Brad Park makes New York Rangers history
What happened on December 12 in the history of the New York Rangers
On this date in 1971, Brad Park did what no other Rangers defenseman had done in the 45 year history of the team, scoring three goals for a hat trick. He did it in a 6-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins at Madison Square Garden.
It was a “natural hat trick” as Park scored all three goals in a row. The first two were on the power play in the second period. He set the record two and a half minutes into the third period with an even strength goal. Park notched two more hat tricks in his Rangers career before his trade to Boston in 1975.
If not for Bobby Orr, Park would have gone down in history as the greatest defenseman of his era. In the 1971-72 season he was a First Team All-Star , was ninth in voting for the Hart Trophy and finished second to, who else, Bobby Orr, in Norris Trophy voting. Park had the bad luck to finish second in Norris Trophy voting six times, losing the first four times to Orr and the last two times to Denis Potvin.
Record setters
On this date in 1929 the Rangers pummeled the Montreal Canadiens 8-3 at Madison Square Garden. The team set two records that day, scoring eight goals for the first time at home and also scoring five goals in one period for the first time at MSG.
Frank Boucher, Bill Cook and Leo Bourgault, scored two goals in the game and Boucher added two assists for a team high four points.
December 12, 1935 saw one of the oddest overtime games in franchise history. The Rangers and New York Americans finished regulation tied 2-2. In those days the teams played a ten minute overtime period and the Blueshirts made quick work in winning the game. Frank Boucher scored twice and Bun Cook added a third OT goal for a 5-2 win.
The oddity was that the Rangers scored the three goals in 69 seconds as Boucher scored at 2:05, again at 2:32 and Cook at 3:14 of overtime. All three goals were scored by the same line and that’s where the record was set.
Winger Glen Brydson set an NHL record for the fastest three assists when he added a helper on all three goals. He held the record until 1952 when Gus Bodnar of the Blackhawks did the same in just 21 seconds. Brydson is still in the record books in fifth place and it’s safe to say that no one will ever accomplish the feat again in a single overtime.
A record was set on this date in 1953, but not by a Ranger. In 1953 Maurice Richard became the NHL’s all-time leading scorer with a goal and two assists in a 7-2 win over the Rangers at the Montreal Forum.
Debuts
In 1926, the Boston Bruins played their first game ever against the Rangers at the Garden (they had played the New York Americans there previously). The Rangers won 2-1 in overtime. The B’s played 275 regular season games at the old Garden going 101-119-55 against the Blueshirts. They’ve done much better at the current Garden with a 46-45-7-4 record.
In 1974 the Rangers played their first game in the nation’s capital, facing the Washington Capitals in their inaugural season and finishing with a 6-6 tie. The tie broke a seven game losing streak for the Cap who endured one of the worst seasons in NHL history, going 8-67-5. They beat the Blueshirts later in the season and their three points were the most against an established NHL team that campaign.
In 1982, a rivalry was born when the Devils played their first game at Madison Square Garden. Ed Mio was in goal for the Rangers and he notched a 4-0 shutout.
Today’s birthday
Hall of Famer Clint Smith was both on this date in 1913 in Assiniboia, Saskatchewan. He played center for the Rangers for seven years from 1936 to 1943, winning the Stanley Cup in 1940. He was the first Ranger not named Frank Boucher to win the Lady Byng Trophy, in 1939. Boucher had won the award a record seven times. He led the league in games played twice for the Blueshirts and finished in the top ten in scoring five times in his career. He finished his career playing four years with the Blackhawks and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1991.
The numbers
The Rangers have played 42 games on December 12 with decidedly mixed results.
Games: 42
Regulation wins: 16
Regulation losses: 16
Ties: 5
Overtime wins: 3
Overtime losses: 2
Points percentage: .535
Looking back
On each day, we look back at what the Rangers did one, five and ten years ago. They were in action all three years and all three games were of note.
Last year – 2019: Rangers 6, San Jose 3
It was hat trick time for Artemi Panarin as the Rangers overwhelmed the Sharks in Bob Boughner’s debut as the San Jose coach. It was the Breadman’s one and only hat trick on the season and the third of his career as he became the 17th player to get his first three hat tricks with three different teams.
Mika Zibanejad added two goals and Alexandar Georgiev faced only 18 shots as the Rangers had one of their most dominant road games of the season.
5 years ago – 2015: Calgary 6, Rangers 5 (OT)
The Rangers mounted a furious third period comeback from a 4-1 deficit to tie the game on Mats Zuccarello’s power play goal with only 1:12 remaining. The Rangers had a two man advantage as they had pulled goalie Antti Raanta after a Markus Granlund high sticking penalty.
It meant the Rangers salvaged a point as T.J. Brodie scored the game winner at 2:09 of overtime. Johnny Gaudreau had two goals and an assist for the Flames who improved to 7-1 in overtime.
10 years ago – 2010: Rangers 7, Washington 0
It’s rare to get a laugher in the NHL and even more rare against a team like the Capitals. That’s what happened ten years ago when the Rangers beat the Caps 7-0 at Madison Square Garden. The Blueshirts built a 4-0 lead four minutes into the second period and capped the win with Ryan Callahan’s two third period goals.
Henrik Lundqvist got the shutout, already his fifth (and last) of the season. The Capitals finished first in the Southeast Division, but this was their worst loss of the season and the only time they allowed seven goals against.