Joe Camporeale-Imagn ImagesAs far as hockey seasons go, the Rangers 1951-52 campaign was another loser.
For the second straight year, the Blueshirts missed the playoffs and by the time the final game took place on March 23, 1952, Garden officials closed the end and side balconies.
"We figured that since it would be a 'nothing' game," said one MSG official, "that hardly anyone would show up. As a result we decided to close the entire upper section"
All fans who showed up for the meaningless game against the Chicago Black Hawks were permitted to sit in any of the most expensive seats they could find.
"You had to be a crazy fan to show up," said Paul Gardella, a mezzanine season ticket-holder. "But some of us were that crazy and since it was the last game of the season, we wanted to see 'just one more game.'"
No one in the audience – estimated at no more than 5,000 in the 15,925 seat arena – could have imagined that they'd be witness to history but it was about to happen.
To everyone's delight the Rangers outplayed the Visitors and led 6-2 into the third period. Quite frankly, we were all thinking that the Chicago players were packing it in; but they were not.
Center Gus Bodnar and right wing Bill Mosienko were among the better players in the league and were to prove it.
First Mosienko beat goalie Lorne Anderson to trim the Blueshirts' lead. Then, off the faceoff, Bodnar fed Mosie who beat Anderson cleanly.
Now another face-off, once again the Chicago ace scored. Only this time he set a record, three goals in 21 seconds.
The previous record was held by Detroit's Carl Liscombe who scored three goals in a minute and 52 seconds in 1938.
Remarkably, Mosienko broke the Rangers defense a fourth time, but this time he hit the goal post. When Bill returned to the bench, Black Hawk coach Ebbie Goodfellow delivered The Perfect Squelch.
"What's the matter with you, Bill, are you in a slump?"
P.S. The Rangers lost!