International Hockey has had a major date on Sept. 14, when the United States won a massive upset and Canada was allowed to redeem itself. A pair of Hall of Fame twins from the NHL made their NHL debut. Motown’s playoff legend called it a career and the NHL advanced to the Stanley Cup Final for only the second time in 20 years. It’s time to go back through the years and relive the greatest moments.
The World Cup of Hockey Takes Center StageUnited States Wins UpsetIn 1996, there was the World Cup of Hockey, which replaced the Canada Cup as the most important international tournament. Original edition contained the North American team of Canada and Russia as well as Slovakia and the United States. The European group included the Czech Republic (Finland, Germany, and Sweden). Each group’s top two teams advanced to the semifinals. The champions advance to the best-of-three championship series.
Canada and the United States both made it to the finals. Canada won the Philadelphia game 4-3 in overtime. The series moved to Montreal where the Americans won the next game, 5-2.
They met again in Montreal for a final and third game on September 14, 1996. Brett Hull, who was the tournament’s top scorer, scored the United States’ winning goal of 1-0 11 minutes into the game when he struck on the power play.
Hull was born in Canada, but he played for the United States. (Photo by Denis Brodeur/NHLI via Getty Images)Canada dominated the second period and could have built a huge lead if it wasn’t for the play of goaltender Mike Richter. Eric Lindros did score a power play goal to tie the game at the end of the second period.
Canada was leading 2-1 thanks to Adam Foote as defenseman with 7 minutes remaining. Hull tied it four minutes later when he deflected a shot from Brian Leetch by Curtis Joseph. Canadians protested Hull’s use of a high stick to hit the puck, but a video review confirmed that the goal was legal. Tony Amonte scored, 43 seconds later. Two more goals were scored by the United States in the final minute: Derian Hatcher’s empty net goal and Adam Deadmarsh’s goal. This gave them a 5-2 victory.
While this wasn’t quite the upset of the Soviet Union by the 1980 Olympic team, it still showed that the United States had come a long way as far as developing NHL talent.
Canada Redeems ItselfThe World Cup did not return until 2004, and it was the last time we saw the stars of the NHL on the ice for some time as the owners’ lockout that cost the 2004-05 season started two days after the tournament ended. The eight teams that competed in the 1996 edition were also competing in the same groups. In the championship final, Finland and Canada were victorious.
On Sept. 14, 2004, the final game took place at Toronto’s Air Canada Centre. Joe Sakic placed the host nation on the scoreboard 52 seconds after the start of the match. Riku Hahl tied Finland just six minutes later. Scot Niedermayer gave Canada the lead with a score of 2-1 early in the second quarter. TuomoRuutu tied Canada’s game in the middle period with only one minute left.
The game was not able to stay alive for too long. Only 34 seconds into the third quarter, Shane Doan scored a game-winning goal. Martin Brodeur made 27 saves to win the game, while Miikka Kprusoff stopped thirty of the 33 shots that he faced. Vincent Lecavalier was named the tournament’s most valuable player by scoring two goals and a team-leading seven points.
Sedins Make Their Pro DebutThe Vancouver Canucks defeated MoDo of Sweden’s Hockey League on Sept. 14, 2000 in Stockholm, Sweden, as part the NHL Challenge. After being taken with the second- and third overall picks in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft, this was the first time Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin donned Canucks uniforms.
Henrik Sedin, Vancouver Canucks (Photo courtesy Jeff Vinnick/NHLI via Getty Images). Daniel Sedin scored a goal and two assists in the win against his former team. He was playing on the same line with his brother Henrik. On the following day, he won the overtime to defeat Djurgarden and win the exhibition tourney. Both will be inducted into Hockey Hall of Fame November, having spent their entire NHL career playing for the Canucks.
Zetterberg hangs up his skatesExactly 14 years later on September 14, 2018, Henrik Zetterberg called it a career. Zetterberg was originally drafted in the seventh round (210th overall), by the Detroit Red Wings. After scoring 337 goals and 960 point in 1,082 NHL matches, Zetterberg was a great late-round pick.
