On April 26 in NYR history: A rare win in a 7-game series

What happened on April 26 in the history of the New York Rangers

On this date in 2012, the Rangers beat Ottawa 2-1 at Madison Square Garden, winning their first seven game series since the 1994 Stanley Cup Final against Vancouver.   The Rangers played 15 playoff series in the interim and only went to seven games once, losing to Washington in 2009.

This seventh game was a close one, with all three goals scored in the second period.  The Ranger tallies came from unexpected sources as the goal scorers were Marc Staal and Dan Girardi.  The entire series was a defensive struggle with Henrik Lundqvist holding the Senators to 13 goals in the seven games while the Rangers scored only 14.

Down 3-2 in the series, the Rangers won both elimination games, keeping their payoff hopes alive.  This series began an unbelievable record in elimination games for Henrik Lundqvist.  He won 15 of 18 elimination games with a 1.47 goals against average.

They didn’t wait long to win their next  seven game series, beating the Capitals 4-3  in the Conference Semi-Finals, the very next round.

The Rangers have played seven-game series 14 times in franchise history winning eight of those series while losing six.

Trophy time

The end of the season brings the awarding of league trophies and two Rangers were  honored on this date in franchise history.

In 1954, Camille Henry won the Calder Trophy as top rookie. A wily center, nicknamed “The Eel,” Henry scored 24 goals and  had 39 points in 66 games as a 21 year old.  He beat out Detroit center Dutch Reibel for the award.   Henry played 12 years in New York, winning the Lady Byng Trophy in 1958.

It was the second year in a row the Rangers took home the award as goaltender Gump Worsley had won the Calder the year before.

On this date in 1967, Harry Howell won the Norris Trophy,  becoming only the second Ranger to win the award, succeeding Doug Harvey who won it in 1962.  Howell was a Ranger for 17 years, a defensive defenseman who topped seven goals in a season only once, his Norris year when he scored 12 goals.  His 1,160 games played as a Ranger is the most of any player in franchise history.

Today’s birthdays

21 NHL played have been born on April 26, but only two played for the Rangers.

Cecil Dillon was born in 1908 in Toledo, Ohio.  He played nine of his 10 NHL season with the Rangers from 1930 to 1939 and was an All-Star team selection three times.  The right winger was a member of the 1933 Stanley Cup champions, setting a franchise record with eight goals in one playoff.  That record held until 1971 when it was tied by Vic Hadfield and it now belongs to Mark Messier with 12 goals in 1994.    He was one of the first U.S. born players to make it to the NHL and was the first player born in Ohio to make it.

Bruce MacGregor was a center, born on April 26 1941 in Edmonton, Alberta.  He played his first 11 years in Detroit before coming to New York in a trade in 1971.  He was one of two Rangers to wear a helmet in the early 1970s (Bobby Rousseau was the other) and he was a useful penalty killer and defensive player.  He finished  his career in the WHA after three  full years in New York.

The numbers

The Rangers boast a winning record in the playoffs on this date and are undefeated in the regular season, winning the only game they have played.

Playoffs games: 5
Wins: 3
Losses: 2
Winning percentage: 60%

Regular season games: 1
Regulation wins: 1
Regulation losses: 0
Points percentage: 1.000