During the NHL’s hiatus, we at the Last Word on Hockey are going to look back at each date’s historical significance to the game. We’ll remember the moments that shaped the sport of hockey that happened on this day. Here’s our look at this date in hockey history for April 25th, featuring Mario Lemieux.



Today in Hockey History

Mario Lemieux Ties A Pair of Post-Season Records

1989: The Pittsburgh Penguins centre ties two playoff marks in a 10-7 win over the Philadelphia Flyers in the Patrick Division Final. Lemieux ties marks with five goals and eight points in a single post-season game.

Super Mario scores his first three in a record-setting 6:55 of game time. He ties Patrik Sundstrom‘s eight-point game that he set over a year earlier. Lemieux ties Maurice Richard, Reggie Leach and Darryl Sittler with five goals in a game.

Other Notable Events

1964: Johnny Bower is the first goalie to get a Game 7 shutout in the Stanley Cup Final. His 33 saves help the Toronto Maple Leafs a 4-0 win over the Detroit Red Wings.

1985: Wayne Gretzky has his second seven-point playoff game in the Edmonton Oilers 8-3 over the Winnipeg Jets. Gretzky gets three goals and four assists as the Oilers finish a four-game sweep in the Smythe Division Final.

1996: Mike Gartner gets his first post-season hat trick in the Leafs 5-4 win over the St. Louis Blues. Gartner powers Toronto to victory in Game 5 of the Western Conference quarterfinals.

2008: Pittsburgh rallies from three goals down to beat the New York Rangers, 5-4, in Game 1 of the Eastern semis. New York had been 93-1 when up by three goals going into the period of a playoff game.

The Pens repeat the feat one year later in a 5-3 win over the Flyers in Game 6 of the first round.

2012: Joel Ward scores 2:57 into overtime as the Washington Capitals beat the Boston Bruins, 2-1, in Game 7 of the first round. Dale Hunter is the first to win Game 7 as a player and a coach.

2018: Boston comes back three times in a Game 7 as it beats Toronto, 7-4, in the first round. The Bruins scores four unanswered goals to beat the Leafs again.

2019: Charlie Coyle scores the game-tying and OT-winning goals in Boston’s 3-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Coyle and Patrice Bergeron are the only B’s to get the tying goal in the last five minutes and the the OT decider. Coyle helps the Bruins win Game 1 of the Eastern semis.

Happy Birthday to You

1918: Pat Egan

1952: Vladislav Tretiak

1986: Alexei Emelin

1988: James Sheppard