On This Day December 2nd.

December 2: On this day in 1950, the Leafs and the Chicago Black Hawks skated to a 0-0 tie. Earning the shutout for the Hawks was Hall-of-Fame goalie Harry Lumley who would become the Leafs' number 1 goaltender a couple of years later. Al Rollins started the game for the Leafs but was replaced by Hall-of-Famer, Turk Broda in the second period after Rollins had taken a shot to the face resulting in a broken nose.

December 2: On this day in 1961, Hall-of-Fame goaltender Gerry Cheevers made his NHL debut in nets for the Leafs, replacing an injured Johnny Bower. It was the first of only two games that Cheevers would play in a Leaf uniform. The Leafs defeated the defending Stanley Cup champions, the Chicago Black Hawks 6-4. Billy Harris of the Leafs scored his second career hat trick. Hall-of-Fame goalie Glenn Hall was in goal for Chicago. Cheevers started again the following night for the Leafs, but the remainder of Cheevers' NHL career was with Boston where he won two Stanley Cups.

December 2: On this day in 1963, Rich Sutter was born in Viking, Alberta. Rich was the only one of the six Sutter brothers to dress for the Blue and White. He played the final 18 games of his NHL career with Toronto in 1994-95. Rich Sutter had a total of 315 NHL career points, but only 3 as a Leaf.

December 2: On this day in 1986, the Leafs sent their former first round draft choice in 1981 (6th overall) Jim Benning along with Dan Hodgson to Vancouver for Rick Lanz. Lanz had been a first round draft choice of the Vancouver Canucks in 1980, 7th overall, and played 151 games as a Leaf between 1986 and 1989. In the last season of his Leaf days, Lanz was a disappointing minus-17 on a team that allowed 342 goals against, 3rd worst in the NHL. Rick Lanz had 59 regular season points as a Leaf but his biggest goal was a playoff game winner in Game 2 of the opening round in 1987 against St. Louis.

December 2: On this day in 2003, Mats Sundin scores his 64th game winning goal in a 5-4 win over the New York Rangers to move past Dave Keon as the franchise’s all-time leader.


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