At the NHL's annual meeting on June 6, 1956, league governors voted 5-1 to enact a rule change that would have a dramatic impact on how hockey would be played. Until that point, when a team had a man advantage, the power play would continue for the full duration of the penalty, even if the team scored a goal (or two, or three).

The trouble was that the Montreal Canadiens, possessors of arguably the greatest power play in League annals, would routinely carve up their undermanned opponents as if they were a Sunday roast, doing it with dazzling puck control and speed to match. Eight times during the 1955-56 season the Canadiens scored twice on power plays. Once, on Nov. 5, 1955, they scored three times in 44 seconds - all by Jean Beliveau - while having a 5-on-3 advantage against the Boston Bruins.

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