Today in NHL History, April 8th

1937: Referee Clarence Campbell officiated his first Stanley Cup match in Game Two of Finals, a 4-2 win for Detroit over the Rangers. Campbell, who became third league president in NHL history in 1946, gave out three penalties.

1956: Goaltender Jacques Plante recorded his 5th career playoff shutout, and Jean Beliveau scored twice to lead the Canadiens to a 3-0 win at Detroit, in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Finals.

1960: Former NHL defenseman Dave Richter born in St. Boniface, Manitoba. Richter played in the NHL 1981-82 through 1989-90 with Minnesota, Philadelphia, Vancouver and St. Louis.

1961: Gordie Howe set a playoff record for most career assists during a 3-1 Red Wings' win over Chicago, in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Finals. Howe's two assists in the game gave him 61 in his career career, two more than Doug Harvey.

1970: Pittsburgh beat the Oakland Seals 2-1, in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Quarter-Finals. It was the Penguins' first NHL playoff game, and it came in the team's third season.

1972: Gary Smith made 31 saves to record the only shutout of his playoff career as the Chicago Black Hawks beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 2-0, in game 3 of the Stanley Cup Quarter-Finals.

1973: Goaltender Doug Favell recorded the only shutout of his playoff career to lead the Flyers to a 3-0 win over the North Stars, in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Quarter Finals, in Minnesota.....Following three losses, Sabres won their first NHL playoff game, 5-1 over Montreal (at the Aud), in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Quarter-Finals. Gilbert Perreault scored two goals and an assist to lead the scoring.....Garry Unger scored a goal and added two assists as the Blues scored on three straight shots in the second period in a 5-3 win over the Black Hawks, in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Quarter-Finals in St. Louis.

1976: Danny Gare scored at 11:43 of overtime to give the Sabres a 3-2 win over St. Louis in Game Two of the Stanley Cup Preliminary Round series, at the Aud in Buffalo.

1978: Guy Lafleur scored his 59th and 60th goals of the year to lead Montreal to a 5-1 win over the visiting Red Wings. Lafleur became the second Canadiens' player to score 60 goals in a season, and the Habs tied an NHL record with their 27th road win.....Guy Charron scored a goal and added three assists to lead the Capitals to a 6-4 win at Pittsburgh.

1980: Bryan Trottier scored three goals and added an assist as the Islanders won 8-1 over the visiting Los Angeles Kings, in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Preliminary Round. Trottier tied a playoff record with two shorthanded goals in the second period.....Flyers set a team record for most shots on goal in a playoff game with 51 against Edmonton, winning 4-3 in overtime in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Preliminary Round. Bobby Clarke scored the winning goal at 8:06 in overtime.....Hartford's Gordie Howe set an NHL record for most years in the playoffs (20). It was Howe's first NHL playoff appearance since the 1969-70 season. The record broke the mark of 19 held by Red Kelly. Whalers lost the game 6-1 at Montreal.....Doug Lecuyer scored at 12:34 of OT to give Chicago a 3-2 win over St. Louis in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Preliminary Round. The victory ended the Black Hawks' NHL Playoff-record 16 game losing streak (dating to 1975).

1981: Steve Payne scored the first hat trick in Minnesota's playoff history, including the winning goal at 3:34 of overtime to lead the North Stars to a 5-4 playoff win at Boston, in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Preliminary Round.

1982: Tom Lysiak scored two goals and added two assists in the Black Hawks' 5-3 win against the North Stars in Game 2 of the Norris Division Semi-Finals, at Minnesota.....Vancouver won its first ever playoff overtime game, when Tiger Williams scored at 14:20 of overtime to give the Canucks a 2-1 win over Calgary in Game 2 of the Smythe Division Semi-Finals.....New York Rangers' Mikko Leinonen set a Stanley Cup playoff record for most assists in one game, with six during a 7-3 win over Philadelphia in Game 2 of the Patrick Division Semi-Finals.

1990: Tony Granato scored a shorthanded goal at 4:21 of overtime to give the Kings a 2-1 win over the Flames, in Game Three of the Smythe Division Semi-Finals. It was just the 4th shorthanded OT winner in Playoff history.

1991: Chicago's Chris Chelios scored a goal and added three assists as the Blackhawks beat the North Stars 6-5 at Minnesota, in Game 3 of the Norris Division Semi-Finals.....Vancouver's Cliff Ronning scored twice, including the winner at 3:12 of overtime as the Canucks won 2-1 against the visiting Los Angeles Kings, in Game 3 of the Smythe Division Semi-Finals.

1993: Defenseman Ray Bourque scored a goal and added three assists to lead the Bruins to a 6-2 win over the Quebec Nordiques in Boston.

1994: Rangers' coach Mike Keenan moved past Emile Francis into 10th place on the NHL All Time regular season win list, with his 394th career victory, a 5-3 Rangers' win over Toronto.....Anaheim Mighty Ducks tied the NHL record for victories by a first-year team with their 32nd of the year, a 3-1 win at Edmonton. Patrik Carnback scored a goal and added an assist to lead the scoring.

1996: The NHL's Winnipeg Jets announced their name change to the "Phoenix Coyotes", beginning with the 1996-97 NHL season.

2000: Toronto Maple Leafs surpassed the 100-point mark for the first time in team history, with a 4-2 win against the visiting Tampa Bay Lightning.

2001: Colorado's Joe Sakic scored twice to become the Avalanche franchise all-time leader in goals with 457 (breaking the mark of 456 set by Michel Goulet). The milestone came in a 4-2 victory against the Wild at Minnesota.....Ron Tugnutt tied a modern NHL record for most wins by an expansion team goaltender, when he got his 22nd victory of the season when the Columbus Blue Jackets had a 4-3 overtime win against the visiting Chicago Blackhawks.