Zetterberg played for the Red Wings for 15 seasons. (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)The final six of Zetterberg’s 15 seasons in Detroit were spent as the team captain. The 2008 Conn Smythe Trophy was awarded to Zetterberg for being the most valuable postseason player. This culminated in the Stanley Cup win. He is currently fifth all-time in the Red Wings’ storied franchise history in goals, assists, and points. He is currently sixth in games played.
Odds & EndsOn September 14, 1972, the New York Islanders opened training camps ahead of their inaugural season. Peterborough, Ontario hosted the first practice of franchise history. The team’s first season was ugly as they won just 12 games and earned 30 points, a league record for the fewest in both categories. They eventually built a team of Hall of Famers and won their fourth straight Stanley Cups eight years later.
Hall of Famer Bill Torrey was the Islanders’ first general manager. (Photo by Andy Marlin/Getty Images. Emile Frans, the St. Louis Blues general manger, appointed himself head coach Sept. 14, 1976. He finished 32-39-9, and lost in round one of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Leo Boivin was named his replacement for the next season. Francis came out of the general manager’s office to coach the team again for the last 12 games of the 1981-82 season and the first 32 games of 1982-83.
Charlie Huddy was signed by Edmonton Oilers as a free undrafted defenseman on Sept. 14, 1979. He made his NHL debut during the 1980-81 season and was part of all five of the Oilers’ Stanley Cup championships. He played 1,017 NHL hockey games with the Oilers (Los Angeles Kings), Buffalo Sabres (Buffalo Sabres), and Blues before retiring from NHL in 1996.
Happy birthday to Charlie Huddy, the #Oilers d’man and five-time #StanleyCup champ! http://t.co/lbGhw9ijI8
The Friendship Tour was a European trip that the Stanley Cup champions, Calgary Flames and Washington Capitals, took prior to the start 1989-90 season. The two NHL squads played against the likes of Färjestad BK, Brynäs IF, CSKA Moscow, Dynamo Moscow, Dinamo Riga, Khimik Voskresensk, Krylya Sovetov Moscow, SKA Leningrad, Sokol Kiev, and Spartak Moscow. The Flames defeated Khimik 4-2 in a match played in Leningrad (Russia) on Sept. 14, 1989.
After three seasons playing with the Kings, veteran defenseman Garry Galley signed for the Islanders in September 2000. In his final season of 17 seasons, he played 56 NHL games, scoring six goals, and 20 points. He retired with 125 NHL goals and 600 points from 1,149 NHL matches.
In overtime, the Dallas Stars defeated the Vegas Golden Knights by 3-2 to reach the Stanley Cup Final, for the first time since 20 years. Vegas took a 2-0 lead when Reilly Smith scored in the first period of Game 5’s Western Conference Final. Jamie Benn scored the Stars’ goal midway through the final frame, before Joel Kiviranta tied the score six minutes later. Denis Gurianov scored the power play at 3 minutes 36 of extra time to complete the series.
Happy Birthday to YouA group that includes 20 NHL players and ex-players was born September 14. Gus Giesebrecht was the first to join the league, having been born on September 14, 1917. In 135 Red Wings games, he scored 27 goals as well as 78 points between 1939-1942. Travis Boyd, a center for the Arizona Coyotes, is the most recent. He is 29 today.
Tom Kurvers was the only one to have played in all of these games. He also had the most assists (328), points (421), and games (659) among them. Alex Killorn of the Tampa Bay Lightning, who is turning 33 today, leads the group with 171 goals.
Killorn has scored the most goals of all Sept. 14 birthday boys. (Amy Irvin/The Hockey Writers.) Other notable players who were born on Sept. 14, include Orest Kindrachuk (72), Mick Vukota (66) and Petr Prucha (40).
*Originally constructed by Greg Boysen
Matthew Zator is the assistant manager editor at THW. He lives and breathes Vancouver Canucks Hockey, the NHL Draft, prospects, and all things hockey. He is passionate about young players and their potential. Matthew is an essential read for Canucks fans as well as fans of the NHL Draft. Matthew’s social media accounts are listed under his photo.
Matthew is also the host of The Hockey Writers Prospect Corner YouTube video and co-hosts The Hockey Writers Podcast & Western Centric Podcast.
The post Today in Hockey History: Sept. 14 first appeared on Raw News.
