1975 NHL Playoffs-Islanders vs Rangers, Game 3 (WNEW Radio)

[@robmorrison1043]

As an Islander fan and a life long N.Y. sports fan I can say with out hesitation that Marv Albert was the greatest play by play and lead voice of NHL and NBA games!

[@danielkrall6501]

Man, sports on AM radio is something in history that I miss dearly.

[@chrisdennehy9425]

At long last, thanks for posting, looking forward to listening to this one!

[@ANTHONY0808able]

Tremendous find, the cannon shot across the bow that began an epic rivalry between Rangers/Islanders

[@davidnatale9330]

Great Post! More video from this game would be a great find

[@kevinvanmeter2264]

33:25 1st Period-Goal-Islanders-Clark Gillies from Bob Bourne and Bert Marshall @ 16 : 00 1:15:10 2nd Period-Goal-Islanders-Denis Potvin from Jean Potvin and Bob Nystrom (Power Play) @ 8 : 26 (Rangers Penalty - Ron Greschner-Tripping @ 6 : 30) 1:24:57 2nd Period-Goal-Islanders-Denis Potvin from Lorne Henning (Shorthanded) @ 12 : 51 (Islanders Penalty - Gerry Hart-Holding @ 11 : 32) 1:27:25 2nd Period-Goaltender change-Ed Giacomin replaces Gillies Villemure for Rangers 1:33:01 2nd Period-Ed Giacomin of Rangers battles Garry Howatt of Islanders 2:04:55 3rd Period-Goal-Rangers-Bill Fairbairn from Walt Tkaczuk and Ron Greschner @ 4 : 44 2:19:57 3rd Period-Goal-Rangers-Bill Fairbairn from Steve Vickers and Brad Park (Power Play) @ 13 : 27 (Islanders Penalty-Gerry Hart-Hooking @ 12 : 47) 2:22:15 3rd Period-Goal- Rangers-Steve Vickers from Jean Ratelle and Rod Gilbert @ 13 : 41 2:30:10 No tripping on Islanders and coach Emile Francis is livid. 2:32:43 Incredible save by Billy Smith within the final minute! 2:50:00 1st Overtime-Goal-Islanders-J. P. Parise from Jude Drouin and Eddie Westfall @ 0 : 11 2:56:10 Marv: "Did They ever announce the scoring for the winning goal. Sal?" PA man Carl Martin did about 70 seconds later. Shots On Goal: Islanders - 26, Rangers - 40. Goaltenders: Islanders - Billy Smith (37 saves) Rangers - Gillies Villemure (15 Saves) Rangers - Ed Giacomin @ 14 : 00, 3rd period (7 Saves) Officials On Ice: Referee: Bruce Hood Linesmen: Neil Armstrong, Ray Scapiniello Islanders defeat Rangers to advance to 2nd round versus Pittsburgh Penguins, 2 games to 1 with the visiting team winning all games. Additional Note: 2:59:42 - In the Broadcast wrap up, Marv Albert mentions his statistician, "The Bullet," Bob Meyer, who went on to be the track announcer at Yonkers Raceway and later Saratoga Harness Raceway. kzbin.info/www/bejne/kH2lnp2JebJ3f9k Mr. Meyer passed in 2019 at age 80. This painful series loss was the beginning of the end of Emile Francis with the Rangers. Year after year saw the Rangers fortunes in the NHL playoffs come up fruitless. They saw the Boston Bruins win a Stanley Cup at the Garden in 1971 when Jean Ratelle suffer a fracture during the stretch drive. MSG management felt that he stuck with his players too long. They saw a young Islanders with fresher legs, younger players and Al Arbour's controlled guidance make a difference. The next year, Francis released Ed Giacomin in favor of John Davidson. Francis was branded a villian for that move, especially when Giacomin returned a few days later as a member of the Detroit Red Wings. Eddie beat the Rangers, 6-4. kzbin.info/www/bejne/rYunnHmDgNp8iaM The Rangers fans turned against their team that night. Garden management was angered and embarrassed, so a decision was made. Francis was let go as General Manager, despite following management's edicts for change. Emile did more for Youth Hockey in the New York area. Supporting youth teams and clubs. God bless Emile for everything he did. Emile Francis died on February 19th, 2022 at the age of 95.

[@ANTHONY0808able]

Nice summary. You are correct about the fans turning on the Rangers at the end of this game that night. I have always said that the Islanders picked up half of their fan base on this night, the portion of Ranger fans that changed allegiances after this debacle (from a Rangers perspective anyway).

[@register1430]

great colour you've provided.

[@gustavfarley1983]

I had listened to this game on the islanders radio network before, but this is the very first time that I just listened to that similar game, this time I was Marv Albert and Sal red light Melsina. I was only 4 years old.

[@johnm8096]

I listened in bed too as an 11-year old. I had switched my allegiance from a Ranger to Islander fan late in the regular season. What solidified my fandom was when I attended a late season Islander home game and got JP Parise’s autograph during warm-ups. Needless to say I was overjoyed when he scored the game winner to put us on such a thrilling ride that postseason. Great memories.

