Mario Lessard
Encyclopedia
Mario Lessard is a retired Canadian ice hockey
goaltender
.
Lessard started his National Hockey League
career with the Los Angeles Kings
in 1978. He would play his entire NHL career with the Kings. He retired after the 1984 season. Lessard was a NHL Second Team All-Star
in 1981. He 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 boneheaded play nearly blew the amazing comeback.
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
goaltender
Goaltender
In ice hockey, the goaltender is the player who defends his team's goal net by stopping shots of the puck from entering his team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring...
.
Lessard started his National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
career with the Los Angeles Kings
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
in 1978. He would play his entire NHL career with the Kings. He retired after the 1984 season. Lessard was a NHL Second Team All-Star
NHL All-Star Team
The NHL All-Star Teams were first named at the end of the 1930–31 NHL season, to honor the best performers over the season at each position.Representatives of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association vote for the All-Star Team at the end of the regular season.The career leaders in citations are...
in 1981. He may be best known as the Kings goalie in the Miracle on Manchester
Miracle on Manchester
The Miracle on Manchester is the nickname given to a National Hockey League playoff game between the Los Angeles Kings and Edmonton Oilers that took place on April 10, 1982 in the league's 65th season...
playoff game in April 1982 in which the Kings rallied from a 5-0 deficit to beat the Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
, 6-5 in overtime
Overtime (ice hockey)
Overtime is a method of determining the winner and loser of an ice hockey match when the scores are tied after regulation. The two main methods are the overtime period and the shootout.-Overtime periods:...
. Early in overtime of that game, Lessard mishandled the puck 40 feet in front of his net as he attempted to beat Glenn Anderson
Glenn Anderson
Glenn Christopher Anderson is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey right winger in the National Hockey League who played for the Edmonton Oilers, Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers, and St. Louis Blues...
to the puck and stop a breakaway; with the net wide open and defenceman Mark Hardy
Mark Hardy
Lea Mark Hardy is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played 15 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Los Angeles Kings, New York Rangers and Minnesota North Stars between 1979 and 1994.-NHL career:...
trying to act as goalie, the Oilers Mark Messier
Mark Messier
Mark Douglas Messier is a former Canadian professional ice hockey centre of the National Hockey League and current special assistant to the president and general manager of the New York Rangers. He spent a quarter of a century in the NHL with the Edmonton Oilers, New York Rangers, and Vancouver...
shot the puck over the open net. The Kings scored two minutes later to win. After the game Lessard lamented that his boneheaded play nearly blew the amazing comeback.