“March 11th - This Day in Hockey History” (Bruins Blah Blah Blah)

Much like this seasons standings, today’s March 11th “This Day in Hockey History”, is all about those Beantown B's. They’ve already set a milestone this season, becoming the fastest team in history to reach 100 points in 61 games as the top team in “The National”, and today’s game, literally, like a “broken record", was more of the same.  First, some other interesting history.

1965 -  Marked the end of the original six days, when the NHL announced an expansion, adding six more teams on this day.  The expansion teams:

1.       Philadelphia Flyers
2.       St Louis Blues
3.       Pittsburgh Penguins
4.       Los Angeles Kings
5.       Minnesota North Stars
6.       California Golden Seals

The “Seals” are known for several things including, being the worst team in history at the time. They are the only team no longer in existence from that expansion and are often remembered for the skates they wore.

Before the 1970-71 season, Charles O. Finley, who owned the Oakland A's, bought the NHL team and changed the Seals colors to mirror the MLB A’s.  The players  skates were painted to match the kelly green and gold uniforms.  Later, the skate color was changed to the more remembered, white.  Players talked about the skates becoming heavier as repeated coats of paint were added.  In 1976, the California Golden Seals moved to become the “Cleveland Barons” but, would cease operations in 1978 by “merging" with the North Stars.

1969 – Montreal Canadiens net minder, Gump Worsley, picked up his 40th career shutout on this date, blanking the Blues in St Louis .

1979 – In a game between the Flyers and Kings that included a bench-clearing Donnybrook, LA’s Randy Holt set two NHL records with 9 penalties and 67 pim, most in a game. Holt has 1438 penalty minutes in his 395 game career. 

1986 - Mike Bossy set a record achieving his 9th consecutive 50 goal season on a 4 goal performance, as the Islanders downed the Calgary Flames,  8-4.

1996 –  March 11th marked the end of an era as Les Canadiens de Montreal took the ice at the Montreal Forum for the last time. The "Habs" closed out 72 years in the historic building with a 4-1 victory over Dallas.

1998 - Patrick Roy beat Grant Fuhr twice in the same game, defeating the Blues 3-2 and tallying his 376th career win. In doing so, he took the top spot directly from Fuhr for all-time wins by a goalie.  Martin Brodeur surpassed Roy for most wins in history and still holds the title with 691.  Roy finished his career with 551 holding the second spot.

Also on this day, in several different years, “Savoir-Faire" Dennis Savard did some stuff.  As usual, Wayne Gretzky did some stuff.  Terry Sawchuk, Reggie Leach, Marcel Dionne and Coach Barry Trotz all did some stuff on this day.  Many other players and teams did stuff on March 11th but, just like hogging wins this season, Boston seems to be hogging the “done the most stuff on this Day in Hockey History” title.

1930 – The Boston Bruins set a record for the longest home winning streak in a season on March 11, registering a 4-3 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks.  The Flyers tied the same 20 win mark in 1976 but,  the streak would not be bested until the 2011-12 Detroit Red Wings took 23 in a row at home. 

1971 – The Defending Stanley Cup Champions Boston Bruins set several records on March 11, 1971.

Boston trounced the LA Kings 7-2, becoming the first team in NHL history to win 50 games in a season.   In the first period, Phil Esposito,  broke Bobby Hulls record for most goals in a single-season (58).  Number 7's second goal would make Esposito the first player in NHL history to reach the elete 60 goal club.  He would finish with 76 on the year.

In that game, Bobby (Number 4, watch him score) Orr broke his own record for defenseman when he set two on this day: one for points in a season by a defenseman with his 121st, and one for assists, with his 88th.  Yet another of Bobby Hull's records was overtaken by the Bruin’s Johnny Bucyk.  Bucyk scored twice giving him 99 points, breaking Hull’s single-season record for points by a left winger.

1976 – Boston's Ken Hodge scored his 300th goal and 5th career hat trick on March 11.

1982 – Rick Middleton scored his fifth career hat trick helping the B's to victory over the Winnipeg Jets.

2021 – Brad Marchand passed Ken Hodge becoming 9th on the Bruins' all time points leaders list with his helper on a Bergeron goal against the NY Rangers.  Also netting his 47th career shorthanded goal,  Brad tired Bobby Orr and Ed Westfall record for most shorthanded points in Boston history.  As a fan of a rival team, I can’t stand Marchand.  Unbiased translation: dam he’s good!.

Today,  March 11, 2023, Boston continued to argue the case that this date should be called Bruins Broken Records Day.  Defeating Detroit 3-2, they became the fastest team in league history to collect 50 wins, do it, in only 64 games. The previous record of 66 games was jointy held by the 2018-19, three time Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay Lightning and the 1995-96 Red Wings.

To my Bruins fan friends, a disclaimer :

This post and/or the accompanying image,  in no way implies that I now, nor will I at any time in the future, ever consider or actually;  “Come over to the dark side”, as once requested.  Furthermore, Pffft!  Congratulations on another historic season, Beantown. I hope you enjoy your President’s Trophy and all of it’s historic benefits.

Bruins 50 wins:
https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/35837621/bruins-become-fastest-team-reach-50-wins-nhl-history

Other March 11 history “stuff": https://thehockeywriters.com/march-11-history-savard-esposito-gretzky/

White skates, orange pucks & nudity: The California Golden Seals
https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/california-golden-seals-story-documentary-itunes-watch-director-mark-greczmiel-interview-gretzky-meloche-streaker-white-skates/

California Golden Seals Wikipedia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Golden_Seals

Don't forget the ALT text for fans with visual impairments.

#GoHabsGo #Smashville #NJDevils #Isles #NoQuitInNY #GoSensGo #FueledByPhilly #LetsGoPens #SharksTerritory #SeaKraken #NHLKings #NHL #LeafsForever #Canucks #VGK #ALLCAPS #NHLBruins #NHL #hockey #GoBolts  #STLBlues #Yotes #NHLJets

@hockey
@bostonbruinsgameday