Stories Of Stan Mikita

What follows are seven stories from the Hockey Hall of Fame career of Stan Mikita. Certainly not an exhaustive collection from the many years Mikita starred in the National Hockey League, it does provide a glimpse into the impact this great made in the NHL. Following the stories, we have Stan’s career stats, a hockey card video and hockey card collection.

Stan Mikita Career Stats

NHL Hockey Card Legends: Stan Mikita [Video]

Stan Mikita Hockey Card Collection

Stan Mikita Has His 1^st Four Goal Game In Pittsburgh’s 1^st Ever Visit To Chicago Stadium

Stan Mikita had 16 hat tricks over his NHL career. Two of those 16 were four goal games. The first happened on December 6, 1967 when the Chicago Blackhawks hosted the Pittsburgh Penguins for the first time ever. Despite the Penguins being an expansion team in 1967-68, both teams went into this game with nine wins each.

Mikita opened the scoring at 3:58 of the first with a goal on Les Binkley, assisted by Pierre Pilote and Ken Wharram. After Pittsburgh tied it up less than two minutes later, Stan scored his second of the game at 7:36, unassisted. The Penguins would again tie the match before the first period ended. However, it would be the last goal they would score in the game in a 7-2 loss.

At 11:32 of the second period, Mikita scored his and Chicago’s third goal of the game, again assisted by Pilote and Wharram. This would stand as the game winning goal. Stan scored his fourth at 8:49 of the third, sandwiched between a pair of Bobby Hull goals. All three of those goals were scored on Hank Bassen. Bassen replaced Binkley after Pierre Pilote made it 4-2 late in the second frame.

The second goal by the Golden Jet was assisted by Stan, making it a five point night for Mikita. Hull scored his two and added an assist while firing ten shots on the Pittsburgh nets. Defenseman Pilote finished up with a goal and three assists.

Stan Mikita Starts 1973 Stanley Cup Playoffs With 5 Assist Game

Stan Mikita certainly set up victory for the Chicago Blackhawks in their 1973 quarter-final series with the St. Louis Blues. Mikita had nine points on a goal and eight assists over the five game set. He started things off, assisting on five of Chicago’s seven goals in a 7-1 series opener at Chicago Stadium on April 4, 1973.

The first two helpers were on Dick Redmond goals in the first period. Redmond scored the first goal of the game at 15:02. Just 18 seconds later, he had the Hawks up 2-0. At 2:13 of the second, Redmond made it a hat trick, again assisted by Mikita.

In the third, it was Pit Martin’s turn to complete a hat trick. He scored his second and third goals of the game, both assisted by Stan and both on the power play, to make the score 6-0. With just 53 seconds left in the game, Phil Roberto scored for the Blues to break Tony Esposito‘s shutout bid.

Dennis Hull joined Martin and Redmond with a three point game of his own on three assists. Redmond led with eight of the 39 shots put toward St. Louis goalie Wayne Stephenson with Jim Pappin not far behind with seven.

Stan Mikita In On All Chicago Goals In 1973 5-4 Win Over The Bruins

On a Chicago Blackhawks team in 1972-73 that was without Bobby Hull for the first time in nearly 15 years, Stan Mikita stepped up his game. Playing just 57 games, Mikita recorded 83 points – on a pace for 110 over a full schedule. His 56 assists placed him tied for eighth with Syl Apps of the Pittsburgh Penguins. His name was all over the scoresheet in a January 7, 1973 game at Chicago Stadium against the Boston Bruins.

After Ken Hodge opened the scoring at 4:20 of the first, putting the Bruins up 1-0, Mikita scored his 20^th of the season just under four minutes later. Dan Maloney had the only assist on the goal and would score late in the period, assisted by Dick Redmond and Stan to tie the score at 2-2 going into the second.

The rest of the game’s scoring occurred in the second period with Chicago scoring three and Boston putting two past Tony Esposito. Mikita assisted on all three, two by Cliff Koroll and the game winner by Maloney. Dan finished up the game with four points on two goals and two assists.

John Adams was in net for Boston in the first two periods, allowing all five Chicago goals. Ed Johnston was put in for the third and stopped all nine shots put his way. Tony Esposito made 29 saves on 33 shots, including five off the stick of his brother Phil.

