Career Vitals

Career NHL Statistics

Teams: Montreal, Buffalo
Years: 1973-1982. Playoffs: 1974-1982

Career Highlights

Also played center during pro career. ... Won IHL Turner Cup with Port Huron in 1971. ... Won AHL Calder Cup with Nova Scotia in 1972. ... Played one regular-season game for 1972-73 Montreal team that went on to win Stanley Cup, but was not with team during playoffs. ... Led AHL in goals (52) and points (104) with Nova Scotia in 1972-73. ... Played on Nova Scotia team that lost to Cincinnati in 1973 AHL Calder Cup finals. ... Won AHL's John B. Sollenberger Trophy as league's leading scorer in 1972-73. ... Named to AHL All-Star First Team with Nova Scotia in 1972-73 ... Scored his first and only NHL hat trick in Buffalo's Jan. 15, 1982, game vs. Toronto. ... Led Buffalo with 14 power-play goals in 1981-82. ... Played on 1982-83 Rochester team that won AHL regular-season title. ... Won AHL Calder Cup with Rochester in 1983. ... Was player and assistant coach on Rochester team that lost to Maine in 1984 AHL Calder Cup finals. ... Inducted into the Pantheon des Sports de Drummondville (Drummondville Sports Hall of Fame) in 2010.

Lambert's Most Famous Goal

The 1979 Stanley Cup semifinals featured one of the great matchups in playoff history, as the three-time defending champion Montreal Canadiens faced the rival Boston Bruins team they had beaten in the Cup Finals in both 1977 and 1978. As expected, the series was remakably tight. In a repeat of the 1978 series, the Canadiens won the first two games at home, but Boston battled back with its own home victories in Games 3 and 4. Montreal dominated Game 5 to take a 3-2 series lead, but the Bruins came back home to win Game 6 in equally easy fashion. The home team had won each of the first six games, which set up a decisive and dramatic Game 7 on the night of May 10, 1979, at The Forum in Montreal. Boston jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first period, and the Canadiens tied it up 1-1 going into the second. The Bruins then scored twice in the middle period to take a 3-1 lead into the third. Montreal refused to fold, however, as Mark Napier cut the lead to 3-2 at 6:10 of the third, and just over two minutes later, Guy Lapointe tied the score at 3-3. The Bruins went ahead for the final time on Rick Middleton's goal with 3:59 remaining, but Hall of Famer Guy Lafleur forced overtime when he scored with 1:14 to go. That set the stage for Lambert to win the series with the most famous goal of his NHL career at 9:33 of overtime. Taking what would become Montreal's eighth shot of the OT and 52nd shot overall at goalie Gilles Gilbert, Montreal's Mario Tremblay fired a centering pass from the right wing that a hustling Lambert deflected in off Gilbert's pads. Lambert's epic series-winner ended the first Game 7 in Montreal since 1964 and sent the crowd of 17,453 into euphoric celebration. "Mario gave me a perfect pass," Lambert later said. "I put my head down and skated, but I didn't care. I just wanted to get to the net. The goalie had no chance and it was over." Montreal went on to beat the New York Rangers in the Finals four the Canadiens'  fourth consecutive Stanley Cup championship.

Transaction History

June 9, 1971 -- Claimed by Montreal from Fort Worth (CHL, Detroit affiliate) in Reverse Draft. Oct. 5, 1981 -- Claimed by Buffalo from Montreal in NHL Waiver Draft.

AHL Goal-Scoring Streak

During the 1972-73 season, Lambert set an AHL record by scoring at least one goal in 12 consecutive games. The streak began in Nova Scotia's Dec. 15, 1972, game at Rochester, and ended when he was held scoreless in a 1-1 tie at Hershey on Jan. 13, 1973. During the 12-game streak, Lambert scored a total of 18 goals, including hat tricks on Jan. 2 vs. New Haven and on Jan. 9 vs. Baltimore. During that Jan. 9 game, Lambert tied the previous AHL record of 11 straight games with a goal, held jointley by Fred Glover (1950-51) and Billy Hicke (1958-59). The record-breaking goal, scored off a scramble at the front of the net, came at 13:25 of the second period of Nova Scotia's 4-4 tie at Richmond on Jan. 11, 1973. Lambert's record would stand for 11 years until it was broken by Daryl Evans in 1983-84.

Life Outside the NHL

Full Name: Yvon Pierre Lambert

Other Post-Draft Teams: Port Huron (IHL); Nova Scotia (AHL); Rochester (AHL)

Career Beyond Hockey: Worked for the Montreal Canadiens for many years in corporate and public relations, plus ticket sales, after his coaching career. He made headlines in February 2005 when he was laid off from his job as a result of the NHL lockout that wiped out the 2004-05 season. He is also an active member of the Montreal Canadiens Alumni Association, appearing at many events on behalf of the team. In the late 1990s, he began his own business, Concepts Yvon Lambert, to market himself and other former sports stars for public speaking engagements as well as appearances at special events. He also performs as a singer.
• Lambert's official site (French)

Significant Injuries

Missed part of 1980-81 season with strained groin, an injury suffered during Montreal's Nov. 9, 1980, practice. He did not return until Montreal's Nov. 25, 1980, game vs. Calgary.

Non-Playing Career

Miscellaneous:

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