Today in hockey history, November 4th has been a stage for remarkable milestones, unforgettable games, and significant achievements.
In 1977, Phil Esposito etched his name in the record books, joining Gordie Howe and Bobby Hull as the only players to reach 600 NHL goals. He accomplished this feat with a power-play goal during the New York Rangers' 5-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks. That same night, Greg Polis set a Rangers team record by scoring two shorthanded goals.
November 4, 1987, witnessed a historic showdown between Wayne Gretzky and Marcel Dionne as both legends were chasing their 1,000th career assist. Gretzky stole the show, recording a hat trick and two assists in the Edmonton Oilers' 7-2 triumph over the New York Rangers. With this five-point performance, Gretzky became only the second player in NHL history to reach the 1,000-assist mark. Dionne managed one assist in the game and joined Gretzky and Gordie Howe in the 1,000-assist club three nights later.
Several other personal achievements also occurred on this date. In 1962, Bill Gadsby became the first defenseman in NHL history to record 500 points with an assist in the Detroit Red Wings' 3-1 win against the Chicago Blackhawks. Wayne Cashman scored his 200th NHL goal on November 4, 1978, in a game where the Boston Bruins lost to the Philadelphia Flyers 7-3.
The San Jose Sharks had a memorable night on November 4, 1998, defeating the Dallas Stars 4-0 despite recording only nine shots on goal. This stands as the lowest shot total by a winning team in NHL history. Sharks goalie Mike Vernon made 21 saves to earn his 19th career shutout.
More recently, on November 4, 2023, Auston Matthews recorded his 10th career hat trick, tying Rick Vaive for the fourth-most in Toronto Maple Leafs history. Sidney Crosby also played his 1,200th game on this date in 2023, holding the sixth-most points through 1,200 games in NHL history, only behind Gretzky, Lemieux, Dionne, Jagr, and Esposito. Also on that date, Cam Talbot became the fifth player to record a shutout for at least six different NHL teams after leading the Los Angeles Kings to a 5-0 victory at Philadelphia.
In the present day, November 4, 2025, Connor McDavid reached 1,100 career points in a 3-2 loss to the St. Louis Blues, becoming the fourth-fastest player in NHL history to hit the milestone. Brock Boeser's overtime goal secured a 5-4 win for the Vancouver Canucks against the Nashville Predators, while the Seattle Kraken defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 3-1. The Toronto Maple Leafs rallied from a 3-0 deficit to beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3.
From scoring milestones to unbelievable records, November 4th has provided hockey fans with a plethora of unforgettable moments.
