THIS DAY IN HOCKEY HISTORY: Mario Lemieux Sets Record for Most 8 Point Playoff Games (VIDEO)
It seems fitting that the Penguins just played the Flyers; for Penguins fans, it's nice to have this game to look back on, instead of focusing on the won they just lost.
April 25, 1989 gave us one of the greatest offensive performances in the history of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Not only is Mario Lemieux's accomplishment unbelievably impressive, but historically record-setting, as well.
First, he gets a hat trick in under 7 minutes, setting a playoff goal for the fastest 3 goals from the start of a game. His fourth goal comes at 17:09 of the first period, which ties the record for most goals in a period. So, in the first period, alone, he's already broken one NHL record, and tied a second. But is that enough for «Le Magnifique»? Of course not. So, he decides to match another record for most goals in a playoff game by scoring his 5th into the Flyers' empty net, with 37 seconds remaining, giving the Penguins their 10th goal to Philadelphia's 7.
But that's only 5 points, you say? Well Lemieux's talents go much farther than just scoring goals. He also had 3 assists in then second period, giving him the 8 points and tying the single-game playoff record set by New Jersey's Patrik Sundstrom in 1988. The record of 5 goals in a playoff game was set by Maurice Richard, and matched by Darryl Sittler and Reggie Leach, before Mario.
Now, scoring 8 points in one game isn't something that's happened too often, and Mario Lemieux holds yet another record of having the most games with at least 8 points at 3. Wayne Gretzky is the only other player who's scored 8 points more than once, and he only did it twice.
The first time Lemieux set this rcecord was in October of 1988, and then again on December 31, 1988, which is also famous for being the night his 5 goals were scored 5 different ways - a regular goal, a SHG, a PPG, a penalty shot, and an EN. He is still the only player to have accomplished this particular feat.
Even in his first NHL game, everyone could see he'd be making history for years to come.
And finally, because of course he did:
Overall, Mario Lemieux played 745 games, scored 613 goals, and had 881 assists for a total of 1,494 points. In his 12 active seasons, he had 39 hat tricks (2nd most in NHL history) and ten 4-goal games, along with the 3 five-goal games mentioned above.
After Lemieux's retirement, he continued to take care of the team and city that love him, as he does to this day by being an active member in regards to the team's new ownership, and through his charitable organization, the Mario Lemieux Foundation.
| POLL | ||
What factors in the most to make a player stay with one team their whole career? | ||
| Loyalty to the fans | 17 | 11.4 % |
| Family | 14 | 9.4 % |
| A well-structured organization | 22 | 14.8 % |
| All of the above, and more! | 96 | 64.4 % |
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