MONTREAL -- Guy Lapointe was gardening in his front yard last week when Montreal Canadiens owner Geoff Molson pulled up to his house for an unannounced visit. Lapointe didnt know what was in store for him. As it turned out, the former Canadiens defenceman was about to receive an unexpected honour. From Lapointes kitchen in Saint-Lazare, Que., Molson announced that the Hall-of-Famer will become the 18th player in Canadiens history to have his jersey retired by the team. The retirement ceremony will occur during the course of this coming National Hockey League season. "Its extraordinary," Lapointe said Thursday at the Canadiens Hall of Fame, located at the Bell Centre. "With the people Ill be next to -- Jean Beliveau, Henri Richard, Guy Lafleur, Larry Robinson, Serge Savard -- I just cant stop thinking about it. I was happy with just looking up at those jerseys. I never thought, in all sincerity, that my number would be retired. It never crossed my mind." On Thursday, the Canadiens organization made official the decision to retire Lapointes No. 5, the first jersey to be honoured since 2009 when Elmer Lach and Emile (Butch) Bouchard received whats considered one of the most prestigious honours in sports. Lapointe, 66, will finally be reunited with his Big Three teammates -- Savard and Robinson -- in the Bell Centre rafters. Savards No. 18 was retired in 2006, and Robinsons No. 19 joined the following year. Known as much for their staunch defending and offensive prowess, the Big Three were instrumental in Montreals six Stanley Cup victories in the 1970s. And the three defencemen were on hand at the Bell Centre on Thursday to celebrate Lapointes big day. "Im happy to see you both here," the Montreal native Lapointe told his former teammates before pointing to the rafters. "But Ill be even happier to see you up there when my jersey is going to be retired." Between 1968 and 1984, Lapointe played 16 seasons in the NHL -- 12 of them with the Canadiens before brief stints with the St. Louis Blues and Boston Bruins. Always a threat on the power play, Lapointe was known for his explosive speed, his inspired bouts of offence, and his rocket of a slapshot. He recorded 622 points in 894 career games, and ranks second in goals by a Canadiens defenceman with 166. Nicknamed Pointu, Lapointe had three consecutive 20-goal seasons, and still holds the Canadiens record for most goals in a year by a defenceman with 28. In his first complete season with the Habs in 1970-71, Lapointes 15 goals set a franchise record for a rookie defenceman. The record still stands today. "A lot of minutes in a lot of situations -- thats the way he was," said Robinson of Lapointe, whom he compared to Montreals P.K. Subban. "Guy could hold his own against anybody. He could play in all situations, play a lot of minutes. Thats the reason hes in the Hall of Fame. "Its very fitting to have his sweater up there. Im glad I got mine up there first -- I finally beat him at something." Lapointe was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1993, two years before Robinson. He won six Stanley Cups -- all with the Canadiens -- including four consecutive championships between 1976 and 1979. "I grew up with this excellent organization," said Lapointe, who also pointed to the 1972 Summit Series in Moscow and 1976 Canada Cup -- both memorable victories for Canada -- as exceptional moments in his career. "The Canadiens helped me become a better hockey player and a better person. The team allowed me to reach goals I didnt even think were possible. "Winning was always our goal. That paid dividends throughout my career. I was a lucky person to make the team. I owe a lot to the Montreal Canadiens. Theyve been very good to me." Off the ice, Lapointe was known as a prankster, notorious for shaking hands with former Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau with a palm covered in Vaseline. After Lach and Bouchard had their jerseys retired in 2009 -- the ninth and 10th such commemorative event in the five years leading up to the Canadiens centennial anniversary -- the teams organization put the process on hold. Fans clamoured for Lapointe to join the Canadiens legends in the rafters, including the defencemans daughter Stephanie, who started a petition last year to have her fathers jersey retired. "Dreams really do come true!" Stephanie Lapointe tweeted on Wednesday when the news was announced. "Never give up! I am beyond proud of my dad! Finally he is being awarded this honour!" Molson says the Canadiens