Hockey Milestones! Stanley Cup, Records & Legends Born on April 1st

On April 1, 1919, the sixth and final game of the Stanley Cup Final was canceled because of an influenza epidemic. The series was a rematch of the 1917 Stanley Cup Final between the NHL champion Montreal Canadiens and the Seattle Metropolitans of the Pacific Coast Hockey League.

The Metropolitans won Games 1 and 3 before Game 4 was considered a tie after no goals were scored through two overtime periods. The Canadiens won Game 5 in overtime to even up the series at 2-2-1. Game 6 was canceled less than six hours before it was scheduled to begin as multiple players on both teams became ill. Canadiens player Joe Hall died of pneumonia brought on by the flu, four days later.

Originally the Canadiens wanted to forfeit the Cup to Seattle because they couldn’t dress a full lineup, but the manager-coach of the Metropolitans, Pete Muldoon, refused to accept it because the illness caused the shortage of players. No winner was ever declared, marking this as the only time the Stanley Cup was not awarded after the playoffs had begun.

On April 1, 1978, Mike Bossy of the New York Islanders became the first rookie in NHL history to score 50 goals with a pair of tallies against the Washington Capitals. This started a streak of nine consecutive seasons with at least 50 goals. He had 60 or more goals in five of those seasons. His streak is still a record today.

In fact, the only season of his career where he didn’t have at least 50 goals was his final one in 1986-87. A back injury limited Bossy to just 63 games, but he still managed to score 38 goals. He decided to take the 1987-88 season off to try different treatments on his declining back, but nothing worked. He officially retired in October 1988 at the age of 31.

Bossy's career is a testament to his talent and dedication, leaving an indelible mark on NHL history.

Rick MacLeish became the first player in Philadelphia Flyers history to score 50 goals in a season, on April 1, 1973, during a 5-4 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Goal No. 50 also made him just the second Flyer to have a 100-point season.

The Flyers played a historic game on April 1, 1976, when they beat the Capitals 11-2. Reggie Leach scored twice for his 59th and 60th goals of the season. He joined Phil Esposito as the only player in league history to score 60 goals in a single season. Three franchise records were set in the blowout victory. First, it was the team’s 19th straight win on home ice.

Hall of Famer Bobby Clarke had five assists in the game to set a new team record. Finally, the Flyers’ 62 shots on goal were the most they had ever posted in a single game.

On April 1, 1981, Gretzky broke Bobby Orr’s single-season record for assists, with his 103rd and 104th of the season, in a 4-4 Edmonton Oilers tie against the Colorado Rockies. Gretzky finished the season with a new NHL record of 109 assists. He, Orr, and Mario Lemieux remain the only three players to have 100 assists in a season in NHL history, but Gretzky did it 12 times in his career.

Seven years later, he became the first player in NHL history to record 1,200 career assists when he picked up three as the Kings beat the Vancouver Canucks 6-4. He finished his legendary career with 1,963 assists. Ron Francis is the only other player in league history to hit the 1,200-assist plateau.

These achievements solidify Gretzky as one of the greatest of all time, leaving an indelible mark on hockey history.

April 1st has been a prolific date in NHL history, with numerous players and teams reaching significant milestones. Mike Liut became the first goaltender in St. Louis Blues history to have a 30-win season on April 1, 1980, while Bernie Nicholls scored a hat trick to give him 70 goals on the season and 300 in his career on April 1, 1989.

In other milestones, Alex Ovechkin became the first player in Capitals history to skate in 1,000 NHL games on April 1, 2018, and Auston Matthews set a new Maple Leafs record for goals in a season on April 1, 2024. These are just a few examples of the memorable moments that have taken place on this date throughout NHL history.

These historical moments demonstrate the rich tradition and legacy of professional hockey, celebrating the achievements of players and teams that have left their mark on the sport.