This Day in Hockey History – April 11, 1971 – Orr, Orr, Orr

Apr 11, 2020

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Bobby Orr is one of those names that even non-hockey fans know. He took the wind out of the sails of the St. Louis Blues in 1970 with his goal that is better known for the iconic photograph taken as he was “flying through the air.” He won the Norris Trophy eight times; the Art Ross Trophy twice; the Hart Memorial Trophy three consecutive years; and the Conn Smythe Trophy twice. He did all that in the span of 12 seasons in which only nine were full seasons. In all of that, there is an accomplishment that has been overshadowed.

In between their 1970 and 1972 Stanley Cup championships, the Boston Bruins were right back in the playoffs in 1971, though perhaps many forget about it because they were unable to get beyond the quarterfinals, falling to the Montreal Canadiens who won the series 4-3.

It was during Game 4, taking place in Montreal on April 11, 1971, that Bobby Orr did something that had never been accomplished since the NHL had begun to keep statistics.

The Bruins came into the game trailing 2-1 in the series. They had split the first two games in Boston and had fallen to the Canadiens on the road the night before. Fans of the Canadiens were convinced that their beloved bleu blanc et rouge were going to take Game 4.

“But all those Montreal Canadien fans who were walking around with their fists thrust skyward, yelping for Boston Bruin hides, predicting a Canadien landslide in their best-of-seven National Hockey League quarterfinal, could not convince me that Boston’s Tea Party was over. No sir, there was too much hockey club, too much at stake for the Boston Bruins to be sold down the river. And most of all there was a talented young soldier named Bobby Orr involved in this fierce struggle, and as they say in propaganda country, he had not yet begun to fight,” wrote Star-Phoenix columnist Bob Strumm.

What had the Canadiens fans so sure was their amazing comeback in Game 2 having been down 5-1 in Boston, only to win the game 7-5 then to take the lead in the series on home ice with their 3-1 win on April 10.

In Game 4, the Canadiens had a one-goal lead going into the second period and then Bobby Orr scored. Up until 11:06 of the second, Canadiens goaltender Ken Dryden was keeping the Bruins off the scoreboard.

“At that juncture, Dryden came out of his net to clear the puck which had slipped off Orr’s stick, as he sped over the Montreal blue line. Dryden slapped the puck, waist-high, towards the boards to his left,” reported Jim Coleman of the Calgary Herald. “Orr who was speeding beside the boards, swung his stick and he struck the puck in midair. It rocketed past Dryden into the far corner of the net.”

At the end of the second period the Bruins were leading 2-1. Orr notched his second goal of the game 37 seconds into the third period. Montreal grabbed their second, and last, of the game from Yvan Cournoyer at 6:13. Fred Stanfield gave the Bruins back their two-goal lead at 17:21 of the third. And Orr wasn’t done yet. He got his third goal of the game with three seconds remaining in regulation.

“Boston’s scoring feats have reached the stage where their recountal verges on monotony. Orr is the only defenceman to score three goals in a Stanley Cup game in the last 44 years. (The current Stanley Cup record book doesn’t include statistics prior to 1927. Probably, Eddie Gerard or Sprague Cleghorn scored three goals, or more, in some primeval shinny contest but the record book does not mention such an historic performance),” wrote Coleman.

According to the NHL’s “This Date in Hockey History” page, Orr is the first defenseman since 1922 to have a hat trick in the playoffs. Regardless of which year it was, his accomplishment was impressive and knotted up the series at two games apiece.

“This guy Orr, the 23-year-old phenomenon who takes the long-way home just for the drive, has to be the youngest president the SSC [Super Star Club] has ever had. And sometimes you have to wonder whether he gets tired of walking on water and changing water into wine,” continued Strumm.

In the end the Canadiens would move on in the playoffs, but the Bruins forced them to play all seven games.

And as for Orr? He would continue to “walk on water.” He holds the record for most hat tricks scored by a defenseman with nine.

After his retirement in November of 1978, he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1979—the three-year waiting period having been waived. And among all the hardware he collected, he is one of only two players to earn the Hart, Norris, Art Ross and Conn Smythe all in one season. The other is Alexander Ovechkin who did it in 2007-08.

Additional Sources:

Bob Strumm, “They Forgot About Orr,” Star-Phoenix (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan), Monday, April 12, 1971, p. 10.
Jim Coleman, Calgary Herald (Calgary, Alberta), Monday, April 12, 1971, p. 18.