Grand moments
April 5th, 1975
LAPOINTE SETS BLUE LINE RECORD
This content requires Adobe Flash Player 10
See also...
WASHINGTON CAPITALS
The Washington Capitals joined the NHL in 1974-75 and struggled mightily in their initial [...]
More
SERGE SAVARD
One of the “Big Three” defensemen who patrolled the Montreal blue line, Serge Savard [...]
More
LARRY ROBINSON
A mentor to a generation of younger Canadiens defensemen, Larry Robinson was one of the [...]
More
1974-1975
The Montreal Canadiens welcomed Ken Dryden back to the team but the bulk of the play in [...]
More
Playing in Washington against the Capitals on April 5, 1975, Guy Lapointe closed out what can only be described as a dream season.
Earlier in the campaign, Lapointe, a member of Montreal’s famous “Big Three”, had become only the fourth defenseman in NHL history – after Bobby Orr (Bruins), Brad Park (Rangers) and Carol Vadnais (Seals) – to score 20 times in a season, beating the team record of 19 he set in 1972-73.
With two assists already in hand and the Habs leading 9-2 with less than five minutes to play in the third period, Lapointe powered the puck past Terry Adams to record his 28th goal of the season, setting a team record he holds to this day.
“Pointu” would reach the 20-goal plateau in each of the next two seasons and is still the only Canadiens defenseman to enjoy more than one such season. Lapointe is also one of only nine NHL rearguards to put up three or more 20-goal campaigns, a group that includes Orr as well as the five top-scoring NHL blueliners of all time – Raymond Bourque, Paul Coffey, Al MacInnis, Phil Housley and Denis Potvin.
Earlier in the campaign, Lapointe, a member of Montreal’s famous “Big Three”, had become only the fourth defenseman in NHL history – after Bobby Orr (Bruins), Brad Park (Rangers) and Carol Vadnais (Seals) – to score 20 times in a season, beating the team record of 19 he set in 1972-73.
With two assists already in hand and the Habs leading 9-2 with less than five minutes to play in the third period, Lapointe powered the puck past Terry Adams to record his 28th goal of the season, setting a team record he holds to this day.
“Pointu” would reach the 20-goal plateau in each of the next two seasons and is still the only Canadiens defenseman to enjoy more than one such season. Lapointe is also one of only nine NHL rearguards to put up three or more 20-goal campaigns, a group that includes Orr as well as the five top-scoring NHL blueliners of all time – Raymond Bourque, Paul Coffey, Al MacInnis, Phil Housley and Denis Potvin.