Thirty seven years ago tonight, Mario Lemieux put on a show for the hockey world when he scored five goals in five different ways on a New Year’s Eve game between the Penguins and the New Jersey Devils.
It was New Year’s Eve in 1988 — and calling the game a high-scoring track meet would be an understatement.
The Penguins won the game 8-6 with just 19 shots on goal.
Pittsburgh fell behind 1-0 on an early goal by Jim Korn before Lemieux tied the game with an even-strength goal, later giving the Penguins a 2-1 lead with a shorthanded goal.
Kirk Muller tied the game 2-2 with a power-play goal midway through the first period, but Lemieux put the Penguins back on top with a power-play goal of his own just over one minute later.
Through one period, Lemieux had scored three goals in three different ways.
In the first half of the second period, the Penguins and Devils traded goals twice with Pittsburgh sitting on a 5-4 lead.
Lemieux then scored his fourth goal of the game in a fourth different manner, this time on a penalty shot.
Tom Kurvers and Phil Bourque each score second period goals as well, and headed into the final frame, the Penguins led the game 7-5.
Anders Carlsson scored for the Devils making the score 7-6, setting Lemieux up to score his fifth goal of the game, an empty netter.
Lemieux is only other plater in history to achieve the five goals, five ways achievement.