The 1972-73 NHL season opened with something truly rare: two
brand-new franchises beginning their journey against each other. On
October 7, 1972, the New York Islanders and Atlanta Flames met at
Nassau County Coliseum, marking the first official NHL game in the
history of both clubs. And with two fresh teams on the ice, the night
gave fans a flood of “firsts” that would forever be etched into
the record books.
Atlanta struck first when Morris Stefaniw made Flames history, and
NHL trivia history, with the first goal in franchise history, a
shorthanded marker at 12:48 of the first period. Assisted by Lew
Morrison, the goal came with Randy Manery in the box for hooking.
Amazingly, that one moment was also the only NHL goal Stefaniw ever
scored, as his career lasted just 13 games that season.
The Islanders’ turn came late in the second period. Veteran Ed Westfall buried the first goal in Islanders history, and fittingly,
it came on the power play. With Larry Romanchych off for hooking,
Westfall capitalized on a setup from Germain Gagnon and Dave Hudson,
beating Phil Myre at 19:29 to give New York its first ever tally.
The Flames took control in the third when Bob Leiter scored the
first game-winning goal in franchise history, making it 3-1 at the
3:17 mark. The Flames would hold on for a 3-2 victory, giving Phil
Myre the first win ever recorded by an Atlanta goaltender. The game
also saw the first penalties for each franchise, Randy Manery for
Atlanta and Ken Murray for New York, adding to the long list of “day
one” milestones.
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Islanders vs. Flames: Comparing the 1972-73 Inaugural NHL
Seasons
When the NHL expanded for the 1972-73 season, two brand-new
franchises took the ice for the first time: the New York Islanders
and the Atlanta Flames. Both clubs launched their journeys on the
same night, October 7, 1972, but their inaugural seasons unfolded in
dramatically different ways. While the Islanders endured growing
pains, the Flames delivered one of the more competitive expansion
debuts of their era. Here’s a detailed look at how both teams fared
in their first year.
The Islanders struggled out of the gate, finishing last overall
with a 12-60-6 record. Their -177 goal differential remains one of
the roughest inaugural campaigns in league history. The Flames,
meanwhile, surprised much of the hockey world by playing disciplined,
structured hockey that earned them 65 points and a mid-pack finish in
the West Division. Though neither team qualified for the postseason,
Atlanta quickly showed it could compete with established clubs.
Offensively, both teams lacked star power, but the Flames
generated more balanced production. The Islanders leaned heavily on
Ralph Stewart and Billy Harris for scoring, while Atlanta spread its
offense across players like Rey Comeau, Bob Leiter, and Bobby
Stewart. Defensively, the contrast was even sharper: the Flames
allowed 102 fewer goals than the Islanders, thanks in part to
steadier goaltending.
Between the pipes, the Islanders split duties between future Hall
of Famer Billy Smith and Gerry Desjardins. Smith showed flashes of
what he would become, but the team in front of him struggled badly.
In Atlanta, Phil Myre and Dan Bouchard formed a reliable tandem that
kept the Flames competitive most nights.
Coaching and management also played major roles. The Islanders
changed coaches early in the season and relied heavily on long-term
planning from GM Bill Torrey, a strategy that eventually paid off
with multiple Stanley Cups. The Flames, guided by coach Boom Boom Geoffrion and GM Cliff Fletcher, took a more immediate competitive
approach, emphasizing structure over raw skill.
Ultimately, the debut seasons of these two expansion teams helped
shape their long-term identities. The Islanders’ early struggles
positioned them for franchise-defining draft picks and a dynasty that
dominated the early 1980s. The Flames set a foundation for
competitive hockey that would later flourish after the franchise
moved to Calgary.
NHL Hockey Trivia: 1972-73 Expansion
