Jan. 5 NHL History
1957: The NHL is shown on network television in the United States for the first time when CBS airs a Saturday afternoon game between the New York Rangers and Chicago Blackhawks from Madison Square Garden.
Bud Palmer does play-by-play and Fred Cusick handles the color commentary and interviews during the Rangers’ 4-1 victory. It’s the first of a series of Saturday afternoon telecasts that extends through the 1959-60 season.
1974: At age 38, Johnny Bucyk of the Boston Bruins becomes the oldest NHL player to score four goals in a game. Bucyk’s big night, plus one goal and three assists by teammate Phil Esposito, help the Bruins win 6-2 against the New York Islanders at Nassau Coliseum.
1982: Joe Mullen, playing his seventh NHL game, scores his first two goals eight seconds apart in the St. Louis Blues’ 4-1 victory against the Minnesota North Stars. Mullen banks his first NHL goal into the net off the back of goaltender Gilles Meloche. After the Blues win the ensuing faceoff, Mullen scores again by deflecting Brian Sutter’s pass behind Meloche. Mullen sets a Blues record for fastest two goals by one player.
Exactly seven years later, Mullen scores four goals and has two assists to lead the Calgary Flames to an 8-6 win against the visiting Los Angeles Kings.
1984: Each of the three Stastny brothers, Peter, Anton and Marian, scores a goal in the Quebec Nordiques’ 8-3 victory against the Boston Bruins at Boston Garden. Marian and Peter score 1:46 apart late in the second period against goaltender Mike Moffat, then set up Anton’s goal at 6:29 of the third.
1999: Tom Barrasso is credited with two assists in the Pittsburgh Penguins’ 5-1 victory against the Calgary Flames to become the highest-scoring goaltender in NHL history. His 47th and 48th assists move him one point ahead of Grant Fuhr. Barrasso’s 48 points remains No. 1 among goaltenders, with Fuhr and Martin Brodeur next with 47 points (two goals, 45 assists).
2003: Brett Hull scored the 250th power-play goal of his NHL career. He reaches the milestone when he scores at 12:33 of the third period during the Detroit Red Wings’ 4-3 overtime victory against the Chicago Blackhawks at United Center. Hull later gets the tying goal and sets up Jason Woolley for the overtime goal. He finishes his career with 265 power-play goals, nine behind record-holder Dave Andreychuk’s 274.
