Mario Lessard

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

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 Team League GP W L T MIN GA SO GAA SV% GP W L MIN GA SO GAA SV% 1969–70 Sherbrooke Castors QMJHL 15 3 5 0 560 63 0 6.76 .831 — — — — — — — — 1970–71 Sherbrooke Castors QMJHL — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 1971–72 Sherbrooke Castors QMJHL 17 — — — 1020 72 2 4.24 .895 3 0 3 133 24 0 10.83 .784 1972–73 Sherbrooke Castors QMJHL 37 — — — 2180 161 0 4.43 .880 6 — — 360 24 0 4.00 .881 1973–74 Sherbrooke Castors QMJHL 36 — — — 2140 180 0 5.05 .860 4 — — 240 24 0 6.00 .892 1974–75 Saginaw Gears IHL 59 — — — 3186 171 4 3.22 — 17 10 7 1016 64 2 3.78 — 1975–76 Saginaw Gears IHL 62 — — — 3323 187 3 3.38 — 12 7 5 722 31 1 2.58 — 1976–77 Fort Worth Texans CHL 4 1 3 0 192 11 0 3.44 .896 — — — — — — — — 1976–77 Saginaw Gears IHL 44 — — — 2489 144 0 3.47 — 18 12 6 1059 52 1 2.95 — 1977–78 Springfield Indians AHL 57 30 19 6 3295 204 1 3.71 — 4 1 3 239 10 1 2.51 — 1978–79 Los Angeles Kings NHL 49 23 15 10 2860 148 4 3.10 .892 2 0 2 126 8 0 3.81 .890 1979–80 Los Angeles Kings NHL 50 18 22 7 2836 185 0 3.91 .869 4 1 2 207 14 0 4.06 .880 1980–81 Los Angeles Kings NHL 64 35 18 11 3746 203 2 3.25 .893 4 1 3 220 20 0 5.45 .837 1981–82 Los Angeles Kings NHL 52 13 28 8 2933 213 2 4.36 .856 10 4 5 583 41 0 4.22 .868 1982–83 Los Angeles Kings NHL 19 3 10 2 888 68 1 4.59 .843 — — — — — — — — 1982–83 Birmingham South Stars CHL 8 4 2 0 405 28 0 4.15 .876 11 6 3 637 35 0 3.30 — 1983–84 Los Angeles Kings NHL 6 0 4 1 266 26 0 5.86 .838 — — — — — — — — 1983–84 New Haven Nighthawks AHL 5 1 3 1 281 27 0 5.77 .830 — — — — — — — — NHL totals 240 92 97 39 13,529 843 9 3.74 .875 20 6 12 1,136 83 0 4.38 .867