organizations focus over the last five years has been rebuilding the team on the ice. On Thursday, he said the time was finally right to give Lapointe his long-awaited recompense. "Its a name that kept resurfacing when we bought the team in 2009," said Molson of the final Big Three defenceman. "We were in the process of retiring a lot of jerseys at that time. "I feel good about the organization (now). I feel good about the development of our players, the general manager, and our support staff. Were well on our way to having a winning organization year after year. The fans have had a break from the centennial celebrations. And its a nice surprise for Lapointe." Notes: Lapointe is currently the Minnesota Wilds amateur scouting co-ordinator. a Robinson flew up from San Jose, Calif., on two days notice for the event. a Howie Morenzs No. 7 was the first jersey retired by the Canadiens, in 1937. a Lapointes is the second No. 5 to be retired by the Canadiens. He joins Bernie (Boom Boom) Geoffrion, whose jersey was raised to the rafters in 2006. Mike Hughes Youth Jersey . With just under five seconds remaining - the Raptors having clawed back from a 19-point deficit and pulled within one - DeRozan took the handoff from Chuck Hayes. Irv Smith Jr. Youth Jersey . Coetzees finish, with six birdies and no bogeys, took him to 19-under 268 overall and past South African compatriots Thomas Aiken and Justin Walters, the overnight co-leaders. Coetzee was flawless on the East Course at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club to clinch his maiden title after 24 top 10 finishes. http://www.thevikingsshoponline.com/Yout...Vikings-Jersey/. - Josh Sterk scored twice to lead the Oshawa Generals to a 7-1 rout of the Ottawa 67s in Mondays Ontario Hockey League action. Brett Favre Youth Jersey . Marian Gaborik had two goals and an assist and Martin Jones made just 17 saves to record his fourth shutout of the season as the Kings snapped a three-game losing skid with a 3-0 victory over the lowly Oilers on Thursday. Mike Hughes Vikings Jersey . Louis Cardinals. He was 48. The commissioners office said Bell died in his home state of Ohio. Bell had not been feeling well over the weekend and had been scheduled to see doctors later Monday at the Cleveland Clinic.PLYMOUTH, Mich. - Connor McDavid scored twice and added two assists a€” including one on Darren Raddyshs winning goal at 4:05 of overtime a€” as the Erie Otters edged the host Plymouth Whalers 5-4 on Saturday in Ontario Hockey League play.Alex DeBrincat also had a pair of goals for the Otters (3-0-0) while Dylan Strome and TJ Fergus each tacked on three assists. Raddysh added two assists for a three-point outing.Matt Mistele scored twice for the Whalers (1-0-1) and Josh Wesley and Will Bitten had a goal apiece.Eries Devin Williams made 27 saves for the win as Alex Nedeljkovic turned aside 33-of-38 shots for Plymouth.The Otters went 4 for 7 on the power play while the Whalers scored once on six chances with the man advantage.---BULLS 2 WOLVES 1BELLEVILLE, Ont. a€” Charlie Graham stopped 31 shots and Michael Cramarossa broke a 1-1 deadlock at 9:34 of the third period as the Bulls edged Sudbury.Brett Gustavsen also scored for Belleville (2-0-0).Matt Schmalz scored the lone goal for the Wolves (1-1-0) while Samuel Tanguay made 36 saves in a losing cause.---GREYHOUNDS 3 ICEDOGS 2SAULT STE. MARIE, Ont. a€” Keigan Goetz scored tthe winner with 43 seconds remaining in regulation and Brandon Halverson made 35 saves as the Greyhounds slipped past Niagara.ddddddddddddBlake Speers and Gabe Guertler also scored for Sault Ste. Marie (2-0-0).Jordan Maletta scored both goals for the IceDogs (0-2-0) while Brent Moran turned away 25 shots in defeat. ---SPIRIT 4 STING 3 (OT)SAGINAW, Ont. a€” Mitchell Stephens scored twice a€” including one at 3:24 of the extra period a€” as the Spirit downed Sarnia.Luke Cairns and Blake Clarke also scored for Saginaw (1-1-0) and Nikita Serebryakov made 35 saves for the win.Vladislav Kodola had a pair of goals for the Sting (0-1-1) while Davis Brown added a single. Justin Fazio stopped 42 shots in a losing cause.---KNIGHTS 4 ATTACK 3 (SO)OWEN SOUND, Ont. a€” Julius Bergman and Mitchell Marner scored the only goals of the shootout and Michael Giugovaz made 31 saves as London beat the Attack.Christian Dvorak, Brandon Crawley and Brett Welychka scored in regulation for the Knights (1-1-0).Daniel Milne, Holden Cook and Chris Bigras scored for Owen Sound (1-0-2) while Jack Flinn turned away 21 shots in defeat.--- ' ' '