In one of the most emotional moments in NHL history, longtime New York Rangers goaltender Ed Giacomin was unexpectedly sold to the Detroit Red Wings on October 31, 1975. The shocking transaction was even noted on the front of his 1975-76 O-Pee-Chee hockey card, marking a significant turning point in his Hall of Fame career.
Just two days later, Giacomin made his first start for the Red Wings against none other than the Rangers at Madison Square Garden on November 2, 1975. The emotional tension in the arena was palpable as Giacomin faced his former team and fans who had revered him for years.
Detroit Dominates in Giacomin’s Red Wings Debut
In a powerful show of support for their new netminder, the Red Wings came out flying, dominating the opening period with a 4-0 lead. Bill Hogaboam led the charge with two goals, while Nick Libett and Danny Grant each added one. The Rangers managed to respond in the second period with goals from Bill Fairbairn and Rick Middleton, but Detroit held a commanding 6-2 advantage going into the third.
Though the Rangers scored two more times in the final frame, Ed Giacomin turned aside 42 of 46 shots to earn a 6-4 win in his Detroit debut. Offensively, Hogaboam and Dan Maloney led the way with three points each, while Grant, Libett, Phil Roberto, and Barry Salovaara all posted two-point games.
The moment was bittersweet for Rangers fans, many of whom gave Giacomin an emotional ovation, despite rooting for the opposing team. It remains one of the most iconic nights in Madison Square Garden hockey history.
A Quieter Return: Second Game Back at MSG
Giacomin’s second game back in New York came just weeks later but this time, the result wasn’t as favorable. Despite a solid performance with 36 saves on 39 shots, the Rangers shut out the Red Wings 3-0.
John Davidson made just 23 saves for the shutout, as the Rangers controlled much of the play. The game remained scoreless until Pete Stemkowski broke the deadlock at 14:42 of the second period. In the third, SteveVickers and Walt Tkaczuk added goals to seal the win for New York.
About Ed Giacomin
Eddie Giacomin played 609 regular season and 65 playoff games in the National Hockey League between 1965-66 and 1977-78 with the New York Rangers and Detroit Red Wings. Ed was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1987 and the Rangers retired his jersey number 1 in 1989.
He was a First Team All-Star twie and was selected to the Second Team three times. In 1970-71, he shared the Vezina Trophy with Gilles Villemure. His 54 career regular season shutouts tie him for 24th all-time with Bernie Parent. Before getting his start with the Rangers, Giacomin spent seven years in the minors playing for six different teams in three leagues.
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