As with any sport, professional hockey is filled with loads of incredibly memorable moments. Moments that make people jump out of their chairs and yell at the top of their lungs, whether they be for good reasons or bad. Moments like these are what make watching sports such a wonderful pastime, and in truth, there are far too many memorable moments to count. In this blog, we’ll discuss a few of the most memorable moments to ever occur in the NHL.
Gordie Howe Breaks Rocket Richards’s Goal Record
On November 10, 1963, during a game between the Detroit Red Wings and the Montreal Habs at the Olympia, Gordie Howe became the all-time leading goal-scorer in the league. His 545th career goal pushed him past Maurice “Rocket” Richard. Howe, who was commonly called “Mr. Hockey” would hold this record for another 31 years before Wayne Gretzky surpassed him.
Glenn Hall Starts 502 Consecutive Games
In 1962, Glenn Hall set a record by starting 502 consecutive games. His incredible streak included the 1961 Stanley Cup-winning season for the Chicago Blackhawks. After 8 years of this streak, Hall got held out of a game in 1962 against the Boston Bruins due to having a bad back. It’s commonly believed that this streak will probably never be beaten, as a modern goalie would need to start every single one of their team’s games for six-plus years if they wanted to surpass him.
Montreal Wins Its 5th Consecutive Stanley Cup
The Montreal Habs won their fifth consecutive Stanley Cup on April 14, 1960. They defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 4 at Maple Leaf Gardens. This was the last game for Maurice Richard. The Habs won the series in four games. No team in the history of NHL before or since that fateful day has been able to beat this record, and it’ll probably be a while before there’s a team that does.
Wayne Gretzky Gets Score 802, Passing Howe
On March 23, 1994, Wayne Gretzky passed his childhood idol, Gordie Howe (who achieved a similar feat before him against Maurice Richards), as the all-time leading goal-scorer in the league. The 802nd goal of his career came during a game between the Los Angeles Kings and the Vancouver Canucks at the Forum in California. Kirk McLean was the unfortunate goalkeeper who let in the goal. To this day, nobody has been able to surpass Gretzky’s monumental record.