Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all of our readers here on blogspot. Thank you once again for another wonderful year of following the New York Rangers.

NYR TODAY Monday 12/25: Alumni Birthday, Today in Rangers History

NYR Alumni Birthday December 25:

Larry Cahan D (1956-59,1961-65)

Today in NYR History December 25:

1930: Bun Cook records a hat trick in a 4-1 Rangers victory over the Ottawa Senators. 

1967: The Rangers win their first game against the Flyers, defeating them, 3-1, in Philadelphia. 

1971: The he last time the League plays on Christmas Day, Rangers defeat the Minnesota North Stars 2-1 at Met Center, improving their Christmas record to 25-11-2, the best of any NHL team.

NYR TODAY Sunday 12/24: Alumni Birthday, Today in Rangers History

NYR Alumni Birthday December 24:

George "Red" Sullivan C (1956-1961) Coach (192-1965)

Today in NYR History December 24:

1949: In one of the best goaltending duels in NHL history, Bill Durnan of the Montreal Canadiens and Chuck Rayner of the New York Rangers match saves for 60 minutes in a 0-0 tie at the Forum.
It's the 31st NHL shutout for Durnan and the 17th for Rayner, who combine for the only 0-0 tie in League history to be played on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.

1966: Two former Canadiens, Bernie Geoffrion and Don Marshall, spoil Christmas Eve for their old team and help the Rangers win 4-3 at the Forum. Geoffrion scores twice in the second period, and Marshall wins the game by beating Charlie Hodge with 33 seconds remaining in the third period.

1972: In the final NHL game to be played on Christmas Eve, Serge Bernier scores four goals to help the Kings defeat the California Golden Seals 5-3 in Oakland. Bernier scores once in the first period and twice in the second, and then gets what proves to be the game-winner at 7:34 of the third period.
Earlier that night, Ed Giacomin ties Dave Kerr's Rangers record with his 40th NHL shutout, and Pete Stemkowski has four assists in a 5-0 win against the Detroit Red Wings at Madison Square Garden.

1987: Kelly Kisio becomes the 21st captain in Rangers history.

RANGERS VS MAPLE LEAFS POST GAME RECAP 12/23

RANGERS FALL SHORT IN LOSS TO MAPLE LEAFS 3-2

Tonight the Rangers just didn't have it again, poor defense and lack ofpuck posession contributed to a 3-2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Rangers fell behind 1-0 on a William Nylander goal late in the first period after squandering a 5 on 3 man advantage just five minutes earlier in the period, but did kill off a 5 on 3 Toronto Power Playl in the second period. 

The Maple Leafs extended their lead early in the second period while the Rangers were battling a penalty kill carried over from the first period to make it 2-0 on a goal by Ron Hainsey. J

immy Vesey was able to cut the lead 2-1 just under two minutes later but Tornto was able tor regain the 2 goal lead on a goal by Austin Mathews just before the halfway mark of the period to make it 3-1.

The Rangers started a comeback in the 3rd when J.T. Miller scored to make it 3-2 at with 11:25 to go in the third, just 45 seconds later Michael Grabner scored what seemed to be the game tying goal. Toronto used their coach's challenge for an apparant offsides which was upheld on a video review from the Toronto War Room and the goal was negated as it was deemed that Kevin Hayes was just across the blueline before the puck putting the pay offsides.

With just 1:24 to go the Rangers looked to pull Henrik Lundqvist for the extra skater when Chris Kreider jumped over the bench a bit too soon sending the Rangers to the penalty box for too many men on the ice. The Rangers still pulled Lundqvist after the defensive zone faceoff but could not convert to tie the game. 

Henrik Lundqvist who was once agin so,lid in goal starting his 31st game of the season stopped 34 of 37 shots on goal.

The Rangers have now dropped their last two games including Thursday's overtime loss to New Jersey heading into the Holiday break. They will return Wednesday the 27th to host the Washington Capitals.

