Pens bow to Habs, March 1979

The Penguins were riding a 10-game unbeaten streak when they headed into the Montreal Forum to take on the Canadiens on March 31, 1979. The last time Pittsburgh had played in that building they'd suffered the worst defeat in franchise history, getting blown out by a score of 12-0. On this night, the team was intent on showing the Habs and the hockey world that they were better than that.

Guy Lafleur scored his 50th goal of the season
March 31, 1979 against the Penguins.

Despite outshooting the mighty Montrealers 32-31, however, the Penguins once again came out on the short end of the scoreboard, losing this time by the much more respectable score of 5-3, as this game report from the Pittsburgh Press explains.

Canadiens superstar Guy Lafleur notched his 50th goal of the season in the game, the fifth consecutive year he had reached that lofty level. He scored it on Denis Herron, who had also surrendered Lafleur's 50th goal in two of the other seasons. "I think he was waiting for me to get number 50," Herron told the Montreal Gazette after the game. "At least I'll have my name in the record book again."