[@jacksmith5692]

Listened to this game with my Dad in the family room and when Parise scored he said turn it off and go to bed. I was 13 and crushed. I remember we fell behind 3-0 and Eddie fought Howatt and we came back to tie the game 3-3 and couldn't get the 4th goal and the game went to OT. 11 GODDAMN seconds and we were finished. After an 8-3 win on the Island in a fight filled game, I was confident and yet they blew it!

[@dzanier]

It might be the most shocking moment in Ranger’s history.

[@jacksmith5692]

@@dzanier Just terrible.

[@dzanier]

@Matt Pizzano of the guys who were even part of the 74-75 team, by 78-79 only Greschner, Tkazcuk and Vickers were left.

[@ANTHONY0808able]

@@dzanier Not might, it definitely was the most shocking, crushing moment in franchise history.

[@dzanier]

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

[@robertrettig9483]

Great stuff !

[@billbrown8600]

Love this!

[@tedlicciardello7673]

There is next to no video available of this landmark game in the history of New York hockey but I almost don't care. The great Marv Albert was the best radio hockey play-by-play guy in the business and a big reason I became such a huge hockey fan starting in 1973. Couldn't keep me as a Rangers fan more than a couple of years, in large part because of the Islanders but also because of the trades by Emile Francis of Villemure, Giacomin (waivers), Ratelle and Park. I don't really blame Francis so much, he was so passionate, but that team underachieved big time at the end and got old but the Boston trade was just awful. I've heard the Islanders radio broadcast, which was great, but I wasn't aware of this until today. Unbelievable. I'm not a fan of Kenny Albert and having just listened to the first period and intermission the reason is clear. Kenny doesn't have a fraction of the feel of the game or the sense of humor his father had. Love Sal Messina as well. And those commercials are so nostalgic to listen to, also.

[@pattybfcakes]

I listened to this game in my bed as a young kid I was crushed on that OT goal

[@robmorrison1043]

I listened with my little AM radio under my pillow and jumped for joy!!!!

[@pattybfcakes]

Two kids listening on their radios in bed. One kid jubilant the other kid crushed. That's sports!

[@VideoCityTV]

Was at the game as a 15 year old never been so depressed at a game since

[@dzanier]

Worst loss in Ranger history.

[@kevinvanmeter2264]

This series was historic not only for the Islanders upsetting the Rangers. Toby Wright was the organist for the Rangers AND the Islanders. The only time in NHL history that one organist did all playoff games for one series. He was the only person to continue from the Garden that night. The Isles played Pittsburgh the next round and rallied from a 3-0 deficit to win the series in seven games. The next round the Islanders played the Philadelphia Flyers and lost the first three games before they rallied to tie the series. They lost game seven when the Flyers brought Kate Smith in to sing God Bless America as the good luck charm. It was the beginning of the end for Rangers Coach/GM Emile Francis. He had traded Vic Hadfield to Pittsburgh and young Steve Vickers replaced him on the Rod Gilbert-Jean Ratelle line. Sadly, Francis saw his team get old on him. Gillies Villemure was traded to Chicago. John Davidson was brought to New York in a trade to back-up Giacomin. Francis put Ed Giacomin on waivers the next year. The first game at the Garden after it happened? Detroit. The starting goalie? Giacomin. Davidson was viciously booed while Giacomin was cheered as a hero. In fairness, it was Francis who told Giacomin that he was put on waivers. It was honest and it would never happen today. A lackey to the GM would have to do it. Francis deserves credit for being honest and Giacomin never held it against Francis. What a year it was for the Islanders. Many fans gave up on the Rangers and started following the young up and coming Islanders team.

[@dzanier]

He was also the organist for the Yankees.

[@epaddon]

@@dzanier Yes, from 1965-66 and again from 71-77 when Eddie Layton, who did it from 67-70 returned and held it through 2003. A lot of reference works keep ignoring Wright's stint and erroneously treat Layton's time as continuous from 1967 to 2003.

[@michaelabrams7345]

Correct. The Phillies organist, Paul Richardson also worked weekend games at Yankees Games in 77 and 78.

[@michaelabrams7345]

Toby was at the organ that afternoon for the Yankees Opener at Shea Stadium. He played a double header that day and night.

[@robertperrella4194]

what a pitiful shame that those 3 games WHERE BLACKED OUT IN THE 5 BOROUGHS OF NEW YORK CITY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!,,,,,,why??????????????????????????,,,,,,,,,,,,,,no excuses whatsoever!!!!!!!!what horrible spitefullness for the middle and upper middle class!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@RRaquello]

No home games on free TV in those days. The exception was in the Stanley Cup finals. I believe in 79 the Rangers home games in the finals were on free TV in New York. Other exceptions were if it was a national game of the week broadcast. That was why game 7 in 1978, when Toronto upset the Islanders at the Nassau Coliseum, was on free TV in New York. The games in this series were on cable, but back then only Manhattan was wired for cable. Parts of Long Island might also have been wired for cable. But the boroughs outside of Manhattan were not. So it was radio only. Remember that as late as 1981, the Islander's cup clinching game vs. the North Stars was not on free TV in New York or, as far as I know, anywhere in the US.

[@robertperrella4194]

@@RRaquello you are correct about 1979 !

[@ANTHONY0808able]

@@RRaquello 1978 game 7 OT Islanders vs Leafs was not broadcast on free TV in its entirety. For some reason channel 9 (WOR TV) was allowed to show only the OT live.