Stan Mikita Nets 4 in Chicago’s First-Ever Home Game vs. Penguins

On December 6, 1967, Stan Mikita recorded the first four-goal game of his Hall of Fame career as the Chicago Blackhawks hosted the expansion Pittsburgh Penguins for the very first time at Chicago Stadium.

Despite Pittsburgh being in its inaugural NHL season, both teams entered the contest with nine wins apiece. Mikita wasted no time setting the tone, scoring just 3:58 into the game on Les Binkley with help from Pierre Pilote and Ken Wharram. Though the Penguins answered quickly, Mikita struck again unassisted at 7:36. By the end of the first, it was tied 2-2 but that would be the last time Pittsburgh would find the back of the net.

Mikita completed his hat trick at 11:32 of the second, once again with help from Pilote and Wharram. This marker ultimately stood as the game-winner. In the third period, he added a fourth goal at 8:49, capping off a dominant performance. By then, Pittsburgh had swapped goaltenders, with Hank Bassen replacing Binkley following a Pierre Pilote goal late in the second.

Mikita wasn’t done, he also assisted on Bobby Hull’s second goal of the night, giving him a five-point evening. Hull had a two-goal, one-assist effort while racking up ten shots. Pilote finished with a goal and three helpers in a 7-2 Chicago victory.

Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Chicago Blackhawks in 1967-68

The Pittsburgh Penguins played the Chicago Blackhawks four times in their inaugural 1967-68 NHL season, two at the Pittsburgh Civic Arena and two at Chicago Stadium. In just their sixth game as a team, the Penguins knocked off the Hawks 4-2 at home on October 21, 1967. After Eric Nesterenko opened the scoring with a shorthanded goal for Chicago, Pittsburgh, powered by a Ken Schinkel hat trick, won their second game of the year and left the Blackhawks with an 0-5 record.

After the above mentioned 7-2 loss, the two teams battled to a 1-1 draw at the Civic Arena in mid-December. Ken Wharram scored for the visitors and Art Stratton scored for the Pens. Their final head-to-head on March 13, 1968 in Chicago was a close one. Chicago went up 3-0 by the midway point of the game but the Penguins made it close with the score ending 4-3 for the Blackhawks. 

Darryl Sittler Scores First NHL Goal After 19-Game Wait

In today's hot-take media landscape, an eighth overall pick going goalless for 19 games would be headline news. But in 1970-71, the Toronto Maple Leafs had the luxury of letting Darryl Sittler develop without the glare of daily scrutiny.

The highly touted rookie finally got on the scoresheet in game 20 of his NHL career. On November 28, 1970, the Leafs hosted the Detroit Red Wings at Maple Leaf Gardens. Toronto, off to a rocky start that season with just five wins in 20 games, had their way in this one, jumping to a 6-0 lead before Detroit finally broke the shutout.

At 1:41 of the third period, Sittler lit the lamp for the first time in the NHL, assisted by Mike Walton and Jim McKenny. The goal made it 7-2 Toronto. He wasn’t done. Sittler added an assist later in the period on a goal by Ron Ellis, capping off a strong two-point night. Both of Sittler’s points came against Detroit’s backup netminder Don McLeod, who had replaced Roy Edwards for the final frame.

Despite an injury-shortened season, Sittler added nine more goals over his 49-game rookie campaign. It was the beginning of a Hall of Fame worthy career: 484 goals, 1,121 points, and 1,096 games played with the Maple Leafs, Flyers, and Red Wings.

About Darryl Sittler

Darryl Sittler score 20 or more goals in 12 seasons, five of those with 40 or more. He topped out with a career high 45 for the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1977-78. That year, he also had a career best 117 points which placed him third in the race for the Art Ross Trophy behind Guy Lafleur and Bryan Trottier.

Sittler was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1989. In 2016, his jersey number 27 was retired by the Maple Leafs, a shared honour with Frank Mahovlich. A junior with the London Knights before being drafted to the NHL, Darryl's number 9 is retired by that club. He is the first ever first round pick to come out of the Knights.

NHL Hockey Card Legends: Darryl Sittler [Video]

Bobby Carpenter Explodes For 4 Goals and a Fight in Rookie Showcase vs. Blues

Washington Capitals rookie Bobby Carpenter put on a show for the home crowd in a breakout performance against the St. Louis Blues that NHL fans still talk about. Not only did Carpenter light the lamp four times, but he also dropped the gloves, making his mark as a rising star and tough competitor.

The Blues got on the board first, scoring the lone goal of the opening period. But after that, the Capitals took full control and Bobby Carpenter led the charge. His first goal came at 13:51 of the second period, his 20th of the season, assisted by linemates Mike Gartner and Lou Franceschetti. That made it 4-1 Washington, and Carpenter was just getting started.

The third period opened with a bang. Just 34 seconds in, Carpenter scored again. Only 25 seconds later, he completed the hat trick. And with just over two minutes to go, at 17:38, he buried his fourth goal of the night, his 23rd of the year. All told, the Capitals fired 46 shots at Blues netminder Mike Liut, scoring nine times in the blowout win.

But the goals weren’t Carpenter’s first appearance on the scoresheet. At 7:11 of the second period, before any of the scoring began, he squared off in a fight with St. Louis enforcer Jim Nill. Both players received five-minute majors. Nill would go on to fight again later in the game, this time against Washington’s Lee Norwood.

About Bobby Carpenter

The third overall pick at the 1981 NHL Entry Draft, behind Dale Hawerchuk and Doug Smith, didn't miss a game over his first five NHL season with the Washington Capitals. Over those four years with the Caps, he scored no less than 27 goals, topping out with a career high 53 in 1984-85.

Between 1981-82 and 1998-99, Bobby Carpenter played 1,178 regular season and 140 playoff games in the National Hockey League with the Capitals, New York Rangers, Los Angeles Kings, Boston Bruins and New Jersey Devils. He was a Stanley Cup champion with the Devils in 1994-95. From Beverly, Massachusetts, Carpenter was inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in 2007.