FINAL GAME STATS

New York Rangers 2 Toronto Maple Leafs 3

GOALIES:

NYR Henrik Lundqvist 34 SV

TOR Frederik Andersen 30 SV

SOG:

NYR 32 TOR 37

PPO:

NYR 0/3 TOR 1/6

PIM:

NYR 16 TOR 10

   

SCORING SUMMARY

1st Period
17:14    W. Nylander (7)
Assists: M. Rielly, A Matthews    1-0

2nd Period
0:50    R. Hainsey (3) (Power Play)
Assists: M. Rielly, M Marner    2-0

2:37    J. Vesey (8)
Unassisted    2-1

11:22    A. Matthews (14)
Assist: Z. Hyman    3-1

3rd Period
11:25    J.T. Miller (7)
Assists: P. Buchnevich, C Kreider    3-2

PENALTY SUMMARY

1st Period

3:00    Z. Hyman: 2:00 for Slashing M. Staal

3:00    M. Staal: 2:00 for Slashing Z. Hyman

10:01    R. Hainsey: 2:00 for Delay of Game

10:21    R. Polak: 2:00 for Boarding M. Zuccarello

12:01    D. Desharnais: 2:00 for Slashing C. Brown

13:31    M. Rielly: 2:00 for High-sticking M. Grabner

18:56    R. McDonagh: 2:00 for Delay of Game

2nd Period
3:54    R. Nash: 2:00 for Roughing R. Polak

3:54    R. Polak: 2:00 for Roughing R. Nash

12:43    K. Shattenkirk: 2:00 for Roughing L. Komarov

13:20    M. Grabner: 2:00 for Kneeing A. Matthews

3rd Period

8:33    N. Holden: 2:00 for Tripping N. Kadri

18:36    2:00 Bench Penalty for Too Many Men on the Ice
(Served by J. Vesey)

RANGERS VS MAPLE LEAFS GAME DAY PREVIEW 12/23

RANGERS HOST MAPLE LEAFS BEFORE CHRISTMAS BREAK

New York Rangers (19-12-4) vs Toronto Maple Leafs (21-14-1)

TONIGHT 7:00 PM, TV: MSG, NHLN RADIO: ESPN 98.7 NY

Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY

The Rangers face the Maple Leafs tonight at the Garden in the second of three games this season. The Rangers lost the first contest 8-5 on October 7th. The barn burner of a contest in Toronto saw five different Rangers, J.T. Miller, Kevin Shattenkirk, Marc Staal, Mika Zibanejad and Mats Zuccarello all find twine.

The Rangers will be without the services of pivotal winger Jesper Fast who suffered a strained quad injury in the loss to New Jersey on Thursday. Boo Nieves who was a healthy scratch the past two games will enter back into the lineup. Nieves will resume his fourth line center duties while David Desharnais will slot into the third line role between Rick Nash and Mats Zuccarello, J.T. Miller will move to the fourth line alongside Nieves and Paul Carey. The defense pairs will remain the same while Henrik Lundqvist who stopped 43 of 46 shots on goal in the Rangers shootout loss to New Jersey on Thursday will once again mind the net.

The Maple Leafs last played on Wednesday in a 4-2 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets and have only won one game in their last five, an 8-1 rout of the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday. The Leafs are in the middle of a 6 game road trip.

TEAM LEADERS

Rangers

POINTS: Mats Zuccarello 29

GOALS: Michael Grabner 17

ASSISTS: Mats Zuccarello 21

Maple Leafs

POINTS: Auston Matthews 26

GOALS: James van Riemsdyk 16

ASSISTS: Mitchell Marner 21

Rangers Projected Lineup

Forwards

Chris Kreider, Mika Zibanejad, Pavel Buchnevich
Michael Grabner, Kevin Hayes, Jimmy Vesey
Rick Nash, David Desharnais, Mats Zuccarello
Paul Carey, Boo Nieves, JT Miller

Defense

Ryan McDonagh-Nick Holden

Brady Skjei-Kevin Shattenkirk

Marc Staal-Brendan Smith

Starter

Henrik Lundqvist

Backup

Ondrej Pavelec

Scratched

Steven Kampfer

Injuries

Jesper Fast (Quad Strain 2-3 Weeks)

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.

NYR TODAY Friday 12/22: Alumni Birthdays

NYR Alumni Birthdays December 22:

Walt Atanas RW (1944-1945), Paul Fenton LW (1986-1987), Peter Fiorentino D (1991-1992), Sandy Fitzpatrick C (1964-1965), Norm Gratton LW (1971-1972), Ron Greschner D (1974-1990), Stan Neckar D (1998-1999)