🏒 March 20, 1978 – The Night Rick MacLeish Did Something He’d Never Do Again…
The Flyers were chasing the Islanders in the Patrick Division standings. Billy Smith was battling in net. But at 6:20 of the first, Rick MacLeish was awarded the first (and only!) penalty shot of his NHL career.
💥 Boom - he buried it.
That goal put Philly up 1-0, and even though MacLeish fired 11 shots that night, that penalty shot was the only one that found twine. It was his 31st, and final, regular season goal of 1977-78.
The Flyers won 4-2 thanks to goals from Bridgman, Barber, and Leach, while Bernie Parent stood tall in net.
📌 MacLeish finished his career with 349 goals and 54 more in the playoffs. 📌 In 1972-73, he became the first Flyer to hit 50 goals in a season. 📌 But he only ever scored one penalty shot goal. And this was it.
