This Day in Hockey History – December 20, 1981 – Fast as a Jet Followed by a Sabre

Dec 20, 2018

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The anthem has been sung, the game has started, and before anyone can even take a sip of their beverage of choice, the first goal has been scored. On December 20, 1981, a new record was set when the Winnipeg Jets only took five seconds to score on the St. Louis Blues. Exactly ten years and one day later, on December 21, 1991, the Buffalo Sabres matched the feat with their initial score against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The previous record, of six whole seconds, was set in 1973. Five seconds – neither goalie had a chance to even blink.

In 1981, at Winnipeg Arena, the quick shooter was left winger Doug Smail. He began skating with the Jets in 1980, so this was only his second professional season. His opponent, Paul Skidmore, was making his debut as the Blues’ backup goalie after having an “impressive 14-3-0 record and a 3.05 goals-against average for Salt Lake City of the Central Hockey League.” Unfortunately for Skidmore, Smail was in the right place at the right time. As Smail described his 15-foot wrist shot five seconds into the game, “I was held up a little bit on the play, but I think that was fortunate. When they threw the puck over after the faceoff, their defense mishandled it, and I just walked in at the right time. It was a lucky goal.” His luck apparently held as Smail scored another goal in the third period. Meanwhile, the Blues had trouble getting their shots passed goalie Ed Staniowski, who had been the Blues’ former backup goalie. Smail said, “The Blues outplayed us all over the ice. Our goaltender kept us in the first period, but in my mind they could have had the win.” Thanks to Smail, the Jets won 5-4, causing the two teams to switch places in the Norris Division standings.

In 1991, at Maple Leaf Gardens, Sabres right winger Alexander Mogilny tied Smail’s record. According to a news report sent out from Toronto, “It was the fastest goal from the start of a game ever scored against the Maple Leafs. The previous fastest was nine seconds by Kenny Wharram on April 13, 1967, for the Chicago Blackhawks.” That recap described the event, “Mogilny intercepted a Michel Petit pass, broke in alone on goalie Jeff Reese and whipped in a low shot.” As the game neared the end, Mogilny had a breakaway that resulted in the final goal, so he scored two of the Sabres’ four goals. The Maple Leafs only managed one goal on Clint Malarchuk, who had 41 saves. However, that one goal happened to be Mike Foligno’s 700th career point. The win finally put a halt to the Sabres’ 12-game winless streak (0-8-4). They had not gone that many games without a win since the 10-game streak in 1971.

Between the two, on March 22, 1984, New York Islanders Bryan Trottier had also scored within the first five seconds of the game.

Additional Sources:

“Winnipeg Gives Blues Rookie Rude NHL Welcome,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 21 Dec. 1981, p. 1C and 4C.
“Sabres 4, Maple Leafs 1,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 22 Dec. 1991, p. 6F.