Gilles Villemure Denies All 15 Phil Esposito Shots In 1972 Showdown
📅 December 14, 1972 At Boston Garden, Phil Esposito fired 15 shots on Gilles Villemure. He didn’t score on any of them.
The Bruins still won 4-2, but Villemure turned away every Esposito attempt, setting an NHL record for most shots without a goal.
✅ Ray Bourque holds the overall record with 19 shots in a game (1991). ✅ Alex Ovechkin matched Espo’s 15 in 2015.
Esposito wasn’t held off the scoresheet entirely, he picked up two assists on Wayne Cashman’s goals, both also set up by Bobby Orr. The trio combined for 29 shots, more than half of Boston’s total.
The Rangers got goals from Gene Carr and Jean Ratelle, but Boston sealed it with Fred O’Donnell’s game-winner.