THIS DATE IN HISTORY: Nov. 6
1946: The Boston Bruins and Detroit Red Wings play to a 3-3 tie at Olympia Stadium in a penalty-free game. It’s the first game in the Bruins’ 22-year history without a penalty.
1983: Wayne Gretzky scores four goals for his 19th NHL hat trick and assists on three others to help the Edmonton Oilers to an 8-5 road win against the Winnipeg Jets. Exactly five years later, Gretzky becomes the third player in NHL history to score 1,700 points when he gets two goals and an assist in career game No. 711, helping the Los Angeles Kings to a 5-3 road win against the Chicago Blackhawks.
1995: Mark Messier of the New York Rangers becomes the 21st player in NHL history to score 500 goals when he gets three in a 4-2 victory against the Calgary Flames at Madison Square Garden. Messier scores No. 500 and completes the 21st hat trick of his NHL career when he beats Rick Tabaracci at 12:32 of the third period.
“I’ve never considered myself a natural goal scorer,” Messier said. “I always look to make the play for my wings. But if you stay around long enough, you’re bound to get some goals.”
It’s Messier’s first hat trick since his three-goal performance against the New Jersey Devils in Game 6 of the 1994 Eastern Conference Final after guaranteeing a Rangers victory.
1985: The Philadelphia Flyers become the first team in NHL history to score the first goal in 12 consecutive games. Peter Zezel gives the Flyers a 1-0 lead at 14:01 of the first period and Philadelphia defeats the Rangers 5-2 at Madison Square Garden.
2011: The Vancouver Canucks use their special teams to defeat the Blackhawks 6-2 at United Center. Six players score goals for the Canucks, who go 5-for-6 on the power play and kill off all five man-advantages for the Blackhawks.
2015: Red Wings captain Henrik Zetterberg scores his 300th NHL goal in a 2-1 victory against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Air Canada Centre. He joins Gordie Howe, Alex Delvecchio, Steve Yzerman and Sergei Fedorov as the only players in Red Wings history to have 300 goals, 500 assists and 800 points.
