This Day in Hockey History – February 4, 1961, 1971, and 1973 – Rangers’ Three for All

February 4th can be considered a lucky day for the New York Rangers. Even when everything seemed to be going wrong (like a blizzard causing delays on the way to Boston in 1961), they still pulled off a 2-1 victory over the Bruins that date. Whether away (like when they played in Detroit in 1971) or home at Madison Square Garden (when they hosted the Atlanta Flames in 1973), the Rangers had shutouts with Gilles Villemure in net twice on that date.

1961

In 1961, February 4th was very long for the Rangers due to the weather. Their train from New York was supposed to leave at 12:30 but was delayed half an hour. Four of their players (Dean Prentice, Brian Cullen, Ted Hampson, and Don Johns) never made it off Long Island to catch the train. They would only be able to suit up 13 once they arrived in Boston, which took something like eight hours. The “train’s whereabouts had been unknown in the howling snowstorm” until pulling in at New Haven, and they did not arrive at South Station in Boston until 8:30 or 8:45. It took another hour to reach Boston Garden and get ready. The game was delayed two hours, the first time an NHL game had ever been postponed for weather, and began at 10 pm.

Despite all the trouble beforehand and the player shortage, the Rangers only needed 31 seconds at the start of the second period in order to win the game. Andy Hebenton scored at :21, and Harry Howell added to that at :55. 

The Bruins were only able to make one goal, when their captain, Fern Flaman, scored at 17:45 of that period. They had suited up 17 players but had their own issues getting to the rink. Johnny Bucyk had “smashed his car in suburban Lynn, trying to make the hazardous drive into Boston” before picking up Jerry Toppazzini. It took them 4.5 hours to make it the whole way. Few fans showed up, and they had to make due with canned classical music. Even after the game, the Bruins could not procure cabs for the Rangers who had to take the subway back to the train station. 

1971

Ten years later, the Rangers made the trip out to Olympia Stadium in Detroit. There, they had an audience of 13,712. Unfortunately, those fans were not happy by the end of the game.

The only goal that counted was made by New York’s Rod Gilbert. He scored 3:47 into the second period. With that goal, he had 477 points as a Ranger, making him one shy of second place in most points scored as a Ranger. Andy Bathgate had 729 points. 

It seemed like Detroit should have had two goals, but neither of them were good. Late in the first period, Gordie Howe made a shot that goalie Gilles Villemure covered. Referee Art Skov blew the whistle, the puck then went over the line and “goal judge Gerry Waechter turned on the light.” Fans were so upset that they littered the ice, resulting in a ten-minute cleaning delay. Then with 39 seconds remaining and goalie Roy Edwards benched for an extra forward, Rene LeClerc seemed to have a shot. Again, it was erased by Skov.

Villemure made 30 saves for his shutout. It was his fourth of the season and fifth of his career. Interestingly, it would be the only 1-0 road win the Rangers had until February 28, 1993. This was Villemure’s first season as the official backup to Eddie Giacomin, and the two would share the Vezina Trophy by the end of it.

1973

On the second anniversary of his fifth career shutout, Villemure earned his tenth. He blocked all 20 shots by the Atlanta Flames as the Madison Square Garden crowd of 17,500 was treated to a 6-0 victory. The Rangers’ “clown prince,” Pete Stemkowski, joked, “The rest of us all played lousy, only the goaltending was great.”

Stemkowski had the right to have fun because he scored half of his team’s goals that game. After Gilbert got the partied started with a goal in the first period, Stemkowski led off a three-goal spree in the second. He then scored twice in the third for his second hat trick of the season. It would be the last of his career. “Luck plays a big part any time you get the hat trick. In my own case, communication between myself and my linemates made the difference tonight,” he claimed. Stemkowski had been traded from Detroit in October 1970 and “became a checker and a hitter, part of the Rangers’ top defensive forward line.” He told the press, “Everybody knows I’m not considered one of the big guns in the scoring department, but this was just a good night.”

Thanks to Villemure and Stemkowski, the Rangers continued their 8-game winning streak and 13-game unbeaten streak. Villemure would go on to have another shutout in his next game (on February 10). He finished his career (in 1977) with 13 shutouts.

Additional Sources:

• Herb Ralby, “Rangers Beat Storm, B’s,” Boston Globe, 5 Feb. 1961, p. 57.
• “Rangers Subdue Snow, Then Bruins,” New York Daily News, 5 Feb. 1961, p. 85.
• https://www.nhl.com/gamecenter/nyr-vs-bos/1961/02/04/1960020153#game=1960020153,game_state=final
• Dana Mozley, “Gilbert’s Goal Clips Wings, 1-0, to End Rangers’ Slide,” New York Daily News, 5 Feb. 1971, p. 72.
• Jack Berry, “Slumping Rangers Blank Wings, 1-0,” Detroit Free Press, 5 Feb. 1971, pp. 1D-2D.
• https://www.nhl.com/gamecenter/nyr-vs-det/1971/02/04/1970020353#game=1970020353,game_state=final
• Wes Gaffer, “Rangers Stretch Streak to 13 – Rip Flames, 6-0,” New York Daily News, 5 Feb. 1973, pp. 54 and 62.
• Tony Petrella, “Stemkowski – No Lone Ranger,” Atlanta Constitution, 5 Feb. 1973, p. 2D.
• https://www.nhl.com/gamecenter/afm-vs-nyr/1973/02/04/1972020420/recap/stats#game=1972020420,game_state=final,lock_state=final,game_tab=stats