Normally we’d be in the midst of starting up another hockey season now, but we’re in a different world. Last Word on Hockey is still going to look back at each date’s historical significance to the game. We’ll remember the moments that shaped the sport of hockey that happened on this day. Here’s our look at this date in hockey history for November 23rd, featuring Rod Gilbert.
Today in Hockey History
Rod Gilbert Plays Last Game for Rangers
1977: The New York Rangers great plays his final game with the club in a 6-3 win over the Colorado Rockies. He retires as the team’s all-time leader in goals with 406. Gilbert is also the team’s all-time leader in points with 1,021.
The Montreal native enters the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1982 and his No. 7 sweater is retired 1979. He was the first Rangers player to have his number raised to the rafters at Madison Square Garden.
Other Notable Events
1926: Montreal Canadiens rookie goalie George Hainsworth shuts out the New York Americans, 2-0. It’s the first of 14 shutouts for the 1926-27 season and 94 for his career.
1982: The New York Islanders and Minnesota North Stars play to a wild 8-8 tie on Long Island. Steve Payne and Neal Broten each net three goals while Bryan Trottier is the only Islanders’ player to score more than once.
1988: Wayne Gretzky of the Los Angeles Kings scores his 600th career goal in an 8-3 rout of the Detroit Red Wings. Gretzky is the fifth player to reach the milestone after first-period goal on a pass from Dave Taylor. The Great One gets to 600 goals in just 718 career games.
2002: The Boston Bruins are the second franchise to 2,500 NHL games. Boston scores three power-play goals in a 4-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres. Only Montreal has reached 2,500 wins at the time.
Dave Andreychuk becomes the 14th player in NHL history to score 600 goals as the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the New Jersey Devils, 3-1, thanks to his two goals.
2003: Mark Messier of the Rangers joins Gordie Howe as the only players in NHL history to appear in 1,700 regular-season games. The Blueshirts beat the Ottawa Senators, 3-1, despite Messier not getting a point.
2009: Islanders goalie Dwayne Roloson withstands 61 shots as they beat the Toronto Maple Leafs, 4-3, in overtime. Josh Bailey gets the overtime-winner despite the Leafs getting the most shots in franchise history in a regular season game.
2014: The Rangers Henrik Lundqvist shuts out the Canadiens, 5-0, at MSG. Cam Talbot got a 2-0 shutout of the Philadelphia Flyers two days earlier for the first back-to-back shutouts by Rangers’ goalies since 1977.
Happy Birthday to You
1941: Simon Nolet
1957: Randy Pierce
1967: Brian Glynn
1974: Saku Koivu
1982: Colby Armstrong
1987: Nicklas Backstrom
1992: Gabriel Landeskog
