Today in Hockey history, Darryl Sittler, one of the best Toronto Maple Leafs and players in NHL history, tied the NHL record and secured his place as Maple Leaf royalty, for 5 goals scored in a playoff game in 1976 versus the Philadelphia Flyers.
Ok...first you are going to say.. What?...the Leafs in the playoffs?
Ok, now that that's out of the way, yes.
This put one of The Toronto Maple Leafs most famous Captains in an elite club with only 4 other members.
E.D. "Newsy" Lalonde, considered to be the original "Flying Frenchman", joined the Platinum Playoff 5 Pointer club playing for the Montreal Canadians, March 1, 1919.
Newsy was not only an amazing hockey player, but a professional Lacrosse player as well, with inductions in both the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1950, and then Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 1965.
In the 1919 Stanley Cup playoffs, Newsy scored a whopping seventeen points over three games.
Perhaps the most famous Montreal Canadian of all, Maurice "The Rocket" Richard joined the club March 23, 1944.
The Rocket was member of the famous "Punch line" and was the target of many other players fists elbows and sticks trying to keep his scoring records at bay and always would give as good as he got.
Not only the first player to score 50 goals in a season (in 50 games), but the first to get the most points in one game in 1944, which stood until 1976 when the record was broken by...yes, you guessed it.....Darryl Sittler.
Reggie Leach had an amazing 13 year career in the NHL playing for the Bruins, Red Wings, and the California Gold Seals (remember them?), but Reggie exploded in the 75-76 season playing for The Philadelphia Flyers with 61 goals, 11 game winning goals and an incredible 91 points for the season.
"The Riverton Rifle" still holds the Philly Flyers record for most goals scored in one season, as well overtaking Newsy Lalonde's NHL record of most goals scored during playoffs with 19 in 16 games.
Mario Lemieux, another giant in the hockey world, rounds out this incredible list of players in the club. "Super Mario" scored his 5 goals in 1989. Truly one of the greatest players of all time, his incredible stick work and dekes were the nightmare of many defensemen.
An incredible playmaker, Mario has won the Art Ross trophy for being the league's points leader 6 times, as well Mario and Wayne Gretzky hold all of the top ten places in the NHL record books for points and assists in a season.
Amazing hockey history !! If you are feeling like you need some more tales from the ice hit the Hockey Hall of Fame Website for your fix while we are still playoff less this season!
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