1969–70 New York Rangers season



The 1969–70 New York Rangers season was the 44th season for the team in the National Hockey League (NHL). The Rangers finished 4th in the East Division and lost in the Quarter-finals to the Boston Bruins 4 games to 2.

Boston Bruins 4, New York Rangers 2
The Bruins and Rangers last met in the 1958 Semi-finals which Boston won in six games. Gerry Cheevers played five games in the series while the Rangers Eddie Giacomin was spelled off by Terry Sawchuk for two games. The Bruins were powered by 10 points by Phil Esposito and 7 goals by Bobby Orr and took the series in six games.

Game 1 at the Boston Garden was a wide-open, fight-filled game dominated by Phil Esposito. He opened the scoring 3:51 into the first period with a goal mouth tap-in and then scored on the power play from the slot. Jack Egers scored on a long slapshot to make it 2-1. In the second period, Bobby Orr rushed out of the Bruins zone and after a give and go with John McKenzie, fired a low shot glove side that beat Eddie Giacomin at 4:56. Don Marcotte took a tripping penalty but Orr wasn't dissuaded, deking three Rangers and scoring with a low slapshot to Giacomin's stick side to make it 4-1 Boston. The Rangers then gave up another shorthanded goal on the same power play to Derek Sanderson, who scored on a breakaway. Before the period ended, Esposito scored his Hat trick goal and Wayne Cashman added another. Terry Sawchuk went in the net for the Rangers in the third period, which degenerated in multiple fights. Fred Stanfield and Bob Nevin traded power play goals as the Bruins romped to an 8-2 victory.

Game 2 at Boston saw Terry Sawchuk start for the Rangers. After Jim Lorentz scored on a beautiful passing play with Ed Westfall and Wayne Carleton, the Rangers took their first lead of the series with goals by Jack Eger and Rod Gilbert. In the second period, John McKenzie tied it up with a one-timer from a great feed from Fred Stanfield. John Bucyk gave Boston the lead when he squeaked a shot from a sharp angle past Sawchuk. Early in the third period, Ken Hodge stripped Ab DeMarco, Jr. of the puck at the Rangers blueline and scored the game winner on a breakaway. A few minutes later, Orr sent Westfall into the Rangers zone and he beat Sawchuk with a low backhander. Tim Horton got one back but the Bruins triumphed 5-3 and took a two games to none lead in the series.

Game 3 at Madison Square Garden saw Giacomin back in goal and the Rangers target Derek Sanderson early. A massive brawl broke out two minutes into the game which resulted in six fighting majors as well as Sanderson and Dave Balon receiving game misconducts. Police dealt with fans attacking the Bruins bench and showering the ice with debris. It took nearly 20 minutes to restart the game. Bill Speer opened the scoring with a point shot, his only career playoff goal. Gary Doak and Jack Egers fought before Jean Ratelle tied the game on a rebound. Wayne Cashman and Orland Kurtenbach fought and a penalty to Speer resulted in Walt Tkaczuk scoring on the power play. The second period was calmer and Gilbert put the Rangers up 3-1 as he took a goal mouth pass and put it into the open net. In the third period, Ted Irvine put the Rangers up 4-1 with a goal mouth rebound. Bobby Orr scored on a point shot before Cashman and Bill Fairbairn fought. With eight minutes left in the game, Fred Stanfield tipped in a Dallas Smith point shot to trim the deficit to a goal. The Rangers held on and nipped the Bruins 4-3 in a game that saw 174 penalty minutes and New York out shoot Boston 42-29.

Game 4 at New York saw the Bruins Eddie Johnston play his only game of the 1970 playoffs and Danny Schock play his only career playoff game. Rod Gilbert staked the Rangers to a 2-0 lead with a pair of first period goals. In the second period, an Orr rush into the Rangers zone resulted in Phil Esposito shovelling a goal in from the edge of the crease. Less than a minute later, Derek Sanderson turned over the puck at the Bruins blueline and Dave Balon skated in alone and beat Johnston for a 3-1 New York lead. Wayne Cashman and Tim Horton fought before Giacomin robbed Sanderson on a breakaway. At 8:41 of the third period, Bobby Orr scored from the point on a power play to make it 3-2. Hard work by Dave Balon in the Bruins zone resulted in Walt Tkaczuk firing a one-timer past Johnston for a 4-2 Rangers win. New York again out shot Boston and the series was tied at two games each.

Game 5 at Boston saw Cheevers back between the pipes for the Bruins. A melee broke out on the first shift of the game. Two minutes later, Bobby Orr rounded the Bruins net and skated through the entire Ranger team to open the scoring. Phil Esposito sent Wayne Cashman in on a breakaway but he was stopped by Ed Giacomin before Jack Egers tied the game up on the power play. In the second period, Orr was tripped on a rush but no penalty was called. The puck was fed to Orland Kurtenbach who scored on a breakaway to make it 2-1 Rangers. At 2:20 of the third period, Cashman won a puck battle in the Rangers zone and fed it to Esposito in the slot who scored to tie the game 2-2. At 7:59, Orr fed a brilliant pass to Esposito, who was in full flight. Esposito evaded the New York defense and fired the winner past Giacomin. Cheevers preserved the lead making several excellent stops, including a point blank chance by Dave Balon as the Bruins won 3-2 and took the series lead.

Game 6 at New York saw Brad Park open the scoring on the power play after a give and go with Rod Gilbert. In the second period, Orr broke into the Rangers zone, passed it back to the blueline, headed for the Ranger net and tipped in a John McKenzie shot to tie the game. Two minutes later, Wayne Cashman pounced on a Tim Horton turnover and scored stick side on a surprised Ed Giacomin. At 3:09 of the third period, Orr slapped one in from the point through a screen to make it 3-1 Bruins. Four minutes later, Derek Sanderson deflected a corner pass from Ed Westfall for an insurance goal. Boston blunted New York's attack, even once they pulled Giacomin and the Bruins won 4-1 to take the series in six games.

Regular Season

 * Scoring
 * Goaltending

Playoffs

 * Scoring
 * Goaltending

Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes; PPG = Power-play goals; SHG = Short-handed goals; GWG = Game-winning goals

MIN = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals-against; GAA = Goals-against average; SO = Shutouts

Awards and Records

 * Brad Park, Defense, NHL First Team All-Star
 * Eddie Giacomin, Goaltender, NHL Second Team All-Star