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April 5: On this day in 1932, Toronto's Busher Jackson became the first player in NHL history to score a hat trick in one period of a playoff game. After winning Game 1 of the Finals against the Rangers, the Leafs were on their way to a sweep of the best-of-five series, 3 games to 0. Leaf patriarch Conn Smythe had assembled one of the greatest Leaf teams in NHL history, including the "Kid Line" with Busher Jackson on left wing.
April 5: On this day in 1938, the Stanley Cup Finals were scheduled to get underway between the Leafs and the Black Hawks. Chicago had a huge problem. They didn't have a goalie. Their regular netminder, Mike Karakas had broken his toe. A couple of Hawk players were sent out the day of the game to find minor league goalie Alfie Moore. After an extensive search, they found him in a tavern in downtown Toronto. He had obviously been there a while. Alfie Moore played Game 1 of the Finals and let in a Leaf goal on the first shot. After that, he stoned Toronto and Chicago won the game 3-1. Mike Karakas returned to help the Hawks win the series and hero goalie Alfie Moore got his name engraved on the Stanley Cup.
April 5: On this day in 1945, Leaf goalie Doug Favell was born in St. Catherines, Ontario. Favell played 74 games over three seasons with the Leafs in the mid-1970's and completed his Toronto tenure squared up with an even record of 26-26-16. He is probably most infamously known as the Flyer goalie who gave up 6 goals in one game to Red Berenson in 1968, the last player to do it before Darryl Sittler.
April 5: On this day in 1962, Red Kelly of the Leafs scored the overtime winner at 4:23 of the second O/T period against New York Rangers goalie Gump Worsley to give the Leaf a 3-2 victory and a 3-2 Semi-Finals lead. The Leafs eliminated the Rangers in Game 6 two nights later.
April 5 On this day in 1986, Hartford Whalers won 7-1 over Toronto to clinch their first playoff berth since 1980. Former Leaf John Anderson led the scoring against his ex-team with a goal and two assists. The Leafs also made the '86 playoffs despite a bad losing record of 25-48-7. It was an era when 16 of 21 teams qualified for the post season. The Leafs were elimiated in the Division Finals by Doug Gilmour and the St. Louis Blues.
April 5 On this day in 1986, Hartford Whalers won 7-1 over Toronto to clinch their first playoff berth since 1980. Former Leaf John Anderson led the scoring against his ex-team with a goal and two assists. The Leafs also made the '86 playoffs despite a bad losing record of 25-48-7. It was an era when 16 of 21 teams qualified for the post season. The Leafs were elimiated in the Division Finals by Doug Gilmour and the St. Louis Blues.
