Mario Lessard

Mario Lessard
Born	(1954-06-25) June 25, 1954 East Broughton, Quebec, Canada
Height	5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
Weight	177 lb (80 kg; 12 st 9 lb)
Position	Goaltender
Caught	Left
Played for	AHL Springfield Indians New Haven Nighthawks NHL Los Angeles Kings
NHL Draft	154th overall, 1974 Los Angeles Kings
WHA Draft	128th overall, 1974 Quebec Nordiques
Playing career	1977–1984

Mario Lessard (born June 25, 1954) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender.

Born in East Broughton, Quebec, Lessard began his National Hockey League career with the Los Angeles Kings in 1978, the team he would play his entire NHL career with. Lessard recorded four shutouts in 1978–79, tied for second best in the league. Lessard also was an NHL second team All-Star in 1981 and appeared in the 1981 NHL All-Star Game.

Lessard may be best known as the Kings goalie in the Miracle on Manchester playoff game in April 1982 in which the Kings rallied from a 5–0 deficit to beat the Edmonton Oilers, 6–5 in overtime. Early in overtime of that game, Lessard mishandled the puck 40 feet in front of his net as he attempted to beat Glenn Anderson to the puck and stop a breakaway; with the net wide open and defenceman Mark Hardy trying to act as goalie, the Oilers Mark Messier shot the puck over the open net. The Kings scored two minutes later to win. After the game Lessard lamented that his mistake nearly blew the amazing comeback. He retired after the 1984 season.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season										Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	W	L	T	MIN	GA	SO	GAA	SV%		GP	W	L	MIN	GA	SO	GAA	SV%
1969–70	Sherbrooke Castors	QMJHL		15	3	5	0	560	63	0	6.76	.831		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1970–71	Sherbrooke Castors	QMJHL		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1971–72	Sherbrooke Castors	QMJHL		17	—	—	—	1020	72	2	4.24	.895		3	0	3	133	24	0	10.83	.784
1972–73	Sherbrooke Castors	QMJHL		37	—	—	—	2180	161	0	4.43	.880		6	—	—	360	24	0	4.00	.881
1973–74	Sherbrooke Castors	QMJHL		36	—	—	—	2140	180	0	5.05	.860		4	—	—	240	24	0	6.00	.892
1974–75	Saginaw Gears	IHL		59	—	—	—	3186	171	4	3.22	—		17	10	7	1016	64	2	3.78	—
1975–76	Saginaw Gears	IHL		62	—	—	—	3323	187	3	3.38	—		12	7	5	722	31	1	2.58	—
1976–77	Fort Worth Texans	CHL		4	1	3	0	192	11	0	3.44	.896		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1976–77	Saginaw Gears	IHL		44	—	—	—	2489	144	0	3.47	—		18	12	6	1059	52	1	2.95	—
1977–78	Springfield Indians	AHL		57	30	19	6	3295	204	1	3.71	—		4	1	3	239	10	1	2.51	—
1978–79	Los Angeles Kings	NHL		49	23	15	10	2860	148	4	3.10	.892		2	0	2	126	8	0	3.81	.890
1979–80	Los Angeles Kings	NHL		50	18	22	7	2836	185	0	3.91	.869		4	1	2	207	14	0	4.06	.880
1980–81	Los Angeles Kings	NHL		64	35	18	11	3746	203	2	3.25	.893		4	1	3	220	20	0	5.45	.837
1981–82	Los Angeles Kings	NHL		52	13	28	8	2933	213	2	4.36	.856		10	4	5	583	41	0	4.22	.868
1982–83	Los Angeles Kings	NHL		19	3	10	2	888	68	1	4.59	.843		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1982–83	Birmingham South Stars	CHL		8	4	2	0	405	28	0	4.15	.876		11	6	3	637	35	0	3.30	—
1983–84	Los Angeles Kings	NHL		6	0	4	1	266	26	0	5.86	.838		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1983–84	New Haven Nighthawks	AHL		5	1	3	1	281	27	0	5.77	.830		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
NHL totals				240	92	97	39	13,529	843	9	3.74	.875		20	6	12	1,136	83	0	4.38	.867

"Lessard's stats". The Goaltender Home Page. Retrieved 2017-08-09.

External links

• Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or The Internet Hockey Database
• Mario Lessard: Training Inspiration