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On December 18 in NYR history: 1 game, 3 hat tricks

By Steve Paulus

BOSTON - 1960's: Defenseman Tim Horton of the Toronto Maple Leafs moves in to check Hubert 'Pit' Martin of the Boston Bruins during a game a the Boston Garden in Boston, Massachusetts, 1960s. Johnny Bucyk of the Bruins watches the play in the background. (Photo by Bruce Bennett Studios via Getty Images Studios/Getty Images)
BOSTON - 1960's: Defenseman Tim Horton of the Toronto Maple Leafs moves in to check Hubert 'Pit' Martin of the Boston Bruins during a game a the Boston Garden in Boston, Massachusetts, 1960s. Johnny Bucyk of the Bruins watches the play in the background. (Photo by Bruce Bennett Studios via Getty Images Studios/Getty Images) /
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What happened on December 18 in the history of the New York Rangers

On this date in 1965, the New York Rangers and the Toronto Maple Leafs recorded a first in NHL history.  Three different players had hat tricks in Toronto’s 8-4 win over the Rangers at Maple Leaf Garden.  Dave Keon and Bob Pulford of the Leafs both scored three times while Earl Ingarfield did it for the Blueshirts.

Ingarfield was a center who played parts of nine seasons for the Rangers from 1958 to 1967.  He topped the 20 goal mark twice for the Blueshirts and this was one of two hat tricks he posted for the team.

That record held up until November 19, 1983 when the Edmonton Oilers tied it and for the first time the three hat tricks were by players on the same team. Jarri Kurri had five goals while Wayne Gretzky and Willie Lindstrom each scored three times in a 13-4 win over the Devils.  This was the famous “Mickey Mouse” game when Gretzky ridiculed the Devils.

It has happened twice since then.  Tomas Sandstrom,Dave Taylor and Tony Granato each scored three teams for the Kings in a 1990 win over Calgary.  The Kings did it again in 1992 when Sandstrom, Luc Robitaille and Gord Donnelly did it for the Kings in a win over San Jose.

Today’s birthdays

17 NHL players have been born on December 18. Three of them have played for the Rangers.

Bob Brooke was born on this date in 1960 in Melrose, Massachusetts.   Brooke was a star center at Yale and a finalist for the Hobie Baker Award who played just over two seasons with the Blueshirts in the early 1980s.  Drafted by the Blues, he was traded to the Rangers and made his debut after playing for Team USA at the 1984 Olympics. He scored 24 goals in his one full season before being traded to the Minnesota North Stars. He played four more seasons after that but never scored more than 13 goals.

Brian Boyle, one of the heroes of the 2014 Stanley Cup Final team was born on this date in 1984 in Hingham, Mass.   Boyle played five productive years in New York before leaving to sign with Tampa as a free agent after the loss in the Final to Los Angeles.  Acquired for a third round pick, he was a steal as he centered a very effective fourth line for the Blueshirts. He’s a cancer survivor and is currently playing with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Mike Siklenka was born on December 18,  1979 in Meadow Lake, Sasketchewan.  He played all of two games in the NHL, one with the Flyers and one with the Rangers in 2003.  He was a right winger and his Ranger career lasted all of two minutes, 26 seconds.

The numbers

December 18 is not a good day for the Rangers with only 13 wins in 35 games.

Games: 35
Regulation wins: 13
Regulation losses: 16
Ties: 4
Shootout wins: 1
Shootout losses: 1
Points percentage: .471

Trending. Lose in shootout to Vegas. light

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