On May 6 in NYR history: Their last playoff penalty shot

What happened on May 6 in the history of the New York Rangers

Penalty shots are rare.  Penalty shots in the playoffs  are even rarer.  On this date in 2015, the Rangers were awarded in a playoff game against the Washington Capitals.  That’s the last time that has happened for the Blueshirts.

The player who took the shot was Carl Hagelin and he missed.  It was a crucial play as the Rangers were trailing 2-1 in the third period when the penalty shot was awarded with only 12 minutes left in the game.  Here is the play:

Hagelin went for the backhand, but it was gloved by Braden Holtby and the Caps went on to win 2-1.   The Rangers went on to win the series in seven games.

The Rangers have had only three penalty shots in the playoffs, scoring once.  The first was by Alex Shibicky in the1937 playoffs against Detroit in a game the Rangers lost 3-0.  Anders Hedberg scored on a penalty shot in 1981 against the St. Louis Blues in a game the Rangers won by a 6-4 score.

Today’s birthdays

22 NHL players have been born on May 6 including three Rangers.

Steve Baker was a goaltender, born on this date in 1957 in Boston, Massachusetts.   He was drafted out of Union College by the Rangers in 1977 and he made it to the Rangers for parts of four seasons.  Baker played 57 games with a 20-20-11 record.  After being sent to the minors in 1983 he never played another game in the NHL.

Tim Bothwell was born on this date in 1955 in Vancouver, British Columbia.  He was an undrafted free agent signed by the Rangers in 1978.  He shuttled between the AHL and the Rangers for four years then was claimed on waivers by the St. Louis Blues.   Bothwell played 501 games over 11 seasons in the NHL.

Fredrik Sjostrom was born on May 6, 1983 in Fargelanda, Sweden.  He was right winger drafted in the first round of the 2001 Entry Draft by Phoenix who was part of a package of players sent to the Rangers in 2008 for Al Montoya and Marcel Hossa.   He played almost 500 games in the NHL, 97 with the Rangers from 2007-09.  After scoring only nine goals in his stint in New York, he left via free agency.

The numbers

Playoff games: 6
Wins: 2
Losses: 3
Overtime losses: 1
Winning percentage: 33%