45 years later, NHL awards John Garrett 2nd assist on historic Gordie Howe goal

When the big announcement came Friday night during the second intermission of Game 2 of the Stanley Cup final, John Garrett had just changed channels to catch the baseball score.

"I'm a big Blue Jays fan and, sure enough, during the intermissions, what do you do? I switched to the baseball game. And then all of a sudden my phone started blowing up," he laughed.

The calls and texts were to congratulate Garrett, a former NHL goaltender and longtime Vancouver Canucks broadcaster, on being awarded the second assist on a hockey legend's historic goal from 45 years ago.

"It was a surprise to me, too," said the 73-year-old Garrett. "I'm quite happy that I'm finally getting the assist on Gordie Howe's last NHL goal."

On April 9, 1980, Garrett, affectionately known as "Cheech," was in goal for the Hartford Whalers during an 8-4 playoff game loss to the Montreal Canadiens. Garrett played the puck to Mark Howe, who then passed it to his dad.

Mr. Hockey, aged 52, proceeded to score the final goal of his career.

"There was no trapezoid [rule] back then and I was never a very good puck handler so I had to switch hands on my stick," said Garrett. 

"The puck was in the corner and I went out and threw it around to Mark. And Mark, the great player that he was, made a nice play to Gordie, and Gordie kind of got a fluky goal. But it was still a pretty obvious second assist."

Garrett said at the time he wasn't at all concerned about being left off the official score sheet, especially given the shellacking his team endured.  

But as years passed, it crossed his mind that receiving official recognition for a moment of hockey history would be a wonderful memento.

"It was great to have Gordie as a friend and teammate in his last years," said Garrett. "One of the best players on the ice and one of the best human beings off the ice."

Enter Greg Shannon, longtime Rogers Sportsnet Vancouver Canucks game producer and Garrett colleague. In 2013, he started the #giveittocheech hashtag on social media and began writing periodically to the NHL to ask for a review.  

Until Friday's news, the answer from the league was a solid no. It expressed concerns that it had no record of a request for a review right after the game, and that proceeding with one so many years later would contravene NHL rules of the day.

The league also said that adding Garrett's assist could lead to an avalanche of demands to examine other historical judgment calls. 

So why the change of heart now? Even Garrett doesn't know for sure. Part of it, he thinks, has to do with Shannon's persistence. Another factor could be the influence of an old friend in a high place. 

"I think my buddy [NHL executive vice-president] Colin Campbell and our Peterborough Petes connection — he might have got one last e-mail from somebody and said, 'Well, OK, we can make an exception here and go back 45 years and give Cheech an assist.'"

In announcing Garrett's assist, broadcaster Ron MacLean said Campbell "has begged all of you former NHLers, please do not be writing the league looking for credit on an assist."