On October 11, 1952, fans gathered around the television, rather than the radio when flickering black and white images of the NHL’s first televised game, pitting Detroit against Montreal, were beamed into their homes for the first time.

Fearing an adverse affect on tickets sales, only the third period of the contest between the previous spring’s Stanley Cup finalists was broadcast. The score stood tied 1-1 when the transmission began.

Three cameras captured the action, as Rene Lecavalier provided play-by-play commentary from the final period’s opening faceoff between Detroit’s Ted Lindsay and Elmer Lach until the end of the game.

Jacques Plante barred the door in the final frame and Billy Reay slipped a puck past Terry Sawchuk late in the period, notching the winning goal in 2-1 Habs victory.