Former Canadiens Power Rangers to 4-3 Win Over Montreal on December 24, 1966

It was a Christmas Eve clash that felt more like a ghost story for the Montreal Canadiens. On December 24, 1966, the New York Rangers came to the Montreal Forum and stunned the home crowd with a 4-3 victory, led almost entirely by former Habs.

Phil Goyette and Don Marshall had been traded from Montreal to New York before the 1963-64 season. Bernie “Boom Boom” Geoffrion joined the Rangers for the 1966-67 campaign after coming out of retirement. All three had something to prove, and they made their point loud and clear.

Ralph Backstrom got Montreal off to a hot start, scoring just 1:37 into the first period. But it wasn’t long before Bob Nevin tied the game for the Rangers, assisted by Goyette and another ex-Hab, Reg Fleming. Backstrom struck again in the second to give the Canadiens a 2-1 edge. Then the ghosts of Montreal’s past came knocking.

Geoffrion scored twice in the span of six minutes, his first tied the game at 12:16, and his second came on the powerplay, giving the Rangers a 3-2 lead. Goyette and Nevin picked up the assists on both.

Bobby Rousseau, himself a future Ranger, tied it once more midway through the third period. But with just 33 seconds left in regulation, Donnie Marshall delivered the dagger, his 15th of the season, once again set up by Goyette and Nevin.

The trio of ex-Habs finished the night with a combined six points and 14 of New York’s 37 shots on Charlie Hodge. The Rangers may have been the visitors, but on this night, they owned the Forum. Also suiting up for New York that night? Two more former Canadiens: Bill Hicke and Al MacNeil.

The Next Game Didn't Go So Well

The two teams met again on New Year's Eve at the Montreal Forum. This time, the Rangers were blanked 3-0 with Charlie Hodge making 25 saves for the shutout. Marshall led the Rangers with five shots while Geoffrion and Goyette managed just one each. 

Scoring the game winner for the Habs at 14:29 of the first period was Yvan Cournoyer. The Roadrunner put one past Ed Giacomin on the powerplay with help from Dick Duff and J.C. Tremblay. Duff had spent a short time with the Rangers between his time with the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Montreal Canadiens. Over parts of the 1963-64 and 1964-65 seasons, he played 43 games for the Blue Shirts.

Phil Goyette's First NHL Game Winning Goal

Phil Goyette went into the 1957-58 NHL season technically still a rookie. He played 14 regular season games the previous year and all ten in the playoffs for the Montreal Canadiens, hoisting the Stanley Cup for the first of four times during his NHL career.

1st Of 36 Career NHL GWG

Playing all 70 regular season games for the Habs, Goyette scored nine goals. On February 27, 1958 in a home game against the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Montreal Forum, Phil put in his sixth of the year and it turned out to be the game winning goal.

At 13:08 of the second period, he put one past Toronto goalie Ed Chadwick to put Montreal up 2-0. With the final score ending in a 3-1 win for the Canadiens, Goyette's goal stood as the game winner. He also assisted on the first of the game, scored by Claude Provost in the first period.

Also scoring for Montreal were Marcel Bonin and Don Marshall. Jacques Plante stopped all but one of 30 shots put his way. The only one to get past Jake the Snake was off the stick of Brian Cullen early in the third period, assisted by Bob Pulford and Ron Stewart.

Phil Goyette's NHL Career

Goyette played 940 regular season games in the National Hockey League between 1956-57 and 1971-72 with the Canadiens, New York Rangers, St. Louis Blues and Buffalo Sabres. Over that time, he scored 207 goals. Of those 207, 36 were game winners.

His performance with Montreal in 1957-58 got him a look for the Calder Trophy as NHL rookie of the year. Phil finished third in voting, a distance behind a tight battle between winner Frank Mahovlich of the Toronto Maple Leafs and runner-up Bobby Hull of the Chicago Blackhawks.