Famous Moments in February
Wayne Gretzky – February 1
1980 – Wayne Gretzky (Edmonton Oilers) scored his first career hat trick on February 1, 1980. Gretzky scored 50 hat tricks during regular season games and 10 hat tricks during play-off matches.
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwBaF7D5DmE
Ian Turnbull – February 2
1977 – Ian Turnbull (Toronto Maple Leafs) scored 5 goals on February 2, 1977 and set a record for most goals by a defenceman in the NHL. Turnbull set one more record, he needed only 5 shots for those 5 goals and this is still a record which was never equalled. Watch his fifth goal:
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9Ah3aLgkHI
Gordie Howe – February 3
1966 – Gordie Howe (Detroit Red Wings) scored his 20th goal of the season in the 20th straight season on February 3, 1966.
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRMoKfumG6U
Jaromír Jágr – February 4
2003 – Jaromír Jágr (Washington Capitals) scored his 500th career goal on February 4, 2003.
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDX0pxdidB4
John Roach – February 5
1933 – John Roach (Detroit Red Wings) recorded his 50th career shutout on February 5, 1933. Roach became just the sixth goaltender to record 50 shutouts in the NHL.
Dale Haverchuk – February 6
1988 – Dale Haverchuk (Winnipeg Jets) scored his 300th goal on February 6, 1988 in 8-8 tie between Jets and North Stars.
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1T4UxP1trs
Darryl Sittler – February 7
1976 – Darryl Sittler (Toronto Maple Leafs) recorded 10 points for 6 goals and 4 assists on February 7, 1976. This is still NHL record for most points in one game. Watch all points at
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5cOb8IVK5c
Canada, USSR and Gordie Howe – February 8
1948 – On February 8, 1948, Canada won the last game of the tournament 3-0 over Switzerland at the V Olympic Winter Games which was held in St. Moritz, Switzerland. It was the fifth gold medal for Canada (including 1920).
1964 – On February 8, 1964, USSR won the last game of the tournament 3-2 over Canada at the IX Olympic Winter Games which was held in Innsbruck, Austria. It was the second gold medal for USSR.
1970 – Gordie Howe (Detroit Red Wings) scored his 750th goal in his career on February 8, 1970.
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4vCA_eyYUg
Tim Kerr – February 9
1985 – Tim Kerr (Philadelphia Flyers) scored his third season natural hat trick on February 9, 1985. Definition of a natural hat trick: a natural hat trick is when a player scores three consecutive goals in the same game, uninterrupted by any other scoring.
Stan Mikita – February 10
1974 – Stan Mikita (Chicago Black Hawks) scored his final hat trick on February 10, 1974. It was Mikita’s 16th career hat trick. Stan Mikita was born in Slovakia as Stanislav Guoth on May 20, 1940. In 1948, to escape communist Czechoslovakia, Stan Mikita moved to Canada to live with his aunt and uncle.
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkurOuIwW6M
Steve Yzerman – February 11
1992 – Steve Yzerman (Detroit Red Wings) recorded his 500th career assists on February 11, 1992. Yzerman stayed whole career in Detroit Red Wings and won with Detroit three Stanley Cups. Yzerman also won gold medal in 2002 Olympic games and gold in Canada Cup 1984.
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkcrJYtJftg
Jacques Plante – February 12
1972 – Jacques Plante (Toronto Maple Leafs) recorded 79th career shutout on February 12, 1972. Jacques Plante is one of the best goaltenders in the history of hockey. He is the first goaltender who wore a goaltender mask on regular basis, since 1959-60 season. Jacques Plante developed and tested many masks during his career. He recorded 82 shutouts in regular season games and his team won 434 times out of 837 games, i.e., 52%. He won Stanley Cups 6 times, Vezina Trophy 7 times, he is member of NHL Hockey Hall of Fame, Canada Sports Hall of Fame, Montreal Canadiens retiered his jersey #1, etc.
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSRHszuR0qo
Dominik Hašek – February 13
2002 – Dominik Hašek (Buffalo Sabres) recorded his 60th career shutout on February 13, 2002. Dominik Hašek is one of the best goaltenders in the history of ice hockey and he earned the nickname The Dominator.
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXBgShPGK0g
Mike Knuble and USSR – February 14
2003 – Mike Knuble (Boston Bruins) set a record for two fastest goals from the start of the game on February 14, 2003. Knuble scored the first goal at the time 00:10 and the second goal at the time 00:27.
1976 – On February 14, 1976, USSR won the last game of the tournament 4-3 over Czechoslovakia at the XII Olympic Winter Games which was held in Innsbruck, Austria. It was the fifth gold medal for USSR.
Jaromír Jágr – February 15
1972 – Jaromír Jágr (Czech Republic) was born on February 15, 1972 in Kladno, Czech Republic. Jágr is one of best ice hockey players in history of this game. In NHL, Jágr played for Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitals, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Dallas Stars and New Jersey Devils. Jágr also played for Avangard Omsk in KHL. He is considered as the best European player in the whole history of the NHL. Jaromír Jágr won two Stanley Cups, he is also 5 times winner of Art Ross Trophy (most points in the season). Jágr is member of Triple Golden Club (winners of Stanley Cup, World Championship and Olympics gold medal; as of 2013, Triple Golden Club has only 25 members). Jágr is also owner of many records in the NHL, e.g., most consecutive 30-goal seasons (15 seasons).
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5r3JPvpEgTg
Tony Esposito and Great Britain – February 16
1936 – On February 16, 1936, Great Britain won their first, and the last, gold medal in the hockey tournament in the Olympic Games. It was in the IV Olympic Winter Games which was held in Garmish-Partenkirchen, Germany.
