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December 18: On this day in 1948, Les Costello played his last NHL regular season game. The previous spring, Costello had helped the Leafs capture their second of three Cups in a row when he made his NHL debut in the playoffs. He played one more game in the 1950 playoffs. So in two of his three seasons as a Leaf, he only played in the playoffs, recording 4 points in 6 games. His regular season career totals were 5 points in just 15 games. Costello retired in 1950 to attend Seminary school and became a catholic priest.
December 18: On this day in 1965, the Leafs defeated the New York Rangers 8-4. Dave Keon recorded his first career hat trick. Not to be outdone, teammate Bob Pulford also netted a triple. As of 2007, this was the last time that more than one Leaf player recorded a hat trick in the same game. Dave Keon had 5 career hat tricks as a Leaf, his last one coming in November, 1974.
December 18: On this day in 1971, Leaf goaltender Gord McRae was signed as a free agent. McRae played all of his 71 game NHL career with the Leafs between 1973 and 1978. During the 1977-78 season, McRae was sporting a beard while posing for a team photograph. Leaf owner Harold Ballard ordered that the picture be doctored so as to remove McRae's beard. His head was removed from the picture and replaced with that of a clean-shaven Gord McRae of the previous year.
December 18: On this day in 2009, Viktor Stalberg scores his first NHL goal on his first shift against the Buffalo Sabres at the 03:06 minute mark of the first period in a 5-2 loss at the HSBC Arena in Buffalo NY.
