Nov. 1 was a big date for one of the greatest goaltenders in NHL history. Plus, there were numerous memories for hockey fans in Boston, Detroit, New York, Pittsburgh, and St. Louis. So, let’s take our daily trip back in time to relive all the best moments from this date.
Plante Changes the Game Forever
Goaltender Jacques Plante became a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame because of his incredible play between the pipes and the innovations he brought to the game. He had big moments in both of these categories on this date during his career.
Plante made his NHL debut on Nov. 1, 1952, as he was called up by the Montreal Canadiens to replace the injured Gerry McNeil. He beat the New York Rangers 4-1 on this night. He went 2-0-1 in his first three games in the league, giving up a total of four goals, before being sent back to the Montreal Royals upon McNeil’s return.
Exactly seven years later, on Nov. 1, 1959, Plante became the first goaltender to wear a mask during an NHL game. After taking an Andy Bathgate slapshot to the face, early in the first period, he returns to the ice sporting a fiberglass mask, which he had been wearing during practice.
The Canadiens beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-1 and Plante insists that he will no longer play without the mask. Initially, head coach Toe Blake was against the mask, but he eventually granted his star goaltender’s request and the rest, as they say, is history.
Bruins Have a Historic Day
The Boston Bruins will always look back on Nov. 1 with fondness. It was on this date in 1924 when they officially became an NHL franchise. The league announced they were expanding to six franchises and welcomed in the Bruins and the Montreal Maroons. Boston was the first team from the United States to join the NHL.
On Nov. 1, 1952, the Bruins took part in the first-ever nationally televised hockey game on CBC, as they traveled to Toronto to take on the Maple Leafs. They lost the game 3-2.
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The Bruins beat the Chicago Blackhawks 5-2 on Nov. 1, 1964, at the old Boston Garden. This was their first win of the 1964-65 season after a 0-8-1 start, the worst in franchise history. Ab McDonald scored the eventual game-winning goal early in the third period.
Goaltender Gerry Cheevers made 30 saves to record his 12th career shutout, on Nov. 1, 1970, when the Bruins beat the Minnesota North Stars 5-1. Cheevers’ counterpart, Cesare Maniago, made 54 saves in the losing effort.
Finally, on Nov. 1, 2000, general manager Harry Sinden stepped down from his position and named assistant GM Mike O’Connell as his replacement. Sinden had been the Bruins’ GM since October of 1972.
Production is the Word of the Day in Detroit
New head coach Tommy Ivan put together a combination that would become legendary on this date in 1947. He put center Sid Abel on a line with teenager Gordie Howe to his right and Ted Lindsay to his left. This trio eventually became known as “The Production Line,” as a nod to Detroit’s automobile industry. In their first full season together, Lindsay led the league with 33 goals while Abel and Howe each posted 44 points.
Fast forward to Nov. 1, 1988, when Steve Yzerman began a team-record 28-game point streak with two assists in the Red Wings’ 3-3 tie against the visiting Washington Capitals. He found the scoresheet in every game until finally the Vancouver Canucks held him without a point on Jan. 6, 1989. He scored 29 goals and 65 points during his streak.
Exactly two years later, Yzerman became the fifth player in Red Wings’ history to score 300 goals, in a 5-4 win over the Maple Leafs. He joined Howe, Lindsay, Alex Delvecchio and Norm Ullman as Detroit’s 300-goal scorers.
On Nov. 1, 1991, Brad McCrimmon ended his 99-game goal drought, when he scored in an 8-5 win over the Hartford Whalers. The streak dated back to Feb. 6, 1990.
Lastly, On Nov. 1, 2000, Larry Murphy had two assists in the Red Wings’ 4-2 win in Montreal. This gave him 1,201 points in his career, making him the third defenseman in league history to score at least 1,200 points, joining former teammate Paul Coffey and Ray Bourque.
Multiple Goals on Long Island
Germain Gagnon recorded the only hat trick of his career and the first in New York Islanders’ history on Nov. 1, 1972, in a 6-2 win over the Oakland Seals. This also happened to be the first road victory in franchise history, coming their just their second game away from home.
On Nov. 1, 1977, Bryan Trottier became the first player in team history to score four goals in a game. They came in a 9-0 route of the Atlanta Flames. Goaltenders Billy Smith and Goran Hogosta shared the shutout.
Mike Bossy matched Trottier’s feat on Nov. 1, 1984, in a 6-5 overtime loss to the Canadiens. Brent Sutter had an assist on all four tallies. This gave Bossy at least one goal in each of the Islanders’ first 10 games of the season. He had 17 total goals during this streak.
Penguins Make History
The first big moment to start November in Pittsburgh Penguins’ history came in 1969. Dean Prentice scored two goals to reach 300 in his career as the Penguins won 6-3 over the visiting North Stars. At the time, he became the 12th NHL player to join the 300-goal club.
