Dressing rooms were rarely visited postgame in that era thus there is no news story that quotes the Rocket on the significance of his goal scored in Boston, 50 in a season not considered a milestone until after he scored it. There was much more attention paid to Richard’s 45th a few weeks earlier; that passed Canadiens’ Joe Malone for the single-season scoring record that had been set in 1917-18, the NHL’s 22-game first year.
In later years, Richard said he was proud of the 50-goal achievement but placed more importance on the 500th goal of his career, also having been the first in NHL history to that plateau.
It would be 16 years before another player would score 50, Geoffrion beating Toronto rookie goalie Cesare Maniago at the Forum on March 16, 1961.
True to form, the Boomer was full vocal value for his goal in the 5-2 victory, relating news that the freshly retired Richard, though not at the Forum, was among the well-wishers.
“The Rocket told me he was glad,” Geoffrion said. “He said, ‘I told you before that if somebody had to equal my record, I would want it to be one of my old teammates.’ I remember now I didn’t pay much attention to him at the time. Fifty goals looks like a lot and I never thought I’d make it.”
