Interesting coincidences in hockey history

[Habsfan18]

December 2nd, 1995 - The Detroit Red Wings defeat the Montreal Canadiens 11-1, in what would be Patrick Roy’s final game as a Hab.

December 2nd, 2017 - The Montreal Canadiens defeat the Detroit Red Wings 10-1.

Nearly identical blowout scores in Montreal, exactly 22 years apart. Fun coincidence and a little bit of “revenge” for the Habs many years later.

So tonight’s game gave me the idea for this thread. What other neat little coincidences can you think of from hockey’s history?

Click to read more...

 

[DitchMarner]

I was at my aunt's house when that 11-1 game happened. It was also on a Saturday. I remember the score was close and then it felt like not too long afterward DET was winning 7-1 or something like that. Fedorov's line put on a show that night.


Another coincidence that comes to mind is when Sullivan was cut after being clipped with a high stick and a fan taunted him and then that same fan was hit by puck and Sullivan went over and talked to him...

 

[seventieslord]

wow, when I saw that score happening between those two teams on a saturday night, I immediately thought back to 1995, but I had no idea it was the same day.

 

[ICM1970]

The night that this goal was scored, the Rochester Royals (now known as the Sacramento Kings) won their first (and still their only) their only NBA championship.

 

[Doctor Coffin]

This is relatively minor, but remarkably coincidental nonetheless. On December 26, 1988, Rick Vaive and Adam Creighton were traded for one another. In their first games with their new teams on December 28, they each scored game-winning goals; Vaive for Buffalo in the Sabres' 4-1 win over Detroit and Creighton for Chicago in the Blackhawks' 4-3 win over Minnesota.

 

[Doctor Coffin]

Early in the 1951-52 season, future HOFer Roy Conacher retired as a player from the Chicago Blackhawks. Not long after, his nephew Pete Conacher was called up for a few games with Chicago, and was given his uncle's number 9.That it happened in the same season is probably a unique situation/coincidence, too.

 

[reckoning]

Jocelyn Thibault was the winning goalie in both the last game at the Montreal Forum, and the last game at Maple Leaf Gardens.

 

[DitchMarner]

The night that this goal was scored, the Rochester Royals (now known as the Sacramento Kings) won their first (and still their only) their only NBA championship.

What does Barilko have to do with that team, though?

 

[Killion]

What does Barilko have to do do with that team, though?

ICM just skated off-side a bit, yes indeedy. Habsfan18 stated clearly "coincidences in hockey".... not "it happened on this date" with a non hockey pairing, coincidence from the wide-world of sports, popular culture or whatever..... I'll let that one slide though.... so back on topic. Must be a "hockey coincidence" and do you want it kept exclusively to NHL or is Junior, International etc also ok?

 

[Habsfan18]

ICM just skated off-side a bit, yes indeedy. Habsfan18 stated clearly "coincidences in hockey".... not "it happened on this date" with a non hockey pairing, coincidence from the wide-world of sports, popular culture or whatever..... I'll let that one slide though.... so back on topic. Must be a "hockey coincidence" and do you want it kept exclusively to NHL or is Junior, International etc also ok?

Junior, international etc.. works for me too!

 

[ICM1970]

ICM just skated off-side a bit, yes indeedy. Habsfan18 stated clearly "coincidences in hockey".... not "it happened on this date" with a non hockey pairing, coincidence from the wide-world of sports, popular culture or whatever..... I'll let that one slide though.... so back on topic. Must be a "hockey coincidence" and do you want it kept exclusively to NHL or is Junior, International etc also ok?

Hi, it's just that the Leafs would not win another Cup until shortly before Barilko's remains were discovered in the summer of 1962 and that the Royals/Kings franchise was playing that same night across Lake Ontario at the War Memorial Auditorium in Rochester, NY. So I found it interesting with these two teams in terms of relative proximity (geographically) and the championship droughts from that night onward. Anyway, will stick to hockey exclusively going forward.

 

[Killion]

Anyway, will stick to hockey exclusively going forward.

Ya, interesting, didnt know that. I think we do have a thread here somewhere that has its premise "It Happened this Day in History" type dealeo whereby we were comparing an event in the history of the game with a major (or minor) event in history be if from the world of politics, entertainment or whatever....... But here? Strictly hockey, an op amenable to any & all levels, cross-overs included.

 

[tony d]

I noticed at as well. Kind of neat that it would be on the same day and an almost identical score. Speaking of that isn't it a coincidence that Roy got traded to the former Quebec franchise the season after they moved? Can't see Montreal trading Roy to Quebec.

 

[Canucks1096]

1994 Canucks and 2011 Canucks. Both teams went to the finals

Both time first round went to game 7 ot. Conference final both time went to game 5 double ot. Of course both times Canucks didn't win game 7 in the finals.

Also both years there 4th line didn't score a single goal in the playoffs.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

 

[yukoner88]

What does Barilko have to do with that team, though?

 

[Kyle McMahon]

I always found it quite improbable that from 1979-2009, 30 played seasons, the Flyers and Bruins never met in the playoffs. They were always on the same side of the playoff bracket, and both franchises were generally successful with few missed playoffs. They had 15 semi-final appearances between them, yet always managed to avoid actually facing each other.

 

[Doctor Coffin]

Another random coincidence is the fact that Jon Casey recorded shutouts in both his last regular season and playoff games in Chicago Stadium, shutting out the Blackhawks as a member of the Bruins in February, 1994, and as a member of the North Stars in game 5 of the 1991 first round series.

 

[alko]

As this topic emerge again and again, i always write one fact.

Carolina Hurricanes playoff performance: 5 times in playoffs, 3 times in Conference finals, 2 times in Stanley Cup finals and 1 time Cup winners.

 

[Jumptheshark]

As this topic emerge again and again, i always write one fact.

Carolina Hurricanes playoff performance: 5 times in playoffs, 3 times in Conference finals, 2 times in Stanley Cup finals and 1 time Cup winners.

And the coincidence is?

 

[Super Fadio Bro]

Every times Nick Lidstrom scored from the center ice (1st round of the playoffs; on the road), the Red Wings went on to win the Cup.

Every times the Wings eliminated the Avs in the playoffs, they went on to win the cup.

 

[DitchMarner]

Every times Nick Lidstrom scored from the center ice (1st round of the playoffs; on the road), the Red Wings went on to win the Cup.

How often did he do this exactly?

I remember that one goal against Cloutier in 2002 from centre ice...

 

[Passchendaele]

Lemieux retiring right after Crosby making his NHL debuts.

 

[Super Fadio Bro]

How often did he do this exactly?

I remember that one goal against Cloutier in 2002 from centre ice...

Twice: That and in game 6 of the 2008 playoffs vs Nashville.

 

[Ralph Spoilsport]

Slava Fetisov jumping through hoops to get his release from Soviet hockey and get away from people like ex-BFF-turned-snitch Alexei Kasatonov...then Kasatonov shows up in New Jersey as his defence partner a couple of months later.

Fetisov: "I don't happy."