What happened on December 5 in the history of the New York Rangers
One of the rarest plays in hockey is the penalty shot. A penalty shot awarded in overtime is even rarer. Scoring on an overtime penalty shot is even rarer. On this date in 2002, the New York Rangers took that rare play and doubled it. In a game against the Philadelphia Flyers, the Rangers became the first team in NHL to lose two games in overtime on penalty shots.
The first time it happened was on December 23, 2000 when David Legwand of the Nashville Predators scored to win the game 3-2 in overtime. This time, it was Michal Handzus of the Flyers.
The game was at the First Union Center in Philadelphia and the Blueshirts lost by the same score, 3-2. The penalty shot was called when Handzus was tackled by defenseman Tom Poti with only 36.7 seconds left in OT. Handzus beat goalie Dan Blackburn with a backhand over the goalie’s shoulder. This came seconds after Flyers goalie Roman Cechmanek had stopped Petr Nedved on a 2-on-1 break-in with Pavel Bure.
Blackburn was in goal for the 13th straight game after Mike Richter had suffered a concussion.
There were six penalty shots involving the Rangers in 2002, two for them and four against them. Pavel Bure scored on both of his attempts, while the Rangers stopped only one of the four penalty shots they gave up. Bure, along with Alex Shibecky, are the only Rangers to score twice on penalty shots as Blueshirts.
How rare are overtime penalty shot goals? There have been only 17 successful overtime penalty shots in NHL history. Nashville and Buffalo are the other NHL franchises to lose two games on overtime penalty shots.
But wait, the Rangers had to know that their dubious record would be equaled so they decided to go one better. On April 12, 2014, Brian Gionta of the Montreal Canadiens beat Cam Talbot just over two minutes into overtime and the Rangers became the only team with three penalty shot overtime losses.
The Rangers have played 36 games on December 5 in their history. It’s been a good day for them with only 11 regulation losses.
Regulation wins: 17
Regulation losses: 11
Ties: 7
Overtime losses: 1
Points percentage: .597
Today’s birthdays
19 NHL players have been born on December 5 including one well-traveled NHLer who made a pit stop in New York and is remembered for a costly failure.
Olli Jokinen was born on this date in 1978 in Kuopio,Finland. The center played for 10 different NHL teams in a 17-year career. That included 26 games at the end of the 2009-10 season for the Rangers. He was traded to the Blueshirts from Calgary along with Brandon Prust in exchange for Chris Higgins and Alex Kotalik. He was productive, scoring four goals and 15 points, but is best remembered by Ranger fans for taking the final shot in the shootout loss that ended the Rangers’ season. The Blueshirts were playing the Flyers with the last playoff spot at stake. The game ended in a 1-1 tie and after a scoreless overtime, they went to the skills competition. P.A. Parenteau matched Daniel Briere’s successful shot, but it was up to Jokinen after Claude Giroux beat Henrik Lundqvist. He missed. As a result, Ranger fans were happy to see him re-sign with the Flames that summer. That was the only time the Rangers missed the playoffs in 12 seasons.
Possible goalie trade targets. light. Must Read
As an avid hockey enthusiast with a deep knowledge of the sport, I can confidently share insights into the historical event that unfolded on December 5 in the history of the New York Rangers. The incident involves one of the rarest plays in hockey—the penalty shot—and the Rangers' unfortunate distinction of being the first NHL team to lose two games in overtime on penalty shots.
On December 5, 2002, during a game against the Philadelphia Flyers at the First Union Center in Philadelphia, the Rangers faced an extraordinary scenario. Michal Handzus of the Flyers was awarded a penalty shot in overtime after being tackled by Rangers defenseman Tom Poti with only 36.7 seconds left in the extra period. Handzus capitalized on this opportunity, beating Rangers goalie Dan Blackburn with a backhand over the goalie's shoulder, resulting in a 3-2 loss for the Rangers.
This wasn't the first time the Rangers experienced the rare occurrence of an overtime penalty shot loss. The initial instance took place on December 23, 2000, against the Nashville Predators, when David Legwand scored to secure a 3-2 victory in overtime. However, the 2002 game against the Flyers marked a unique record for the Rangers as the first team in NHL history to lose two games in overtime on penalty shots.
In the 2002 season, the Rangers were involved in a total of six penalty shots—two in their favor and four against them. Notably, Pavel Bure stood out as one of the Rangers who scored twice on penalty shots, alongside Alex Shibecky.
The rarity of overtime penalty shot goals is emphasized by the fact that, up to that point, there had been only 17 successful overtime penalty shots in NHL history. The Rangers shared this dubious record with the Nashville Predators and Buffalo Sabres as the only franchises to lose two games in overtime on penalty shots.
However, the Rangers, seemingly aware of their unique record, decided to add another chapter to their history on April 12, 2014. Brian Gionta of the Montreal Canadiens scored on a penalty shot against Rangers goalie Cam Talbot just over two minutes into overtime, making the Rangers the sole team with three penalty shot overtime losses.
Beyond this historical event, the article also provides a glimpse into the Rangers' performance on December 5 throughout their history, highlighting their successes and losses on this specific date. Additionally, it acknowledges the birthdays of 19 NHL players born on December 5, with a specific focus on Olli Jokinen, a well-traveled NHL center who played for the Rangers during the 2009-10 season. Jokinen's tenure with the Rangers is notably remembered for his crucial miss in a shootout that contributed to the team missing the playoffs for the only time in 12 seasons.
In conclusion, the article not only narrates a significant event in the Rangers' history but also touches upon various aspects of the team's performance, player birthdays, and a memorable trade involving Olli Jokinen.
