This Week in Centennial History
Flyers undefeated streak ends at 35; Borje Salming plays 1,000th game; NHL holds first Winter Classic
by John Kreiser @jkreiser7713 / NHL.com Managing Editor
The NHL began its Centennial Celebration on Jan. 1 in Toronto by announcing the first 33 of the 100 Greatest NHL Players.
It was an emotional start to the first week of the League's 100th anniversary celebration. Here are some other Centennial highlights for the week of Jan. 1 -7:
Jan. 7, 1980: The longest undefeated streak in North American pro sports ends at 35 games when the Philadelphia Flyers lose 7-1 to the Minnesota North Stars. Members of that team recall their historic run.
Jan. 7, 1928: Howie Morenz of the Montreal Canadiens scores three goals for his third NHL hat trick during a 9-1 road victory against the Toronto Maple Leafs, giving him 100 goals in his NHL career. The Canadiens become the first NHL team to allow two goals or fewer in 20 consecutive games. Morenz in one of the 100 Greatest NHL Players named on Jan. 1. Here is his Centennial profile.
Jan. 6, 1993: Wayne Gretzky of the Los Angeles Kings returns from a back injury to play his 1,000th NHL game.
Jan 5, 1984: The three Stastny brothers -- Peter, Anton and Marian - each score a goal for the Quebec Nordiques in an 8-3 win against the Boston Bruins at Boston Garden. Peter Stastny talks about playing with his brothers.
Jan. 4, 1988: Borje Salming of the Maple Leafs becomes the first player born and trained in Europe to play 1,000 games in the NHL. Finnish writer Risto Pakarinen offers his perspective on Salming.
Jan. 3, 1939: Bobby Hull is born in Point Anne, Quebec. The Golden Jet becomes the first player in NHL history to score more than 50 goals in a season and finishes his NHL career with 610 goals, 604 of them with the Chicago Blackhawks.
Jan. 2, 1980: Gordie Howe makes history just by stepping onto the ice with the Hartford Whalers against the Edmonton Oilers at Northlands Coliseum. At 51, Howe becomes the first player in the history of any of the major North American team sports to play in five decades.
Jan. 1, 2017: The NHL announces the first 33 of the 100 Greatest NHL Players presented by Molson Canadian before the 2017 Scotiabank NHL Centennial Classic at Exhibition Stadium in Toronto. The League also launches NHL.com/100, a website dedicated to the NHL Centennial Celebration.
Jan. 1, 2014: In front of a record crowd of 105,491, the Detroit Red Wings and Maple Leafs play the Winter Classic at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor. The Maple Leafs win 3-2 in a shootout.
Jan. 1, 2008: The NHL goes outdoors in the United States for the first time in the inaugural Winter Classic. Sidney Crosby's shootout goal gives the Pittsburgh Penguins a 2-1 victory against the Buffalo Sabres at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park, New York.