This Week in Centennial History

The Montreal Canadiens and Ottawa Senators faced off on Dec. 19, 1917, the first night of play in the brand-new NHL. A century later, they'll commemorate that night when they play the Scotiabank NHL100 Classic at Lansdowne Park in Ottawa. "To launch our next 100 years, we believe it is only right to bring the Canadiens and the Senators back together," NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said Friday.
As part of the League's Centennial Celebration, NHL.com is taking a look back at memorable events each week.
Here are Centennial highlights for the week of March 12-18:

March 18, 1945:
Maurice Richard becomes the first player in NHL history to score 50
goals in a season. He does it by scoring with 2:15 remaining in the Canadiens' 50th and final game of the 1944-45 season.

March 18, 1892:The idea for the
Stanley Cup is born
in Ottawa.
March 17, 2009:Martin Brodeur's memories of becoming the
NHL's all-time winningest goaltender
are as vivid today as when he set the record.

March 16, 1961:Bernie Geoffrion becomes the second NHL player to score 50 goals in a season.
March 15, 1970:Bobby Orr of the Boston Bruins
reaches 100 points in a season
, the first defenseman in NHL history to do so.

March 14, 1997:Joe Mullen becomes the
first U.S.-born NHL player to score 500 goals.

March 13, 1984:Wayne
Gretzky gets the 900th point
of his NHL career in his 385th regular-season game.
March 12, 1966:Bobby Hull of the Chicago Blackhawks breaks the NHL single-season record for
goals by scoring his 51st.