from Dave Stubbs of NHL.com,
THIS DATE IN NHL HISTORY, MARCH 24:
1936: Modere "Mud" Bruneteau scores at 16:30 of the sixth overtime, 116:30 into extra time, to give the visiting Detroit Red Wings a 1-0 win against the Montreal Maroons.
It remains to this day the longest game in NHL history, the equivalent of nearly three full games. It begins March 24 and ends at 2:25 a.m. the following morning in Game 1 of the best-of-5 Stanley Cup Semifinals.
Red Wings goalie Normie Smith, who loses 12 pounds of body weight during the game, makes 89 saves. Only Bruneteau's shot, the 67th for Detroit, gets past Maroons goaltender Lorne Chabot.
During intermissions players sip tea and coffee laced with brandy, then lie on their backs with their legs up on benches to improve circulation. The two referees, Ag Smith and Bill Stewart (the latter the grandfather of future NHL official Paul Stewart), stop taking their skates off, afraid they won't be able to lace up their boots over surely swollen feet.
Wilfred Kennedy "Bucko" McDonald, a beefsteak-and-potatoes man of 205 pounds, earns his pay and more on this night. Renowned for his physical style, a Red Wings fan offers him $5 for every Maroons player he flattens. Nine periods and 37 punishing checks later, the fan happily forks over $185, enough to buy Bucko a few prime sirloins.
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