Common Denominator

"Gave up Gordie Howe's last regular season goal as a Red Wing. Gave up Howe's last playoff goal as a Wing."

That would be none other than the great Tony Esposito of the Chicago Blackhawks. Tony didn't make it to the NHL until 1968/69, but the great #9 of Detroit was still around. Tony spent '68/69 with Montreal, getting into only 13 games. But it was during that stretch that Esposito went 5-4-4, collecting his first two shutouts in the bigs. How(e)'d he fair against Gordie?

Tony-O's first game was a loss, it should be noted. His NHL debut was a relief outing against the California Seals November 29th. Although he only allowed two goals, one of them was the winner as the Habs lost 5-4. So Esposito was 0-1-0 to start. Roggie Vachon started the next game vs. Tony's future NHL team, Chicago, and Tony had to wait until December 5th to make his first start. He made it count. Facing his older brother Phil and the Boston Bruins, he held Montreal in there. The game ended, 2-2.

Howe first faced the new goalie on January 15th, 1969. Right there in Montreal, the visitors won, 4-0. Howe didn't score, but got an assist on a second period marker by Alex Devecchio. It would prove to be Esposito's last game in a Montreal uniform.

Claimed by the Hawks in the Inter-League draft in the off-season, Tony had to fight his way to the starting job on his new club. Chicago, which had missed the playoffs while Montreal won the Stanley Cup for the second straight year in a row in 1968/69, had some other netminders in mind for the new season.

But for whatever reason, it was Esposito in the nets to start the season. October 11, 1969 was his first game as a Hawk. A rout. St. Louis fired the puck by him seven times. Another ex-Hab, Jacques Plante, got the win for the Blues. Tony then caught a break as Dennis Dejordy, who'd been Chicago's top dog in the crease, lost 4-1 against the Oakland Seals. So Tony would face Detroit for the second time in his career.

It was a bad game, again. Chicago, for the second straight contest, lost 4-1. There record was 0-3-0 to start the 1969/70 season. Was there any real reason for hope? Oh, and good old #9 scored his first goal of the season. And his first against Esposito. He wasn't finished.

When the teams met on November 29th, Howe was back at it again. And his goal against Esposito was his ninth of the season. He was 41 years old at this point, but not playing like it. Esposito had his ups and downs that season, but was now getting it together. While he and Chicago lost 5-4, the Hawks were now 9-7-3 despite the setback. The job in the net was now his. And it would be for pretty much the rest of this season and the next 13 campaigns.

And it was Chicago, not Detroit, that won their next meeting. 5-1. But, Howe scored the lone Red Wings' goal. Esposito didn't get a shutout (Now would be a good time to mention he'd get 15 that season), but looked in complete command, winning 5-1. Espo held Howe off the scoresheet January 4th, losing 4-0. But the next game for the new superstar was again against Detroit. And Tony won it, 7-0. The shutouts were just an expected event from him every night at this point. Tony got another one against Detroit in March. And when that spectacular first season ended for Chicago and Tony, they were on top of the world. First place. And Esposito? The Calder and Vezina.

Then the playoffs started. It was Chicago vs. Detroit. All the games were won by the Hawks, but they were no easy contests. All the games were won, 4-2. Gordie Howe scored a goal in game one. Detroit kept it close, and goal #4 by the top team in the NHL that season was into an empty net. So even closer than 4-2, in reality.

Game two was tied at 2 in the 3rd, but Chicago scored the next two goals. So they were off to Detroit up 2-0. The change in scenery failed to get Detroit going. Howe failed to score. It might have made a difference. Again, the Hawks got an empty-netter. With just three seconds left. The sweep was finally completed on April 12th. Howe's second goal of the series tied the game at one in the first stanza. It did not last. Before the period was over, Stan Mikita put Chicago right back up. Detroit switched goalies, pulling Roger Crozier in favour of Roy Edwards. But nothing could prevent the sweep. Chicago was then themselves swept by Boston, shockingly. The Bruins, led by Bobby Orr and Tony's older brother, may have finished behind the Hawks in the regular season, but when the playoffs were over, they sure weren't. Another sweep, this time of St. Louis in the finals, made them Stanley Cup winners for the first time since 1941. Tony had to take solace in one unforgettable rookie year.

Tony was back for his second full season in the Chicago nets in 1970/71. This time, his team went all the way to game seven of the Stanley Cup finals, losing to Montreal in seven hard-fought games. The Detroit Red Wings didn't make the playoffs, finishing just 22-45-11.

Detroit and Chicago met in the second last game of the Red Wings' season. It was also the last home game for Detroit with Gordie Howe on the ice. The Hawks beat 'em 4-1. Howe scored the only Detroit goal. It was #23 on the season, and #786 in his illustrious career. He'd have to wait nine more seasons to score another goal at the NHL level. And by then, he was with the WHA-imported Hartford Whalers. Tony, meanwhile, got another win. He'd still be playing when Howe returned. Same team, different time.


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References

Hockey Summary Project. 10 Jan. 2001. Web. 20 June. 2016. <http://hsp.flyershistory.com>

Sports Reference LLC. Hockey-Reference.com - Hockey Statistics and History. http://www.hockey-reference.com/. Web. 20 June. 2016. 

Will They Be Around In April Or Later?

There are 4 teams in the NHL's Eastern Conference that made the playoffs last year, that could miss it this year. Well, one of them has come to the Eastern Conference, but has made the playoffs the last 22 seasons.

Now, a bit of a disclaimer: I'm not saying this is a sure thing!

Toronto

Oh, the Leafs?

You know the term, "Winning ugly"?

I'm not going to even bother with stats. This team has been outplayed night in, night out. Every game, pretty much this year. The other teams must be averaging 40 shots against them a game.

It's just too much for goalies like Jonathan Bernier and James Reimer to keep this up. And then, add to that the Dave Bolland injury. Whose to say that is not worse than what happened to Erik Karlsson last year?

Ottawa

Speaking of Karlsson...

He came back last year and played great. This year has been even better! After a slow start, he's on pace for his best season. Check. Jason Speeza, who also missed almost all of last year, is back. And he's also playing great. Check.

But Craig Anderson has been a little off. However, Robin (Hood) Lehner is there to save the puck and the day. Okay, so what is it with this team?

It's quite simple, as Barry Melrose explained over on nhl.com. Teams now take this team seriously. They didn't last year. Actually, I'm going to go one step further. Two seasons ago, the Sens were not expected to make the playoffs. They did, and gave the Rangers all they could handle in the first round.

Last year, Spezza and Karlsson go down. Okay, let's see them do that again!

They did, and then they upset Montreal in the first round. Now they are a team on the rise. The Sens know it. So do the other teams.

This will be a year where teams take the Sens seriously. Ottawa will have to work harder than they have in the past to win this season. If the Sens are as serious as the other teams, they make it.

If not...

New York Islanders

Last year was a big step forward. Is this year a big step back? So far, yes.

But like Ottawa, they have the players to turn this thing around. That big trade might bring what they need. They have also added some character, toughness and depth to the team in the last few years. So what's the problem?

It's not jelling so far this season.

Detroit

Wait, this team is in the East? Oh, yeah! But after dominating the West for years, will it continue here? Only time will tell!

As for the last time the Red Wings missed the playoffs, you have to go back to 1989-90. It would be very odd if it was this year. But they are sort of due, yes?


References

"Official Site of the National Hockey League” | NHL.com. National Hockey League. Web. 13 Nov. 2013.  <https://www.nhl.com>

Sports Reference LLC. Hockey-Reference.com - Hockey Statistics and History. http://www.hockey-reference.com/. Web. 13 Nov. 2013.