Stan Mikita Scores His Only Career Playoff Overtime Goal Against the Buffalo Sabres In 1975

Stan Mikita had a long, long NHL career. Over 20+ seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks, he scored 541 regular season and 59 playoff goals. Just one of those goals was scored in overtime. On April 17, 1975, the Blackhawks hosted the Buffalo Sabres at Chicago Stadium for game three of their quarter-final series. Buffalo went into the game with a 2-0 lead.

A front-loaded game that saw five goals in the first period, two in the second and just one in the third, ended regulation time deadlocked at 4-4. The visitors never held a lead in the game and Jim Schoenfeld’s first of the playoffs at 8:23 of the third meant overtime would be necessary.

Mikita scored just 2:31 into the first extra frame, assisted by Cliff Koroll and Dick Redmond. It was his third shot of the game on Gerry Desjardins and his third point, having assisted on goals by Redmond and Koroll. Desjardins stopped 20 of 25 in the loss while Tony Esposito made 26 saves in the win.

Unfortunately for the Blackhawks, it would be the only win of the series and Buffalo advanced in five games. A bit of a storybook season for the Sabres in just their fifth year of existence, they would take six games to oust the Montreal Canadiens in the semi-final before falling in six to the Philadelphia Flyers in the Stanley Cup final.

Stan Mikita Scores OT Game Winner In Last Chicago Victory Before NHL Record Playoff Losing Streak

In the 1974-75 Stanley Cup playoffs, the Chicago Blackhawks dispensed with the Boston Bruins in the preliminary round before taking on the Buffalo Sabres in the quarter-final. In that set, Chicago would win just one game. That win would be their last in the post season for just shy of 5 years. The 16 game playoff losing streak stands today as an NHL record. To their credit, they qualified in each of those five years.

On April 17, 1975, the Hawks hosted the Sabres at Chicago Stadium for game 3. Buffalo was up 2-0 in the series. Buffalo never led in the game but refused to go away. With the home team leading 4-3 after two, Jim Schoenfeld tied the game midway through the third and an overtime period was needed to decide a winner.

At 2:31 of the extra frame, Stan Mikita scored his third of the playoffs, putting one past Gerry Desjardins, assisted by Cliff Koroll and Dick Redmond. Along with his earlier assists on goals by Redmond and Koroll, Stan had himself a three point match. Unfortunately, Chicago would lose the next two games and the series.

The following year, they were swept in four by the Montreal Canadiens. In 1976-77, it was two and out to the Islanders. 1977-78 was close with two of the four losses to Boston going to overtime. In 1978-79, the were again swept by the Isles, this time in four.

Finally, on April 8, 1980, the streak was broken. In the first game of the playoffs on April 8, 1980, Doug Lecuyer scored in overtime on Mike Liut to give the Hawks the victory. Mikita was retired by this point but Tony Esposito played both this game and the last win in 1975.

NHL Milestones: Stan Mikita Puts Number 500 Behind Vancouver’s Cesare Maniago

1976-77 was not an overly great year for Stan Mikita. He played just 57 games for the Chicago Blackhawks. His numbers were decent with 19 goals and 49 points over his shortened campaign but he went the final 14 games of the year with zero goals and just five assists.

It wasn’t all bad. On February 27, 1977, he treated the home crowd at Chicago Stadium to his 500^th career regular season goal in the National Hockey League. The Blackhawks spotted the Canucks a 4-0 lead after the second period but came back to make it close with three in the third to make the final 4-3 for Vancouver.

The third Chicago goal was scored at 13:56 of the third by Mikita on Cesare Maniago, assisted by Phil Russell. It was Stan’s 17^th of the season and the 500^th of his NHL career, scored in his 1,221^th game. He went on to add 41 more before retiring 17 games into the 1979-80 season. His 541 goals rank him 34^th all-time, three behind Maurice Richard.

Despite allowing the milestone goal, Cesare Maniago had an excellent game for the Canucks in the win, turning away 27 of 30 shots. Mikita led the way for the Blackhawks with five of those shots. Tony Esposito was in the Chicago nets, making 30 saves on 34 shots.

First and Last: Stan Mikita (1,394 NHL games, all with the same team)

In the realm of games played with a single NHL franchise, Stan Mikita ranks 11^th all-time, just recently knocked out of the Top 10 by Alex Ovechkin. Mikita remained with the Chicago Blackhawks throughout his legendary NHL career.

