This is a short video with 13-plus minutes from second period of the March 23, 1975 National Hockey League game between the Boston Bruins and the Rangers at Madison Square Garden, won by New York, 7-5. This is the MSG Network broadcast, with Jim Gordon on play by play and Bill Chadwick on color, and the snippet was found years later and re-aired on MSG Vault. With Don Cherry's Bruins safely in the playoffs, this game meant more to the Rangers' postseason chances, and we join the action in the second with the Broadway Blueshirts ahead, 4-2. But Carol Vadnais and Gregg Sheppard (his second of the game) score for Boston to make it 4-4 entering the third. Rod Gilbert's goal for New York is answered by the immortal Earl Anderson for Boston, but then Jean Ratelle gets his 32d and Sanderson pots an ENG. IMO, the hockey here isn't exactly compelling, with many giveaways, offsides, defensive lapses, and icings. But with not many complete game broadcasts of this Bruins era out there, there really is a lot to see in the 12 minutes; a lot of cross-pollenation. First of all, sadly there's no Phil Esposito, Wayne Cashman, and Terry O'Reilly for Boston. But there is still the great Bobby Orr. In the 1974-75 season Orr won the last of his eight straight Norris Trophies and had 46 goals and 89 assists for 135 points. Alas, his ailing knees limited him to 10 games with Boston in 1975-76, and 26 over three seasons with the Blackhawks, so here he's in the last of his many great seasons. Back to the game, Derek Sanderson is with the Rangers, centering their power play, and sure enough, he almost scores off Gilles Gilbert on a shot off the faceoff like he did so many times for Boston. Rick Middleton is in his rookie season in New York, and Nifty, one of my favorite all-time Bruins after being traded to them in 1976, coughs up the puck and rides the pine for a while. Credit for trying to block Sheppard's shot, but he just missed. Finally, there are Brad Park and Ratelle for New York, who would be traded in November of 1975 to Boston for Esposito and Vadnais in a blockbuster. Once in the playoffs, the Bruins were defeated in the preliminary round by the Chicago Blackhawks and the Rangers likewise fell in the prelims to the New York Islanders. Overall, not too bad for 12 minutes, I'd say. And even though a couple of times the game is said to have been played April 6, March 23 is the date that matches up with the action. Copyright National Hockey League, or any other party. I don't claim the rights to, and don't profit from, this video. I just posted it to get rid of the non-Bruins games on the file and add the summary, for historical and educational purposes, and for those who will enjoy it as much as I did. The summary: https://www.hockey-reference.com/boxscores/197503230NYR.html

• published: 24 Jun 2022
• views: 4228