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Today in Hockey History: Dec. 24 & 25

It has been almost 50 years because the National Hockey League has performed on both Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. With that in thoughts, we’ve mixed all the good occasions from Dec. 24 and 25 into one column for the subsequent two days. All of us at The Hockey Writers want you a secure and joyful vacation season, and thanks for all of your loyal readership.

Christmas Eve Memories

Two of the earliest stars and pioneers in the NHL made historical past on Dec. 24, 1921. Future Hockey Hall of Famer King Clancy scored his first profession objective in the Ottawa Senators’ 10-0 rout of the visiting Montreal Canadiens. Punch Broadbent scored in the third interval to begin a streak of 16 video games consecutive video games with a objective, which remains to be the longest the league has ever seen.

If you had been an enormous fan of goaltender duels again in 1949, then you definitely received an early present when the Canadiens hosted the New York Rangers. Hall of Famers Bill Durnan and Chuck Rayner battled to a 0-0 tie. This was the one scoreless draw ever on both Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.

A pair of legendary Toronto Maple Leafs netminders had shutouts on this date. In 1952, Harry Lumley earned the 33rd shutout of his profession with a 2-0 win over the Canadiens. Johnny Bower picked up his 30th NHL shutout, on Dec. 24, 1966, by blanking the Boston Bruins 3-0.

Lumley had some big-time performances through the Christmas holidays. (THW Archives)

The Canadiens beat the visiting Detroit Red Wings 4-2 on Dec. 24, 1955, to increase their steak of permitting three-or-fewer targets to 25 consecutive video games.

Bernie Geoffrion and Donnie Marshall put coal in the stockings of their former crew on Dec. 24, 1966, by each scoring targets in the Rangers’ 4-3 win in Montreal.

Related – Hockey Royalty: Bernie “Boom Boom” Geoffrion


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The Maple Leafs performed their remaining recreation on Christmas Eve, on Dec. 24, 1969, as they blew out the Los Angeles Kings 8-1. They went 5-2-2 all-time in their Christmas Eve video games.

Three years later, on Dec. 24, 1972, the NHL scheduled video games on this date for the final time. The night time began with Ed Giacomin main the best way in the Rangers’ 5-0 win over the Red Wings. The shutout was the 40th of his profession, tying Dave Kerr for probably the most in franchise historical past. Pete Stemkowski led the offense with 4 assists.

The Kings had higher luck on this night time by beating the California Golden Seals 5-3. Juha Widling of the Kings scored an insurance coverage objective late in the third interval; the ultimate NHL objective scored on Christmas Eve.

Red Wings Love Christmas Day

If one crew was bummed out about not taking part in on Christmas Day anymore, it needed to be the Red Wings. On Dec. 25, 1930, the Detroit Falcons, who turned the Red Wings two years later, beat the Maple Leafs 10-1. The 10 targets had been probably the most scored by any crew on Christmas Day.

Syd Howe was a one-man present on Dec. 25, 1939, as he scored a hat trick in a 3-1 win over the Canadiens.

A decade later, on Dec. 25, 1949, Lumley turned the primary goaltender to document 150 wins as a member of the Red Wings. The milestone got here in one other win over Montreal, 4-2. Sid Abel assisted on three of the 4 Detroit targets.

Gordie Howe, no relation to Syd, had the most effective offensive recreation of his profession on Christmas Day 1956. He scored three targets and added three assists for his first profession six-point recreation in an 8-1 win over the Rangers.

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Eight years later, on Dec. 25, 1964, Howe supplied all of the offense in the Wings’ 2-2 tie with the Canadiens.

On Dec. 25, 1939, Alex Delvecchio picked up two assists in Detroit’s 6-3 loss on the Pittsburgh Penguins. The two helpers gave him 967 factors, placing him forward of Maurice Richard for third all-time in factors. At this time, he trailed solely Jean Beliveau and his teammate, Howe.

More Presents Under the Tree

The Chicago Blackhawks beat the Canadiens 3-1 on Dec. 25, 1963, in the first-ever recreation broadcast domestically on the radio.

The Canadiens performed their final Christmas Day recreation on the Forum in 1965, and Henri Richard was the hero. After aiding on the Habs’ first three targets of the night time, the “Pocket Rocket” scored the game-winning objective late in the third interval.

Stan Mikita scored a objective and prolonged his team-record help streak to 14 straight video games on Dec. 25, 1967, in the Blackhawks’ 3-1 win over the visiting Canadiens. He recorded 18 assists through the 14-game streak.

Few ever did it higher than Mikita. (THW Archives)

That identical night time, Seth Martin recorded a shutout in the St. Louis Blues’ 1-0 highway win on the Minnesota North Stars. This was simply the second shutout in Blues’ historical past and the one one for Martin in his NHL profession.

Shutouts had been a Christmas particular for the Blues as a result of one 12 months later, on Dec. 25, 1968, Glenn Hall shut out the North Stars in Minnesota 2-0. This was the 76th shutout of the Hall of Famer’s profession.

Dec. 25, 1971, was the ultimate Christmas Day that included NHL video games on the schedule. The Rangers beat the North Stars 2-1, bettering their all-time document on this date to 25-11-2, the most effective in league historical past.

The Golden Seals and Kings met on this night time, as properly. The remaining NHL Christmas Day objective was scored by the Seals’ Stan Gilbertson in their 3-1 highway victory.

Happy Birthday to You

A complete of 13 present and former NHL gamers had been born on Dec. 24. The most profitable gamers of the group are Matt Calvert (33) and the late Herb Cain and Red Sullivan. There are additionally 13 gamers who’ve skated in at the least one recreation in the NHL who was born on Christmas Day. The most notable names of this bunch are Dmitri Mironov (57), Jim Dowd (54), Stu Barnes (52), Mark Friedman (27), and the late Larry Cahan.




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