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]

Darryl Sittler 1972-73 O-Pee-Chee Vintage Hockey Card

 A quick look at a young Darryl Sittler of the Toronto Maple Leafs. In this 1972-73 O-Pee-Chee 188 hockey card, Sittler was struggling to find his spot in the National Hockey League. However, it was that 1972-73 season when Darryl began to be an offensive threat in the NHL. It was that year where his Hockey Hall of Fame career really started to take off.

Darryl Sittler Toronto Maple Leafs 1972-73 O-Pee-Chee 188 Hockey Card [Video]

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This Day In Hockey History: Tim Horton's Birthday

On January 12, 1930, the legendary Tim Horton was born in Cochrane, Ontario. 

Tim Horton 1963-64 Birthday Game

It's hard to find an actual game played by Tim Horton that took place on a January 12. But, on January 12, 1964, Horton and the Toronto Maple Leafs took on the Boston Bruins at the Boston Garden. The teams were opposite ends of the standings and it would be an understatement to say the game ended in an upset.

Going into the game, the Maple Leafs were 21-11-6. The Bruins were having a rough season with just seven wins, 24 losses and eight ties. It should have been a birthday cake walk for Tim and the Buds.

It was not. Boston came out on top 6-3. Goalie Eddie Johnston turned away 38 of 41 shots in the victory. The winning goal was scored by Dean Prentice in the second period with an assist from Andy Hebenton.

As for Horton, he was held off the scoresheet. In fact, he didn't even get a minor penalty. However, Tim led the Maple Leafs with five shots on net.

About Tim Horton

Tim Horton played 1,446 regular season and 126 playoff games in the National Hockey League between 1949-50 and 1973-74. Although most of his career was played with Toronto, he also played for the New York Rangers, Pittsburgh Penguins and Buffalo Sabres.

Horton helped the Maple Leafs to four Stanley Cup championships. He was a First Team All-Star defenseman on three occasions and was selected Second Team All-Star the same number of times.

Tim was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame posthumously in 1977. His number 2 was retired by the Buffalo Sabres in 1996. The Toronto Maple Leafs retired his number 7 in 2016.