Rangers Rookie Bill Fairbairn Steals The Show In 1969 Win Over Bruins

When fans think of the New York Rangers beating the Boston Bruins in 1969, it’s usually the famed GAG Line of Rod Gilbert, Jean Ratelle, and Vic Hadfield that comes to mind. But on November 15, 1969, at the Boston Garden, it wasn’t the stars, it was the rookies and role players who carried the night.

Bill Fairbairn, just breaking into the league, had the game of his life. The rookie scored twice and added two assists for four points, including the dramatic game-winning goal with only eleven seconds left. His linemates, Dave Balon and Walt Tkaczuk, each chipped in three points, combining with Fairbairn for an incredible ten points in New York’s nail-biting 6-5 win.

What made the effort even more impressive was their efficiency, the trio netted five goals on only nine shots against Boston goalie Ed Johnston.

Fairbairn’s hot streak didn’t stop there. After starting the 1969-70 season with no points in his first five games, he went on a tear with 19 points in his next 14 contests. By season’s end, he had 23 goals and 33 assists for 56 points, playing in all 76 Rangers games. His rookie season earned him second place in Calder Trophy voting behind Chicago’s Tony Esposito.

Over the course of his NHL career (1968-69 to 1978-79), Fairbairn suited up in 658 regular season and 54 playoff games with the Rangers, Minnesota North Stars, and St. Louis Blues. He was a reliable scorer, hitting the 20-goal mark four times and peaking at 30 goals in 1972-73 with New York.

NHL Hockey Trivia: Bill Fairbairn

Much more NHL hockey trivia can be found at our website: World's Best Hockey Trivia

1. Which NHL team did Bill Fairbairn debut with in the 1968-69 season?

Minnesota North Stars
New York Rangers
St. Louis Blues
Chicago Blackhawks

2. In his rookie season (1969-70), Fairbairn finished second in Calder Trophy voting behind which player?

Ken Dryden
Tony Esposito
Bobby Clarke
Darryl Sittler

3. What was Bill Fairbairn’s career-high in goals for a single NHL season?

20
25
30
35

4. How many regular season NHL games did Fairbairn play in his career?

412
527
658
701

5. Which of the following teams did Bill Fairbairn not play for in the NHL?

New York Rangers
St. Louis Blues
Minnesota North Stars
Philadelphia Flyers

Bonus Trivia!

NHL Hockey Trivia: The 1969-70 New York Rangers Season

1. Which future Hall of Famer led the Rangers in scoring during the 1969-70 season?

Vic Hadfield
Rod Gilbert
Jean Ratelle
Brad Park

2. Rookie Bill Fairbairn finished second in Calder Trophy voting in 1969-70. Who won the award?

Bobby Clarke
Darryl Sittler
Tony Esposito
Ken Dryden

3. Where did the Rangers finish in the East Division standings in 1969-70?

1st place
2nd place
3rd place
4th place

4. Who was the Rangers’ head coach during the 1969-70 season?

Emile Francis
Red Sullivan
Fred Shero
Al Arbour

5. The Rangers were eliminated in the 1970 playoffs by which team?

Montreal Canadiens
Boston Bruins
Chicago Blackhawks
Detroit Red Wings

Tony Esposito’s First Shutout with Chicago Comes Against Canadiens

When the Chicago Blackhawks acquired Tony Esposito from the Montreal Canadiens in the 1969 off-season, few could’ve predicted just how quickly he’d begin carving out a legendary career. But on October 25, 1969, the hockey world got its first real glimpse of “Tony-O” in top form and it happened in poetic fashion.

After a rough start to the season, Chicago had gone 0-5-1 in its first six games, Esposito had already suffered losses to St. Louis and Detroit. But the tides shifted in Montreal, where Esposito had once made his NHL debut. Playing against the team that let him go, he shut the door, literally.

Esposito turned aside all 30 shots he faced at the Montreal Forum to earn his first NHL shutout as a member of the Blackhawks. It marked his second career NHL shutout overall, but his first in Chicago colors. At the other end, Canadiens netminder Rogie Vachon gave up five goals on just 20 shots in a 5-0 Chicago victory.

Lou Angotti got things rolling early, scoring the game-winner just over four minutes into the first period with help from Eric Nesterenko and Pat Stapleton. Nesterenko and Dennis Hull also tallied goals and assists in the statement win.

Adding to the historical flavor of the night, rookies Keith Magnuson and Marc Tardif dropped the gloves in the third period. The bout marked the first NHL fight for both players.

Esposito’s shutout was the first of 15 that season, a staggering total that helped earn him the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s top rookie. It also marked the beginning of one of the greatest goaltending careers in league history.

Tony Esposito's 15 Shutouts In 1969-70

Being that it was just the third season of the post Original 6 era, you might think that this is a watered down record due to weak expansion teams. However, eight of the 15 shutouts for Esposito in 1969-70 came against Original 6 teams. Two were against the Boston Bruins, powered offensively by his brother Phil Esposito. He also had a pair of blanks each against the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs.

The highest scoring was a 9-0 drubbing of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Tony made 23 saves in that one while also assisting on the game winning goal by Lou Angotti. The most saves in a one of his shutouts was 36 in a 1-0 win over the Bruins. His other blank against the Bruins was a 0-0 tie with Ed Johnston also not allowing a goal.