On December 29 in NYR history: Matt Puempel into the record book

What happened on December 29th in the history of the New York Rangers

On of the beauties of professional sport is that even the most obscure players can reside in the record book next to stars.  On this night in 2016, a player named Matt Puempel joined Mark Messier, Mike Gartner and Andy Hebenton in the franchise record book.

Puempel did it by scoring three power play goals in one game.  He became only the sixth Ranger player to accomplish that feat.  The record is four, set by Camille Henry in 1954.  Henry broke the Rangers record of three power play goals in the same game set by Ed Slowinski in 1952.  Andy Hebenton did it in 1962, Messier in 1992 and Gartner in 1994.

Puempel did it this date in a 6-3 win over the Arizona Coyotes at the Gila River Arena in Glendale. He scored his first goal in the first period and added the game winner 14 minutes into the third period.  The third goal was a gift.  J.T. Miller had scored into the empty net when Oliver Ekman-Larsson took an unneeded unsportsmanlike conduct penalty with only 27 seconds left.  Puempel netted his third power play goal just 10 seconds later.

How unusual was the game for Puempel?  He scored 11 goals in an 87 game NHL career, including six in 27 games for the Rangers.  Despite the heroics, his career in New York last just over a year as he was traded to Detroit the next season for Ryan Sproul.

Mike Zibanejad became the seventh New York Ranger with three power play goals when he accomplished the feat last March against the Flyers.

Honoring a trailblazer

On December 29, 2017, Art Dorrington, a former Ranger prospect passed away at age 87.  You may have never heard of him, but he was a trailblazer when it comes to NHL color barriers.  He became the first black hockey player to sign an NHL contract when he signed with the Rangers in 1950.

Dorrington got his start with the Amherst Ramblers in Amherst, Nova Scotia.  The Rangers thought he had potential when he played for the Atlantic City Gulls in the 1950-51 season and they signed him.  He never made it to the NHL, but played seven years in the minor leagues.

Dorrington never left Atlantic City, making it his home.  He founded a hockey foundation there and the ice rink at Boardwalk Hall was named in his honor in 2012.

Willie O’Ree became the first black hockey player in the NHL when he made his debut in 1958 with the Boston Bruins.  It’s worth remembering Art Dorrington who almost became a trailblazer with the Rangers.

Remember the Scouts?

When it comes to teams most fans don’t remember, the Kansas City Scouts have to qualify.  Most hockey fans don’t even know that for two seasons the NHL had a team in Kansas City.   It was on this date in 1974 that the Scouts made their first appearance at Madison Square Garden. It was the first of five appearances in New York in the Scouts’ history.

The Scouts were born the same year as the Washington Capitals and like the Caps, finished last in their division.  They came to New York with only one win in their last 14 games and they almost pulled off an upset.  The Rangers squeaked out a 2-1 win.

The Scouts captain, Simon Nolet, scored midway through the first period and the Scouts hung on to that lead until 15 minutes into the second period when Pete Stemkowski finally got the Rangers on the scoreboard.   The Rangers were the only team to score in the third period when Bill Fairbairn scored off a feed from Brad Park.

Curt Ridley was in goal for the Rangers, stopping 25 of 26 shots.  Ex-Ranger Peter McDuffe was in net for Kansas City, eager to beat his former teammates.  McDuffe had been claimed from the Rangers in the expansion draft.

The Scouts played the Rangers five times that season, losing four times by a combined score of 21-6, getting one 2-2 tie in Kansas City.  In their second and last season in the Kansas City, the Scouts were able to beat the Blueshirts once, at Madison Square Garden, against four losses.

The Scouts relocated after the 1975-76 season to Colorado as the Rockies and then moved to New Jersey in 1982.  They’ve been the New Jersey Devils ever since.

It’s a great trivia question.  What was the original team that became the New Jersey Devils?   Not many will know the answer.

Today’s birthdays

19 NHL players have been born on December 29, but not a single New York Ranger.

The numbers

The Rangers have played 43 times on December 29 and are barely above .500.

Games: 43
Regulation wins: 19
Regulation losses: 18
Ties: 3
Overtime wins: 1
Overtime losses:  1
Shootout losses: 1
Points percentage:  .523