Colorado over 142 games (all in the regular season as the Rockies did not qualify for the post season). Interestingly, a few years later in 1982-83, McDonald scored that same number of goals in 80 games over one season with the Calgary Flames.

McDonald had just one hat trick over his time with the Rockies. On February 6, 1981, he scored three and added two assists in a 6-4 home win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Nick Ricci was in goal for the Pens for the first two goals and the third was scored into the empty net. Lanny assisted on markers by Lucien DeBlois and Mike Gillis.

In 1980-81, the Rockies won just 22 games. Lanny scored two game winning goals that year. The first was against the Minnesota North Stars in a 4-2 win. It was his only goal of the game but McDonald had a three point night, assisting on goals by Ed Cooper and Walt McKechnie. The second was in a 5-4 win over the Hartford Whalers when he scored at 13:48 of the third period on Mike Veisor, assisted by Mike McEwen and Merlin Malinowski.

Departure From The Rockies

On November 25, 1981, McDonald was traded to the Calgary Flames for Don Lever and Bob MacMillan. He played 16 games for the Rockies prior to the trade, including a three point game at Maple Leafs Gardens against the team that drafted him fourth overall at the 1973 NHL Amateur Draft.

Interestingly, Lanny's final game with the Rockies was against the Calgary Flames. In a 9-2 blowout loss, McDonald had one point, an assist on a Steve Tambellini goal. Two days later, he was playing for the Flames.

Danny Gare: The NHL's Rookie Sensation Who Made History in Just 18 Seconds!

On October 10, 1974, the Buffalo Sabres faced off against the Boston Bruins at the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium, marking the commencement of the 1974-75 season. DannyGare, selected in the second round, had already showcased his prowess with an impressive 68-goal season in the WHL playing for the Calgary Centennials, and now, he was poised to leave his mark in the NHL.

And leave his mark, he certainly did. Just 18 seconds into the game, Gare netted his inaugural NHL goal, receiving assists from Craig Ramsay and Don Luce against Boston's goaltender, Gilles Gilbert. As if that weren't enough, Gare also contributed an assist on Ramsay's goal during the second period, culminating in a two-point performance for the rookie.

This feat remains the second fastest goal scored at the start of an NHL career, with Gus Bodnar of the Toronto Maple Leafs holding the record for a 15-second goal during his debut on October 30, 1943, against the New York Rangers. Alex Mogilny came close to Gare's record, scoring at the 20-second mark during his first game with the Sabres in the 1989-90 season.

Gare's scoring prowess didn't diminish throughout the season. He concluded the campaign with 31 goals and 31 assists, totaling 62 points. Moreover, he added seven more goals during the playoffs, where the Sabres advanced to the final before falling to the Philadelphia Flyers. Gare's exceptional performance earned him third place in the Calder Trophy voting for NHL rookie of the year, trailing behind Eric Vail and Pierre Larouche.

Entering his second season, Gare defied any notions of a sophomore slump. In the 1975-76 season, he notched an impressive 50 goals, becoming only the second player in Sabres history to achieve this milestone. Rick Martin held the record with 52 goals in the 1973-74 season. Gare, Martin, Alex Mogilny, and Pat Lafontaine stand as the only four players in franchise history to surpass the 50-goal mark in a single season, with Gare and Martin accomplishing this feat twice.

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The Miracle in Minnesota: Mario Lessard's 65-Save Masterpiece

Adding to the awe of this tale is the fact that it unfolded under the watch of a goaltender boasting a career .875 save percentage in the NHL.

On the evening of March 24, 1981, Mario Lessard and the Los Angeles Kings descended upon the Met Center for an away fixture against the Minnesota North Stars. In terms of standings, the Kings held the advantage with 40 victories to Minnesota's 32.

The North Stars unleashed a barrage of 68 shots at Lessard, yet he managed to repel 65 of them. Minnesota surged to a 2-0 lead in the second period, only for Los Angeles to stage a remarkable comeback, tallying four unanswered goals. Ultimately, the Kings emerged triumphant with a narrow 4-3 victory.

Lessard's 65 saves remain unparalleled in a winning effort. While Ron Tugnutt later recorded a 70-save performance, it resulted in a tie. Notably, Lessard's feat eclipsed the NHL record of 64 saves, previously held by Joe Daley of the Buffalo Sabres in a 1970 contest against the Boston Bruins, which ended in an 8-2 defeat.

Larry Murphy and Jimmy Fox spearheaded the Kings' offensive charge, each contributing a goal and an assist. Meanwhile, Bobby Smith notched a goal and two assists for the North Stars, with Dino Ciccarelli leading their offensive onslaught with eight shots.

On the opposing end, Don Beaupre had a relatively uneventful evening, facing only 19 shots on goal. However, this relaxation may have proven detrimental, as he conceded four goals.

Mario Lessard's tenure in the NHL spanned 240 regular-season games and 20 playoff appearances, all with the Kings, from 1978-79 to 1983-84.

Mario Lessard Los Angeles Kings 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee 389 [YouTube Shorts]