NYR TODAY Saturday 12/23: Alumni Birthdays, Today in Rangers History

NYR Alumni Birthdays December 23:

Scott Gomez C (2007-2009) Ales Kotalik RW (2009-2010) Bill Kyle C (1941-1951) Mikael Samuelsson RW (2001-2003)

Today in NYR History December 23:

1930: Bill Cook records his second hat trick of the month, scoring three times in a 5-1 Rangers victory over the Montreal Canadiens at MSG.

1948 - Lynn Patrick earned a win in his first game as the Rangers' Head Coach, as the Blueshirts defeated the Chicago Blackhawks, 3-2.

1979: The action heated-up for hockey fans in chilly Madison Square Garden A match between the New York Rangers and the Boston Bruins ended with a spontaneous combustion that made Ron Artest’s basketball grandstand invasion seem like a walk through the woods.

Spectators had already been treated to some holiday season drama. The Bruins edged the Rangers 4-3 after New York’s Phil Esposito failed to score on a breakaway in the final moments. Players for both teams got involved in a classic post-game fight.

That’s when the game turned into ‘70s sports legend.

Battling players crept closer to the first few rows of seating. It was more than enough room for one Rangers fan to lean over the glass and clobber Bruin defenseman Stan Jonathan with a rolled up game program. Johnson raised his stick in self-defense, and the fan snatched it from his grasp.

Boston forward Terry O’Reilly, a seasoned NHL brawler, climbed into the stands to confront the stick-wielding fan. Teammate Peter McNab followed suit, and the insanity swept into full force at MSG.

Stick-grabber John Kapitan, a Rangers fan from New Jersey, momentarily escaped. The Bruins’ Mike Milbury — later to become one of the NHL’s top TV analysts — tracked Kapitan down, grabbed a shoe off the fan’s foot and began beating him with it before security restored order.

Later, Rangers fans took the brawl outside, with 300 of them rocking the Bruins team bus before being chased away by police on horseback.

Eighteen Bruins players climbed into the stands during the incident. Each of them sustained fines of at least 500 dollars, but no one was hurt.

Kapitan filed a lawsuit that went nowhere in court.

He never recovered his footwear

1991 - Brian Leetch extended his assist streak to 11 games, breaking Rod Gilbert's record for the longest assist streak in franchise history. Leetch registered two assists, Mike Gartner tallied two goals, and Mike Richter stopped all 25 shots he faced as the Rangers defeated the New Jersey Devils, 3-0, at MSG.