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March 13: On this day in 1922, the Toronto St. Pats and the Ottawa Senators played to a 0-0 scoreless tie, a playoff game! The playoff format in those days was 2 games, total goals scored. Toronto won the series 5 goals to 4, with all goals having come in the opening game.
March 13: On this day in 1952, left-winger Bob Sabourin played in his first and only game in the NHL. He dressed for the Leafs in a 3-1 loss to Montreal. Sabourin made the scoresheet. He had one two-minute penalty.
March 13: On this day in 1967, the final season of the "Original Six", the Maple Leafs had just about sown up a playoff spot after a 10-game unbeaten streak in February and early March. Here were the standings with 10 games remaining:
Chicago New York Toronto Montreal Detroit Boston | GP 61 61 60 61 61 62 | W 37 27 26 24 24 16 | L 14 23 23 25 33 36 | T 10 11 11 12 4 10 | GF 225 163 162 154 182 162 | GA 141 155 174 164 200 213 | Pts 84 65 62 60 52 42 |
March 13: On this day in 1979, the Leafs sent their 12th overall draft choice from 1977, Trevor Johansen along with their first pick, 6th overall from 1975, Don Ashby to the Colorado Rockies in exchange for Paul Gardner. Paul was the son of ex-Leaf hero Cal Gardner who scored the Cup-winning goal for the Leafs in 1949. The move proved to be a messup of squandered draft choices for the Leafs as Gardner played only 56 games in Toronto before being traded to Pittsburgh where he went on to have his best NHL years.
March 13: On this day in 1987, the Washington Capitals shellacked the Leafs 10-2. It marked the only time in team history that the Leafs gave up seven powerplay goals in one game.
March 13: On this day in 2003, the second coming of Doug Gilmour lasted 8 shifts totalling four minutes and fifty-one seconds before he went down with what turned out to be a career ending knee injury. Gilmour had returned to Toronto at the trade deadline from Montreal for a 6th round draft choice. It was his 1,474th and final NHL game. The Leafs lost 4-3 to the Calgary Flames in overtime. He officially retired the following September at the age of 40.