The Stan Mikita rookie card appears in the 1960-61 Topps NHL set as one of the few cards featuring current players. Much of that set was dedicated to all-time greats. This card was produced after his first full season in the National Hockey League after being groomed in junior by the Blackhawks sponsored St. Catharines Teepees.

Over his NHL career, Stan was a four-time Art Ross Trophy winner, a two-time recipient of the Hart Trophy and a winner of the Lady Byng Trophy twice. In 1966-67 and 1967-68, he was a triple crown player, winning each of those three trophies in each campaign. A Stanley Cup champion with the Blackhawks in 1960-61, Mikita was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1983.

The final hockey card from his playing days was included in the 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee and Topps sets. 1979-80 was his final year in the National Hockey League, appearing in just 17 games with the club that year before retiring.

Stan Mikita NHL Career Stats

Regular Season

Year	Team	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1958-59	Chicago Blackhawks	3	0	1	1	4
1959-60	Chicago Blackhawks	67	8	18	26	119
1960-61	Chicago Blackhawks	66	19	34	53	100
1961-62	Chicago Blackhawks	70	25	52	77	97
1962-63	Chicago Blackhawks	65	31	45	76	69
1963-64	Chicago Blackhawks	70	39	50	89	146
1964-65	Chicago Blackhawks	70	28	59	87	154
1965-66	Chicago Blackhawks	68	30	48	78	58
1966-67	Chicago Blackhawks	70	35	62	97	12
1967-68	Chicago Blackhawks	72	40	47	87	14
1968-69	Chicago Blackhawks	74	30	67	97	52
1969-70	Chicago Blackhawks	76	39	47	86	50
1970-71	Chicago Blackhawks	74	24	48	72	85
1971-72	Chicago Blackhawks	74	26	39	65	46
1972-73	Chicago Blackhawks	57	27	56	83	32
1973-74	Chicago Blackhawks	76	30	50	80	46
1974-75	Chicago Blackhawks	79	36	50	86	48
1975-76	Chicago Blackhawks	48	16	41	57	37
1976-77	Chicago Blackhawks	57	19	30	49	20
1977-78	Chicago Blackhawks	76	18	41	59	35
1978-79	Chicago Blackhawks	65	19	36	55	34
1979-80	Chicago Blackhawks	17	2	5	7	12
	Totals	1394	541	926	1467	1270

Playoffs

Year	Team	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1958-59	Chicago Blackhawks	0	0	0	0	0
1959-60	Chicago Blackhawks	3	0	1	1	2
1960-61	Chicago Blackhawks	12	6	5	11	21
1961-62	Chicago Blackhawks	12	6	15	21	19
1962-63	Chicago Blackhawks	6	3	2	5	2
1963-64	Chicago Blackhawks	7	3	6	9	8
1964-65	Chicago Blackhawks	14	3	7	10	53
1965-66	Chicago Blackhawks	6	1	2	3	2
1966-67	Chicago Blackhawks	6	2	2	4	2
1967-68	Chicago Blackhawks	11	5	7	12	6
1968-69	Chicago Blackhawks	0	0	0	0	0
1969-70	Chicago Blackhawks	8	4	6	10	2
1970-71	Chicago Blackhawks	18	5	13	18	16
1971-72	Chicago Blackhawks	8	3	1	4	4
1972-73	Chicago Blackhawks	15	7	13	20	8
1973-74	Chicago Blackhawks	11	5	6	11	8
1974-75	Chicago Blackhawks	8	3	4	7	12
1975-76	Chicago Blackhawks	4	0	0	0	4
1976-77	Chicago Blackhawks	2	0	1	1	0
1977-78	Chicago Blackhawks	4	3	0	3	0
1978-79	Chicago Blackhawks	0	0	0	0	0
1979-80	Chicago Blackhawks	0	0	0	0	0
	Totals	155	59	91	150	169

NHL Hockey Card Legends: Stan Mikita [Video]

Stan Mikita Hockey Card Collection

(List of cards featured at our VHCR Collection site)

1961-62 Topps

1962-63 Topps

1963-64 Topps

1965-66 Topps

1966-67 Topps

1967-68 Topps

1969-70 O-Pee-Chee

1971-72 O-Pee-Chee

1972-73 O-Pee-Chee

1973-74 O-Pee-Chee

1974-75 O-Pee-Chee

1975-76 O-Pee-Chee

1976-77 O-Pee-Chee

1978-79 O-Pee-Chee

1979-80 O-Pee-Chee