On October 19, 1969, the Toronto Maple Leafs visited Madison Square Garden to take on the New York Rangers in what would be their fourth game of the 1969-70 NHL season. For Leafs fans, the game felt like a one-man show and that man was goaltender Bruce Gamble.
The Rangers won 1-0 on an early goal from Vic Hadfield at the 7:33 mark of the first period, assisted by Jean Ratelle and Brad Park. That lone tally held up the rest of the way, not because the Rangers went into a defensive shell, but because Gamble stood on his head. He turned aside 44 of 45 shots, keeping the Leafs in the game all night long. Hadfield and Ratelle each had seven shots apiece, while former Leaf Ron Stewart chipped in with six.
On the flip side, Ed Giacomin had one of the easiest shutouts of his career. Toronto managed just 17 shots on net, with Paul Henderson and Bob Pulford accounting for nearly half with four shots each.
The lack of offense became a season-long theme. The Leafs finished last in the East Division, a brutal 21 points behind the next-closest team. They scored a division-low 222 goals and allowed a division-high 242, despite Gamble's solid play. Over 52 games, Gamble had five shutouts and a .915 save percentage, remarkable numbers considering the team's struggles.
Bruce Gamble’s career spanned from 1958-59 to 1971-72, playing with the Rangers, Bruins, Leafs, and Flyers. Though solid between the pipes, he’s often remembered for his heart attack during a game in 1972 while playing for the Flyers, a game he finished despite the medical emergency.
Toronto Maple Leafs at Rangers – October 19, 1969 Trivia
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1. Who scored the only goal in the Rangers' 1-0 win over the Maple Leafs on October 19, 1969?
- A) Rod Gilbert
- B) Vic Hadfield ✅
- C) Jean Ratelle
- D) Brad Park
2. How many shots did Bruce Gamble stop in this game?
- A) 35
- B) 40
- C) 44 ✅
- D) 47
3. Which former Leaf had six shots on goal for the Rangers in that game?
- A) Ron Stewart ✅
- B) Dick Duff
- C) Bob Nevin
- D) Phil Goyette
4. What was the Maple Leafs’ shot total in the 1-0 loss?
- A) 14
- B) 17 ✅
- C) 21
- D) 25
5. What serious health event is Bruce Gamble remembered for during a game in 1972?
- A) Concussion
- B) Broken collarbone
- C) Heart attack ✅
- D) Eye injury
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