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May 3: On this day in 1919, Billy Taylor was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Taylor was a Leaf centre for 222 games between 1939 and 1946. He was an important part in the Leafs 1942 Cup run when he recorded 10 points in 13 playoff games, including 2 assists in the Leafs 3-1 victory in Game 7 of the Finals. In his NHL career after Toronto, Taylor got in trouble for gambling and was suspended for life. The ban was lifted in 1970. As a boy, Billy Taylor was the Leafs' team mascot when they won the Cup in 1932. As a Red Wing in 1947, Taylor was the first NHL player to record 7 assists in one game.
May 3: On this day in 1957, Peter Ihnacak was born in Poprad, Czechoslovakia. Ihnakak was the draft pick that the Leafs acquired when they sent Darryl Sittler to Philadelphia. He played 8 NHL seasons, all with the Leafs during the troublesome 1980's and ironically his rookie season was by far his best. In that 1982-83 season, Ihnacak had 28 goals and 38 assists for 66 points, a club record that still stands as of 2008 for most points by a rookie in one season.
May 3: On this day in 1993, Doug Gilmour scored one of the most memorable goals in Leaf history on a wrap-around from behind the net against future Leaf Curtis Joseph and the St. Louis Blues in double overtime of the opening game of the Division Finals. It may be considered as Gilmour's biggest goal ever as a Leaf.
