December 20 in NYR history: Gaborik’s 5 goals

A look at things to come for the New York Rangers

What happened on December 20 in the history of the New York Rangers

This date in Rangers history is a quiet one and is best known for the exploits of a player against the Blueshirts.  In one of the best individual efforts against the Rangers, Marian Gaborik scored five goals against Henrik Lundqvist, chasing him from the game the Wild won 6-3.

It was a spectacular effort by Gaborik who had a hand in all six Minnesota goals.  All five of his goals were at even strength and he had an assist on a power play goal by Pierre-Marc Bouchard.  It wasn’t a one-sided game and the Rangers actually pulled within a goal at the 7:15 mark of the third period on a Nigel Dawes score.  But then Gaborik took over and scored two goals in the next 2:16 to seal the win.

When Gaborik became a free agent after the 2008-09 season, Ranger fans were salivating at the prospect of him joining the Rangers, remembering that December night when he took Lundqvist apart by himself.   Sure enough, they signed him to five year, $37.5 million contract and he didn’t disappoint with two seasons of over 40 goals.

Ultimately banished to Columbus by John Tortorella, Gaborik was a key reason the Los Angeles Kings won the Stanley Cup in 2014.

A first for the Red Wings

On this date in 1932, the third version of a team from Detroit made their debut at Madison Square Garden.  Preceded by the Detroit Cougars and the Detroit Falcons, it was the Detroit Red Wings who made their first appearance at the old Garden, winning 4-1.

Today’s birthdays

On this date in 1986, Derek Dorsett was born in  Kindersley, Saskatchewan.  The right winger was acquired from Columbus along with Derick Brassard in the trade for Marian Gaborik in 2013.  He played one full season in New York on the fourth line of the team that went to the Finals.

In 1922, center Lin Bend was born on this date in Poplar Point, Manitoba.   He played eight games for the Rangers in the 1942-43 season, his only NHL games.  He scored three goals and added one assist.  His NHL career was cut short when he had to go into military and he was never able to make it back.  He was a star in junior hockey and the Rangers had an inside track because he was Bryan Hextall’s cousin.

The numbers

The Rangers have played 40 times on December 20 and are two games over .500 based on their two wins after regulation time, once in OT and once by shootout.

Games: 40
Regulation wins: 15
Regulation losses: 15
Ties: 8
Overtime wins: 1
Shootout wins: 1
Points percentage: .525

Looking back

Every day we look back at games played last season and five and ten years ago.  On this date, the Rangers played two of those days and took embarrassing losses both time.

Last year – 2019:  Toronto 6, Rangers 3

The Maple Leafs broke a 3-3 tie in third period, scoring three straight goals to hand the Rangers their third straight loss.  Alexandar Georgiev got the start as the Rangers looked to see if he could continue his fine play against the Leafs,  but he disappointed the Madison Square Garden crowd, as Toronto topped the 40 shot mark for the third time in his four starts against them.

Another disappointment was the end of Artemi Panarin’s five game goal scoring streak.

5 years ago – 2015: Washington 7, Rangers 3

The Rangers blew a 3-1 first period lead and allowed six straight Washington goals in an embarrassing loss at the Garden.  Henrik Lundqvist left the game after the second period and giving up five goals and was replaced by Magnus Hellberg, the only 20 minutes of hockey Hellberg played in the NHL that season.

10 years ago – 2010: No game