1963-64: Leafs Three-Peat On Bobby Baun's Broken Leg Goal

The Three Stars

Bobby Baun Is Stanley Cup Hero: With the Toronto Maple Leafs down 3-2 in games to Detroit in the Stanley Cup final, defenseman Bobby Baun is carried off the ice on a stretcher after taking a Gordie Howe shot to the rink ankle in game 6. Heroically Baun returns to the ice and scores the overtime game winning goal, forcing a game 7. Refusing to be X-rayed, Baun plays game seven and helps the Leafs win 4-0 and win their third consecutive Stanley Cup. After the game X-rays reveal he has a fracture.

Habs, Rangers Make Blockbuster Deal: Prior to the season starting the Montreal Canadiens trade off their legendary goaltender Jacques Plante along with Don Marshall and Phil Goyette to the New York Rangers for Gump Worsley, Dave Balon, Leon Rochefort and Len Ronson.

Howe, Sawchuk Share Historic Night: Two magical moments occur on the night of November 10th, 1963 when the Detroit Red Wings defeat the Montreal Canadiens by a score of 3-0. Gordie Howe scores his 545th career NHL goal, surpassing Maurice "Rocket" Richard as the NHL's all time leading goal scorer. Also, with the shutout Terry Sawchuk ties George Hainsworth for the most shutouts in a career with 94. He would break the record with another shutout over Montreal in January.

Season Highlights

• The Stanley Cup champion Toronto Maple Leafs pull off a late-season blockbuster to help them keep the Stanley Cup. They traded Arnie Brown, Dick Duff, Bob Nevin, Rod Seiling and Bill Collins to New York for Andy Bathgate and Don McKenney.
• Bobby Hull leads all goal scorers with 43 while teammate Stan Mikita wins the Art Ross trophy with 89 points. Mikita also finished tied for 2nd with 149 PIMs.
• Jean Beliveau wins the Hart Trophy.
• With Bobby Orr still a teenager few have heard of yet, it is universally agreed that Doug Harvey is the greatest defenseman of all time. But the New York Rangers demote him to the minor leagues where he would play the next 5 years. It is unthinkable, but history tells us the Rangers were trying to rid themselves of an alcoholic Harvey who, while still a heck of a hockey player, was a shadow of his old self.
• Eddie Johnston plays every minute of all 70 regular season games for Boston, marking the last time in NHL history that a goalie accomplished that feat. 
• The Soviet Union win the first of four straight Olympic gold medals.