Today in NHL History April 21th

1928: Former NHL defenseman Jack Evans born in Garnant, South Wales. Evans played in the NHL 1948-49 through 1962-63 with the New York Rangers and Chicago. Evans later coached with Oakland, Cleveland, and Hartford.

1938: Toe Blake scored the winning goal in overtime, as Montreal beat Detroit 5-4 before a crowd of 8,000 in Earlscourt, England, in the first of a nine game European tour between the two teams. Games were played in England and France.

1945: Detroit's rookie goalie Harry Lumley recorded his second career playoff shutout and Ed "Mud" Bruneteau scored at 14:16 of overtime to give the Red Wings a 1-0 win at Toronto, in Game Six of the Stanley Cup Finals.

1947: Former NHL defenseman Nick Beverley born in Toronto, Ont. Beverley played in the NHL 1966-67 through 1979-80 with Boston, Pittsburgh, the New York Rangers, Minnesota, Los Angeles and the Colorado Rockies.

1951: Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Bill Barilko scored the Cup-winning goal at 2:53 of overtime to defeat the Montreal Canadiens 3-2 in Game Five of the 1951 Final. It was the only Stanley Cup series in which every game had ended in overtime. Toronto’s Sid Smith, Ted Kennedy, Harry Watson, Barilko and Montreal’s Maurice “Rocket” Richard each netted overtime winners during the five-game matchup. Barilko died in an off-season plane crash in the summer of 1951, though his remains would not be discovered until 1962.

1968: Dickie Moore scored a goal and added two assists to lead the Blues to a 5-3 playoff win over the Minnesota North Stars, in Game One of the Stanley Cup Semi-Finals in St. Louis.

1974: Boston's John Bucyk tied a Stanley Cup playoff record set in 1939 for most power play goals in one game, when he had three (along with an assist) in an 8-6 Bruins' win over the visiting Chicago Black Hawks in Game 2 of the Semi-Finals.

1978: In a WHA game at Edmonton, Hartford's Gordie Howe scored on the first shift, just minutes after finding out that he had become a grandfather! Mark and Ginger Howe's first son Travis made Gordie the first Grandpa in pro hockey history.

1985: Rookie Chris Chelios scored a goal and added two assists as the Canadiens won 6-4 over the Quebec Nordiques in Game 2 of the Division Finals, at the Forum.

1988: Edmonton's Wayne Gretzky scored a shorthanded goal at 7:54 of overtime to give the Oilers a 5-4 win at Calgary, in Game Two of the Smythe Division Finals. It was just the third shorthanded OT winner in Stanley Cup history.

1989: Phil Bourque fired in a shot from the slot at 12:08 of overtime to give the Penguins a 4-3 victory over the Flyers at Philadelphia, and a 2-1 lead in the Patrick Division Finals.

1992: Bryan Trottier became just the second player in NHL history to appear in 200 career playoff games, in a 6-2 Penguins' loss, at Washington. Trottier trailed only Larry Robinson, who retired with 227 career playoff games.

1994: Brian Leetch scored a goal and added three assists as the Rangers won 5-1 over the Islanders, at Long Island in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Quarter-Finals. Rangers took a 3-0 lead in their first-round playoff series.....Joe Reekie scored two goals and goaltender Don Beaupre stopped 27 shots as the Capitals won 2-0 against the Penguins in Washington, in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Quarter-Finals. Capitals took a 2-1 lead in their first-round series.

1995: Los Angeles Kings fired head coach Barry Melrose. Rogie Vachon was named as interim coach, and in his first game, the Kings tied 3-3 with Edmonton, at the Forum.

1996: Lightning became the 1st NHL team to win its first 2 playoff games in overtime when Alexander Selivanov scored at 2:13 of OT in a 5-4 win over the Flyers before a record crowd of 25,945 in Tampa Bay, in Game 3 of the Eastern Conf. Quarter-Finals.....Glenn Anderson scored the winner at 1:24 of overtime as the Blues won 3-2 over the visiting Leafs, in Game 3 of the Western Conference Quarter-Finals. Mike Keenan became the 4th man to coach 150 playoff games.

2000: Peter Forsberg scored the winning goal and added an assist as Colorado beat the Coyotes 2-1 to eliminate Phoenix from the playoffs in Game 5 of the Western Conference Quarter-Finals. It was the Coyotes 10th straight playoff series loss.....Mike Modano had two assists to become the Stars' all-time leader in playoff points as Dallas won 3-2 against the visiting Oilers in Game 5 of the Western Conference Quarter-Finals. Modano's 84th playoff point put him one ahead of Brian Bellows.