1974 – Tony Esposito (Chicago Black Hawks) recorded 45th shutout on the February 1979. It was his second straight shutout.
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MeRUePAUP4
USSR and Ken Dryden – February 17
1968 – On February 17, 1968, USSR won the last game of the tournament 5-0 over Canada at the X Olympic Winter Games which was held in Grenoble, France. Thanks to this win and thanks to the tie between Czechoslovakia and Sweden on the same day, USSR won their third gold medal.
1979 – Ken Dryden (Montreal Canadiens) recorded his final career shutout on February 17, 1979. It was his 46th career shutout.
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5VhjF0wJew
Alec Connell – February 18
1928 – Alec Connell (Ottawa Senators) recorded his 6th consecutive shutout; from January 31 to February 18, 1928. In total, it was 461:29 minutes with no goal!
Canada and Bernie Geoffrion – February 19
1928 – On February 19, 1928, Canada won the last game of the tournament 13-0 over Switzerland at the II Olympic Winter Games which was held in St. Moritz, Switzerland. It was the third gold medal for Canada (including 1920).
1955 – Bernie “Boom Boom” Geoffrion (Montreal Canadiens) scored 5 goals in one match on February 19, 1955.
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFO1EzX3X80
Nagano – Tournament of the Century – February 20
1998 – Semi-finals of the Tournament of the Century in Nagano – Czech Republic beat Canada 2-1 (SO) and Russia beat Finland 7-4 (including Pavel Bure’s 5 goals) and they made their way to the final of the Olympic hockey tournament in Nagano, 1998. All NHL stars were allowed to play in this tournament and therefore it is nicknamed “Tournament of the Century”. Watch legendary shootout (Dominik Hašek vs. Patrick Roy)
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zb9-hbwmb0Y
Nagano – Tournament of the Century – February 21
1998 – Bronze medal game of the Tournament of the Century in Nagano – Finland was able to beat Canada 3-2 in the bronze medal game of the Olympic hockey tournament in Nagano, 1998. All NHL stars were allowed to play on this tournament and therefore it is nicknamed “Tournament of the Century”.
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSYXmzwTuiE
Nagano – Tournament of the Century and Teemu Selänne – February 22
2014 – Teemu Selänne scored two goals the bronze medal game in Sochi Olympics on February 22, 2014. Finland won 5-0 over USA and two goals of Selänne tied him on the first place to Vladimír Zábrodský (Czechoslovakia) and Sven “Tumba” Johansson (Sweden). All three of them achieved 25 goals in the Olympics tournaments.
1998 – Gold medal game of the Tournament of the Century in Nagano – spectators in the Big Hat Hall have seen only one goal that night. Petr Svoboda scored at the time 48:08 and thanks to him, phenomenal Dominik Hašek, great team play and great coach Ivan Hlinka, Czech Republic won the Olympic Tournament for the first time in the history. Moreover, this tournament was special as all NHL stars were allowed to play in this tournament and therefore it is nicknamed “Tournament of the Century”. Watch gold medal goal of Petr Svoboda:
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tJzc53uinQ
Mario Lemieux and Jaromír Jágr – February 23
2014 – On February 23, 2014, Canada won the last gold medal game 3-0 over Sweden at the XXII Olympic Winter Games which was held in Sochi, Russia. It was the ninth gold medal for Canada (including 1920).
1996 – Mario Lemieux and Jaromír Jágr (Pittsburgh Penguins) scored their 50th goal of the season on February 23, 1996. It was just the second time in the history when two teammates scored 50th goal of the season in the same game. Video of these two great players:
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISyDDlwTicI
United States and Wayne Gretzky – February 24
1980 – On February 24, 1980, United States won 4-2 over Finland at the XIII Olympic Winter Games which was held in Lake Placid, United States. Because of this win and because of the Miracle on ice (4-3 United States’ win over Soviet Union on February 22, 1980) United states won their second gold medal.
1982 – Wayne Gretzky (Edmonton Oilers) scored his 77th goal of the season on February 24, 1982. Gretzky broke by this goal record of Phil Esposito for most goals in the season. Gretzky scored 92 goals in that season. As of 2014, this is still NHL record. Record goal of Wayne Gretzky:
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwEI4xpf3mc
Terry Sawchuk – February 25
1967 – Terry Sawchuk (Toronto Maple Leafs) recorded his 99th shutout in the NHL. Nowadays, the record for most shutouts is hold by Martin Brodeur.
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GmgH9OM7kI
Mario Lemieux – February 26
1989 – Mario Lemieux (Pittsburgh Penguins) recorded his 100th assists of the season. He became just the third player in the NHL history to achieve this milestone. Before Lemieux, only Wayne Gretzky and Bobby Orr were able to collect 100 assists in one season.
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gu1Hq-13JcY
Rick Tocchet – February 27
1988 – Rick Tocchet (Philadelphia Flyers) scored four goals and added one assist on February 27, 1988.
U.S. Hockey Team – February 28
1960 – U.S. Hockey Team scored 6 goals in the third period to beat Czechoslovakia 9-4 in the medal round. Thanks to this U.S. Team won gold medal at the Squaw Valley Olympic Games with amazing record of the medal round: 5 wins in 5 matches and score 29-11. United States won their first gold medal in Olympics. This is video from game with Soviet Union where U.S. Team won 3-2.
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UM1PaFtKCw
Gordie Howe – February 29
1980 – Gordie Howe (Hartford Whales) scored his 800th goal on February 29, 1980.
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4vCA_eyYUg