This Day in Hockey History

1993 - A tale of two defensemen

In Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final between Los Angeles and Montreal, the Kings are two minutes away from taking a 2-0 series lead when Canadiens head coach Jacques Demers calls for a measurement of the curve of defenseman Marty McSorley's stick.

Referee Kerry Fraser describes it as an easy penalty to call:

For any player to go into the third period in a Stanley Cup final with an illegal stick was, to my mind, absolutely asinine. The stick was so illegal, I mean, I just looked at it and said holy smokes, we won't need the gauge for this one.

With McSorley in the box and goaltender Patrick Roy on the bench (in a touch of foreshadowing in regards to his NHL coaching style), defenseman Eric Desjardins scores the game-tying goal with 1:13 left in regulation, later adding the game winner in overtime to tie the series at one. 

Desjardins - who scored earlier in the contest - is the first defenseman in NHL history to record a hat trick in the Stanley Cup Final.

McSorley's illegal stick and Desjardins' two subsequent goals prove to be a turning point in the series; Montreal goes on to win two more overtime games in Los Angeles en route to an eventual 4-1 series win and their 24th Stanley Cup championship, denying Wayne Gretzky another ring of his own in the process.

1998 - Langenbrunner's memorable OT goal

In Game 5 of the Western Conference final, Dallas Stars forward Jamie Langenbrunner scores one of the oddest overtime winners in hockey history, stepping over the red line, taking a slap shot from center ice and beating Detroit's Chris Osgood.

The goal can be seen at the 6:35 mark:

Fortunately for Osgood, the Red Wings go on to win the series and sweep the Washington Capitals in the Stanley Cup final.

Birthdays

1957 - Barry Beck
1983 - Chris Thorburn
1991 - Sami Vatanen