Today in Hockey History: Jan. 24
January 24th has been a memorable day in hockey history, marked by significant milestones and unforgettable moments. From Hall of Fame inductions to scoring milestones and notable retirements, this date has provided fans with plenty to celebrate.
One of the most significant events on this day occurred in 1986 when Mike Bossy of the New York Islanders reached 1,000 career points. This achievement solidified his place among hockey's greatest scorers. Bossy was the 20th NHL player to reach the 1,000-point mark, a feat only 98 players have accomplished to this day.
In more recent news, January 24, 2006, marked the date that Mario Lemieux announced his second and final retirement from the NHL. Lemieux, who had returned to the ice in December 2000 after initially retiring in 1997, played until after his 40th birthday, even sharing the ice with a young Sidney Crosby. At the time of his final retirement, Lemieux was the seventh-leading point scorer in NHL history. Since then, only Jaromir Jagr and Crosby have surpassed Lemieux on the all-time list.
Looking at the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL), the Montreal Victoire beat the Frost in overtime on Wednesday, January 22, improving their record to 2-2-0-1 in their last five games and maintaining a perfect 3-0 record in games decided beyond regulation. Their eight-game streak of one-goal games is tied with Boston (2024) for the longest such streak in a single PWHL regular season. Montreal has been defensively strong, allowing an average of just 1.54 goals per game, tying them with Boston for the league's best mark.
Notably, Marie-Philip Poulin's recent goal was the 35th of her PWHL career, making her the first player to reach that milestone, including 10 game-winning goals. It was also the third time this season that the Victoire captain decided a game beyond regulation, with previous game-winning goals against Minnesota on Jan. 4 and Toronto in Halifax on Dec. 17.
In the ECHL, today's games include the Adirondack Thunder facing the Greensboro Gargoyles. Adirondack's Justin Taylor is set to potentially make history, as he is just one game away from becoming the first player in ECHL history to play 900 career games.
January 24 continues to be a date filled with memorable hockey moments, ranging from individual achievements to team successes and milestones that shape the sport's history.
