Bill Clement Leads Atlanta Flames Past Rangers on New Year’s Eve 1976

On December 31, 1976, the Atlanta Flames rang in the New Year in style at Madison Square Garden with a 4-2 win over the New York Rangers.

The night belonged to Bill Clement, who had a hand in three of the four Flames goals. After a scoreless first period, the Rangers opened the scoring early in the second when Wayne Dillon beat Phil Myre just 59 seconds in. But Clement responded midway through the frame, scoring a shorthanded goal while Bobby Simpson was in the penalty box.

The Rangers regained the lead early in the third on a Mike McEwen marker, but the Flames stormed back with three unanswered goals. Bobby Simpson, Tom Lysiak, and Ken Houston all found the back of the net, with Clement assisting on the Simpson and Houston tallies. Tim Ecclestone added three assists of his own to match Clement’s three-point performance.

The Flames fired 45 shots on Gilles Gratton, with Guy Chouinard leading the way with eight and Lysiak adding seven. On the Rangers’ side, Phil Esposito had a frustrating night with seven shots, no points, and a -2 rating. In the final seconds, tempers flared as Esposito and Pat Quinn nearly tangled, resulting in roughing penalties.

About Bill Clement

Bill Clement played 719 regular season and 50 playoff games in the National Hockey League between 1971-72 and 1981-82 with the Philadelphia Flyers, Washington Capitals, Atlanta Flames and Calgary Flames. He was a two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Flyers.

Clement was a second round pick by the Flyers at the 1970 NHL Amateur Draft after three years of junior with the Ottawa 67's. Despite being a defensive forward, Bill stands as eighth overall in total points with the Atlanta Flames.

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NHL Hockey Trivia: Bill Clement

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

1. Bill Clement was originally drafted by which NHL team?

Philadelphia Flyers
Atlanta Flames
Washington Capitals
New York Rangers

2. Clement won two Stanley Cups early in his career. In which seasons did he capture them with the Flyers?

1972 & 1973
1973 & 1974
1974 & 1975
1975 & 1976

3. Bill Clement was part of a major trade that sent him from the Flyers to the Washington Capitals in 1975. Which future Hall of Famer went the other way?

Bernie Parent
Mel Bridgman
Bill Barber
Bill Clement was traded for the draft pick that became Mel Bridgman

4. Clement enjoyed his most productive offensive seasons with which team?

Philadelphia Flyers
Washington Capitals
Atlanta Flames
Colorado Rockies

5. After retiring from the NHL, Clement became well known as:

An NHL coach
A broadcaster and analyst
An NHL referee
A players’ agent

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

Bob Bourne Delivers Clutch Goals and Grit vs. the Jets

The New York Islanders dynasty wasn’t built solely on superstars like Mike Bossy, Bryan Trottier, and Denis Potvin. Players like Bob Bourne quietly carved out reputations as game-changers in crucial moments. On March 11, 1981, he delivered one of his finest performances.

That season, Bourne scored 35 goals, including nine on the power play, seven shorthanded, and five game-winners. He was the very definition of a special teams specialist, thriving when it mattered most.

When the Islanders visited the Winnipeg Jets at Winnipeg Arena, the matchup looked lopsided. New York had 39 wins, while the Jets had only eight. Yet after the first period, the game was knotted 2-2. Bourne picked up an assist on Mike Bossy’s 62nd goal of the year to help even the score late in the frame.

In the second period, with Bob Nystrom serving a penalty, Bourne struck shorthanded. At 10:04, he snapped home his 28th goal of the season past Michel Dion, assisted by Denis Potvin. It stood up as the game-winning goal in a 6-3 Islanders victory.

Just 45 seconds later, Bourne showed he could mix it up, too. Dropping the gloves with Danny Geoffrion, he earned a five-minute major for fighting, giving him a Gordie Howe Hat Trick.

Bourne capped his night by scoring into the empty net with three seconds left, finishing with a three-point performance. His 35 goals and 76 points that season were both career highs, and he remained a vital cog in the Islanders’ machine during their run of four straight Stanley Cups.

About Bob Bourne

Bob Bourne played 964 regular season and 139 playoff games in the National Hockey League between 1974-75 and 1987-88 with the New York Islanders and Los Angeles Kings. Bourne was originally a draft pick of the Kansas City Scouts. He was selected in the third round of the 1974 NHL Amateur Draft after a junior career with the Saskatoon Blades. He was traded to the Islanders just prior to the start of the 1974-75 NHL season.

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NHL Hockey Trivia: Bob Bourne

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

1. Bob Bourne spent the majority of his NHL career with which team?

Winnipeg Jets
New York Islanders
Calgary Flames
Minnesota North Stars

2. Bourne’s best NHL season came in 1980-81. How many goals did he score that year?

29
35
41
25

3. Bourne was part of how many consecutive Stanley Cup championships with the Islanders?

4
2
3
5

4. After leaving the Islanders, Bourne played for which NHL team?

New Jersey Devils
Toronto Maple Leafs
Los Angeles Kings
Buffalo Sabres

5. Which honor did Bob Bourne receive in 1988 recognizing his contributions beyond the game itself?

Induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame
Conn Smythe Trophy
Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy
Lester Patrick Trophy