This Day in Hockey History

1995 - Paul Coffey records 1,000 career assists

Paul Coffey becomes the first defenseman in the NHL to record 1,000 career assists, helping the Detroit Red Wings defeat the Chicago Blackhawks 3-1.

The Hall of Famer won his third career Norris Trophy the previous season and was on his way to recording 60 assists in the 1995-96 campaign. He did not record more than 29 assists in a season after that.

Coffey was the fourth player to reach 1,000 assists, joining Wayne Gretzky, Gordie Howe and Marcel Dionne. He retired with 1,135 helpers but was surpassed by blue-liner Ray Bourque, who is fourth all-time with 1,169 assists, behind Gretzky, Ron Francis and Mark Messier.

1992 - Manon Rheaume becomes first woman to play pro hockey

Goaltender Manon Rheaume plays 5:49 for the Atlanta Knights of the IHL, becoming the first woman to appear in a pro hockey game.

Rheaume, who also appeared in two NHL exhibition games with the Tampa Bay Lightning, stopped three of four shots against the Salt Lake Golden Eagles in her first pro appearance. She appeared in 24 games between 1992 and 1997, playing for seven different IHL teams.

1933 - Ace Bailey escapes death after vicious hit by Eddie Shore

Ace Bailey is given his last rites before being transported to a Boston hospital after a vicious hit by Eddie Shore fractured his skull.

In a game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Boston Bruins, Shore thought Bailey had checked him and retaliated by hitting Bailey from behind, causing the Toronto forward to hit the ice head-first. The resulting injury was so severe, newspapers printed Bailey's death notice the next morning.

Bailey survived but never played another professional hockey game. Shore was suspended for 16 games.

Birthdays

1933 - Doug Mohns
1953 - Bob Gainey
1969 - Sergei Fedorov
1975 - Bates Battaglia
1982 - Dan Hamhuis
1984 - Kevin Klein
1991 - Vladimir Tarasenko