Chicago Blackhawks Trivia: Tony Esposito, Stanley Cup Wins & More

We have entered the hardest part of the year for Chicago Blackhawks fans. We had all the excitement of the NHL Entry Draft and adding Connor Bedard to the mix. General manager Kyle Davidson brought in some crafty veterans like Taylor Hall, Nick Foligno, and Corey Perry to help mentor the organization’s new crop of future stars. Now we must play the waiting game until training camp opens in September, and the new era of Blackhawks hockey officially gets underway on Oct. 10.

So, let’s have some fun while we wait for the NHL to return to action with a weekly Blackhawks trivia game. I will ask you 10 questions about the storied past of our favorite hockey team. The game will be broken down into four segments. The first period will feature three easy questions to get warmed up. The second period will have three questions that will be more challenging. The third period will have three hard questions before we wrap up with one overtime question for the diehards.

Let’s see how you do!

First Period (Easy)

1. In what season did the Blackhawks make their NHL debut?
2. How many Stanley Cups have the Blackhawks won?

3. Who scored the most goals in Blackhawks history?

Second Period (Medium)

1. The Blackhawks have the second-fewest Stanley Cup wins among the “Original 6” teams. Which team has the fewest?
2. Who was the first Blackhawk to have his number retired by the team?
3. What former Blackhawk is one of only five American-born players to score 500 NHL goals?

Third Period (Hard)

1. What team did Tony Esposito play with for a season before coming to the Blackhawks?
2. What was unique about the game between the Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings on March 19, 1933?
3. Where did the Blackhawks play their home games until Chicago Stadium opened in 1929?

Overtime (Diehard)

Who scored the Stanley Cup-winning goal in Game 6 of the 1961 Stanley Cup Final?

ON THIS DAY: Sixty years ago today, the #Blackhawks captured their third Stanley Cup in franchise history!

On April 16, 1961, the Hawks defeated the Red Wings 5-1 in Detroit to win the championship. pic.twitter.com/ra3i28VI3C

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) April 16, 2021

Answers

First Period

1. 1926-27. Even though the Blackhawks are considered an “Original 6” team, they entered the league with the Detroit Cougars, later renamed the Red Wings, to give the NHL 10 teams. They went 19-22-3 in their inaugural season and qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs by finishing third in the American Division. Babe Dye led the team with 25 goals, while captain Dick Irvin was the leading scorer with 36 points in 44 games.

2. Six. The first championship in franchise history came in 1934, followed by a second in 1938. The legendary 1961 team returned the Blackhawks to glory. The dynasty era began 49 years later, with Stanley Cup victories in 2010, 2013, and 2015.

3. Bobby Hull. The “Golden Jet” racked up 604 in his illustrious career in Chicago.

Second Period

1. New York Rangers. They have just four Stanley Cup wins in their franchise history: 1928, 1933, 1940, and 1994.

2. Stan Mikita’s No. 21 was the first to head to the rafters on Oct. 19, 1980. In his 22 seasons with the team, he scored 541 goals and 1,467 points in 1,396 games.

3. Jeremy Roenick. He scored 267 of his 514 career NHL goals during his eight seasons with the Blackhawks.

Third Period

1. Montreal Canadiens. Esposito played 13 games for the Habs during the 1968-69 season, going 5-4-4 with a .919 save percentage (SV%) and 2.75 goals-against average (GAA). His first NHL start ended in a 2-2 tie against the Boston Bruins, with his older brother Phil scoring both goals for the Bruins. He was left unprotected the following offseason, and the Blackhawks claimed the future Hall of Famer in the NHL Intra-League Draft. He earned the nickname “Tony O” during his unforgettable rookie season with the Blackhawks, posting a 2.17 GAA and a modern-day NHL record 15 shutouts. Esposito won the 1970 Calder Trophy for being the league’s top rookie and his first of three Vezina Trophies for being voted the NHL’s best goaltender.

2. On March 19, 1933, the Blackhawks hosted the first-ever afternoon game in NHL history. The Red Wings won the game 4-2, thanks to a game-winning goal by Doug Young. Mush March scored both Blackhawks’ goals on this day.

3. Chicago Coliseum. Located at 1513 S. Wabash Ave, the Coliseum was built by candy manufacturer Charles F. Gunther in 1899. The seating capacity was about 6,000, a far cry from the arenas we are used to today. In addition to the Blackhawks, the Coliseum was also the home of the Chicago Cardinals (later renamed Chicago Americans) and the Chicago Shamrocks of the American Hockey Association (AHA). In 1962, the building became the home of the NBA’s Chicago Zephyrs, who moved to Baltimore and became the Bullets in 1963.

Overtime

Ab McDonald. His late second-period goal gave the Blackhawks a 2-1 lead before they added three insurance goals in the final frame to coast to a 5-1 victory over the Red Wings. The dynamic duo of Hull and Mikita assisted McDonald’s second goal of the 1961 postseason.

Ab McDonald, an important member of the 1961 Stanley Cup Champion Blackhawks, passed away last night at the age of 82.

On behalf of the entire Blackhawks organization, we extend our deepest condolences to the McDonald family and all of Ab’s friends and former teammates. pic.twitter.com/RC1xjL3wdd

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) September 5, 2018

I hope you had fun playing along. Tune in next week for some more fun and challenging Blackhawks trivia questions!