Mario Lessard

Last updated
Mario Lessard
Born (1954-06-25) June 25, 1954 (age 71)
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 19771984

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

Contents

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 TeamLeagueGPWLTMINGA SO GAA SV% GPWLMINGASOGAASV%
1969–70 Sherbrooke Castors QMJHL 153505606306.76.831
1970–71 Sherbrooke CastorsQMJHL
1971–72 Sherbrooke CastorsQMJHL1710207224.24.89530313324010.83.784
1972–73 Sherbrooke CastorsQMJHL37218016104.43.88063602404.00.881
1973–74 Sherbrooke CastorsQMJHL36214018005.05.86042402406.00.892
1974–75 Saginaw Gears IHL 59318617143.221710710166423.78
1975–76 Saginaw GearsIHL62332318733.3812757223112.58
1976–77 Fort Worth Texans CHL 41301921103.44.896
1976–77 Saginaw GearsIHL44248914403.471812610595212.95
1977–78 Springfield Indians AHL 5730196329520413.714132391012.51
1978–79 Los Angeles Kings NHL 49231510286014843.10.892202126803.81.890
1979–80 Los Angeles KingsNHL5018227283618503.91.8694122071404.06.880
1980–81 Los Angeles KingsNHL64351811374620323.25.8934132202005.45.837
1981–82 Los Angeles KingsNHL5213288293321324.36.85610455834104.22.868
1982–83 Los Angeles KingsNHL1931028886814.59.843
1982–83 Birmingham South Stars CHL84204052804.15.87611636373503.30
1983–84 Los Angeles KingsNHL60412662605.86.838
1983–84 New Haven Nighthawks AHL51312812705.77.830
NHL totals24092973913,52984393.74.875206121,1368304.38.867

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