Today in hockey history, hat tricks galore, a not-so-surprising record about the Leafs, and a very interesting message to the fans during WWII you won’t want to miss:

January 6th, 1942 – During a game between the Bruins and the Blackhawks at Boston Garden, there was a very interesting announcement made to fans in attendance: “Please return any pucks deflected into the stands, due to a wartime shortage of rubber.” I can’t imagine what was running through Axis soldiers’ minds when they saw a hockey puck hurled at them in the middle of a firefight.

January 6th, 1981 – New York’s John Tonelli tied a team record with five goals (his first hat trick) and Mike Bossy set a new team record with six assists in the Islanders’ 6-3 victory over Toronto. The team ended up winning four consecutive Stanley Cups, but that’s not important.

January 6th, 1983 – The Toronto Maple Leafs ended their team record, an 18-game road winless streak (0-13-5 – those last five are ties), with a 3-1 win over the Capitals. Hmm, can’t say I’m surprised this one is about the Leafs.

January 6th, 1994 – Ray Sheppard and Vyacheslav Kozlov each scored a hat trick to lead the Detroit Red Wings to a 10-3 road win over the Sharks. I can’t remember the last time I witnessed a 10-goal game for one side. It was the first career hat trick for Kozlov and the fourth for Sheppard.