THIS DATE IN NHL HISTORY: March 12
1935: The St. Louis Eagles defeat the Detroit Red Wings 3-2 in their final home game of the 1934-35 season. The Eagles fold at the end of the season, and the NHL does not have a team in St. Louis again until 1967.
1961: Five years before setting the single-season record for goals, Bobby Hull scores the 100th of his NHL career in a 6-2 Blackhawks loss to the Montreal Canadiens at Chicago Stadium. He becomes the third-fastest to 100 goals, trailing Richard and Jean Beliveau.
1966: Bobby Hull passes Maurice Richard and Bernie Geoffrion for the most goals in one season when he scores No. 51 for the Chicago Blackhawks in the third period of a 4-2 victory against the New York Rangers at Chicago Stadium.
The Rangers take a 2-0 lead into the third period. But Hull assists on a goal by Chico Maki to end a goal drought that lasted more than 11 periods. With New York defenseman Harry Howell in the penalty box, Hull gets the record by taking a straightaway slap shot that beats goaltender Cesare Maniago for a power-play goal at 5:34.
The game stops while the Blackhawks mob Hull and the packed house erupts.
The Blackhawks complete the rally when Maki scores at 7:25 and Doug Mohns connects with 1:19 remaining.
1967: The Blackhawks clinch first place for the first time since entering the League in 1926 by defeating the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-0 at Chicago Stadium. Ken Hodge and Lou Angotti each score twice for the Blackhawks, and Hull scores his 49th goal of the season. The Blackhawks are the last Original Six team to win the Prince of Wales Trophy, then given to the first-place finisher in the regular season.
1980: Gordie Howe’s final visit to Detroit as an NHL player is one to remember. Three days after Howe plays a shift on a line with his sons, Mark and Marty, for the Hartford Whalers, the three begin the game against the Detroit Red Wings at Joe Louis Arena with Gordie at center, Marty on the left and Mark on the right. None of the three score on that shift, but Gordie gets an assist later in the first period of a game that ends 4-4.
2015: Ken Hitchcock becomes the fourth member of the NHL 700-win club for coaches when the St. Louis Blues defeat the Philadelphia Flyers 1-0 in a shootout. The victory improves Hitchcock to 700-424-95 with 88 ties. The first three coaches to reach 700 wins — Scotty Bowman, Al Arbour and Joel Quenneville — also spend time running the Blues during their career.
Win No. 700 comes exactly 15 years after Hitchcock gets his 200th NHL win when the Dallas Stars defeat the Blues 4-2. Hitchcock won No. 200 in his 358th game.