November 15 NHL History
1927: Jack Adams gets a victory in his first game as an NHL coach when the Detroit Red Wings (then known as the Detroit Cougars) defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-0. Adams coaches Detroit for 20 seasons and is general manager for 36. He is the only person to have won the Stanley Cup as a player, coach and general manager.
1972: Rangers rookie Steve Vickers becomes the first player in NHL history to have hat tricks in back-to-back games. Three nights after scoring three goals against the Los Angeles Kings, he does it again in New York’s 7-3 victory against the Philadelphia Flyers at Madison Square Garden.
1973: Bobby Orr has a special night, even by his own standards.
Orr scores three goals and assists on four others for the first seven-point game by a defenseman in NHL history, helping the Boston Bruins to a 10-2 victory against the New York Rangers at Boston Garden.
Orr has a goal and two assists in the first period, then scores twice and sets up two goals by Andre Savard in the third.
It’s a measure of revenge for the Bruins, whose bid to win the Stanley Cup for the second consecutive year is ended by the Rangers seven months earlier when New York wins their Quarterfinal series in five games.
1984: The Flyers retire No. 16 in honor of center Bobby Clarke. The ceremony comes after Clarke ends his 15-year NHL career following the 1983-84 season as Philadelphia’s all-time leading scorer (1,210 points). He’s also the captain of the Flyers’ Stanley Cup-winning teams in 1974 and 1975.
2002: Two future Hall of Famers reach NHL milestones when the Dallas Stars defeat the visiting Colorado Avalanche 4-2. Stars forward Mike Modano has an assist to become the fifth U.S.-born player to reach 1,000 points. Avalanche goaltender Patrick Roy passes Terry Sawchuk to become the all-time League leader in minutes played.