Mario Lemieux scored a pair of goals on Nov. 1, 1992, in a Penguins 5-4 victory at the Tampa Lightning. He extended his franchise-record goal-scoring streak to 12 games, in which he lit the lamp 18 times.
Three years later, on Nov. 1, 1995, Lemieux had a goal and six assists in another win over the Lightning, this time with a 10-0 final score. This was the fourth time in his Hall of Fame career where he recorded six assists. Goaltender Ken Wregget earned the fourth shutout of his career in the blowout.
Last, but certainly not least, on Nov. 1, 2006, rookie Evgeni Malkin scored twice, including the game-winner, in a 4-3 overtime victory at the Los Angeles Kings. He became the first player since the 1917-18 season to score a goal in six straight games to start his career.
High Notes in St. Louis
Plante wasn’t done on this date. On Nov. 1, 1969, he recorded the 70th shutout of his career, leading the St. Louis Blues to an 8-0 the blowout of the Philadelphia Flyers. Red Bereson scored the second hat trick of his career, while Frank St. Marseille added two goals and three assists.
On Nov. 1, 1980, Bernie Federko began a team-record 10-game assist streak in the Blues’ 3-2 loss to the visiting Calgary Flames. Exactly six years later, he scored his 293rd career goal in a 3-3 tie with Pittsburgh, to become the franchise’s all-time leading goal scorer. He passed Garry Unger, who had 292 goals in a Blues uniform.
Rookie Doug Gilmour scored the first goal of his NHL career on Nov. 1, 1983, in the Blues’ 3-2 loss to the visiting Red Wings. He scored 149 goals with the Blues before being traded to the Flames in 1988.
Joel Quenneville became the first head coach to win 200 games with the Blues on Nov. 1, 2001, when they beat the visiting Carolina Hurricanes 4-3. He is still the team’s all-time leader with 307 wins.
David Perron scored just eight seconds into overtime on Nov. 1, 2019, to beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-3. This was the fastest overtime goal in franchise history. He also joined Joe Mullen as the only players to ever score two overtime goals for St. Louis in three games.
Odds & Ends
Howe signed his first-ever professional contract on Nov. 1, 1945, when the 16-year-old inked a deal with the Omaha Knights of the United States Hockey League.
Hall of Fame netminder Bernie Parent recorded his 100th NHL career victory on Nov. 1, 1973, as the Flyers beat the Blackhawks 1-0. This was also Parent’s fourth shutout in the team’s first 10 games of the season.
On Nov. 1, 1975, Billy Reay became just the second man to coach 1,000 games in the NHL as he led the Blackhawks to a 3-1 victory at the Red Wings. There are now 31 head coaches in league history to reach this plateau.
On that same night, Dennis Kearns became the first Canucks defenseman to score 100 career points when he picked up an assist in a 3-3 tie at the Blues.
Val James became the African-American player to skate in an NHL game on Nov. 1, 1981, when he suited up for the Buffalo Sabres in their 6-2 win over the Flyers. This was the first of just 11 NHL games he played in during his 10-season professional career.
One month into Minnesota’s 20th NHL season on Nov. 1, 1986, Craig Hartsburg became the first defenseman in North Stars’ history to score a hat trick. The one and only hat trick of his career came in a 6-5 home loss to the Blackhawks.
Brian Propp became the fifth player in Flyers’ team history to score 300 goals on Nov. 1, 1987, in a 4-1 win over the Los Angeles Kings at the Spectrum.
A pair of Blackhawks hit personal milestones on Nov. 1, 1990, in their 6-2 victory over the Quebec Nordiques. Steve Larmer scored two goals to reach 700 points in his career. Jeremey Roenick hit 100 points in his young career with a goal and two assists.
Speaking of personal milestones on Nov. 1, 1995, Mike Gartner scored his 1,200th career point, with an assist in a 4-2 Maple Leafs’ win at the Winnipeg Jets.
Joe Thornton became just the 20th player in NHL history to score 1,400 points on Nov. 1, 2017, with an assist in the San Jose Sharks’ 4-1 road win at the Nashville Predators.
On that same night, his longtime teammate Patrick Marleau scored the game-winning goal for the Maple Leafs as they beat the Anaheim Ducks 3-1. The veteran forward became just the eighth player in league history to score 100 game-winning goals.
On Nov. 1, 2021, Patrick Kane continued to move up the Blackhawks’ all-time points list passing Denis Savard into third with 1,097 points. He scored a hat trick and recorded four points in a 5-1 win over the Ottawa Senators.
Happy Birthday to You
A total of 19 current and former NHL players were born on Nov. 1. The best players of this lot include goaltender Phil Myre (75), Doug Halward (68), tough guy Tie Domi (54), Glen Murray (51), Matt Moulson (40), Tyler Pitlick (32), former AHL MVP Daniel Carr (32), Stuart Skinner (25), and the late Hall of Fame coach Al Arbour.
*Originally constructed by Greg Boysen
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