Hartford Whalers vs New York Rangers
Regular season · Monday, December 16, 1996 · Madison Square Garden
Game summary
The New York Rangers beat the Hartford Whalers 5–2 on Monday, December 16, 1996 at Madison Square Garden. The Whalers outshot the Rangers 41–34.
Goals came from Bill Berg, Luc Robitaille, Adam Graves, Doug Lidster, Wayne Gretzky, Jeff O'Neill and Geoff Sanderson.
Mike Richter made 39 saves on 41 shots for the win; Jason Muzzatti stopped 10 of 13.
Scoring
1st period
Bill Berg (5)Patrick Flatley (7)0–101:21 NYR
Luc Robitaille (11)Wayne Gretzky (31), Brian Noonan (10)0–203:44 NYR · 
Adam Graves (11)Mark Messier (15)0–311:36 NYR ·
2nd period
Doug Lidster (1)Unassisted0–411:07 NYR
3rd period
Wayne Gretzky (14)Niklas Sundstrom (9), Jeff Beukeboom (4)0–500:38 NYR
Jeff O'Neill (10)Curtis Leschyshyn (7), Paul Ranheim (4)1–503:18 HFD
Geoff Sanderson (19)Kevin Haller (6), Adam Burt (7)2–514:57 HFD ·
Team stats
HFDNYR
4134
0%0%
1/31/2
2941
00
00
00
00
Penalties
- 3:12 into the first period
Kevin Haller · hooking obstruction2 min - 11:00 into the first period
Niklas Sundstrom · cross checking2 min - 13:57 into the first periodSergei Nemchinov · hooking obstruction2 min
- 19:30 into the first periodCurtis Leschyshyn · roughing2 min
- 19:30 into the first periodKeith Primeau · roughing2 min
- 19:30 into the first periodAdam Graves · roughing2 min
- 19:30 into the first periodAdam Graves · roughing2 min
- 5:55 into the third periodKevin Haller · roughing2 min
- 5:55 into the third periodWayne Gretzky · roughing2 min
- 9:18 into the third periodStu Grimson · interference2 min
- 9:18 into the third periodStu Grimson · fighting5 min
- 9:18 into the third periodShane Churla · instigator2 min
- 9:18 into the third periodShane Churla · fighting5 min
- 9:18 into the third periodShane Churla · misconduct10 min
- 9:18 into the third periodBrian Noonan · game misconduct10 min
- 13:16 into the third periodKevin Dineen · elbowing2 min
- 13:16 into the third periodGlen Featherstone · misconduct10 min
- 13:16 into the third periodAlexander Karpovtsev · roughing2 min
- 13:16 into the third periodAlexander Karpovtsev · roughing2 min
- 19:59 into the third periodStu Grimson · roughing2 min
Season series
Hartford Whalers
| 8Geoff SandersonL | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | – |
| 28Paul RanheimL | 0 | 1 | 1 | −1 | 2 | – |
| 92Jeff O'NeillC | 1 | 0 | 1 | −2 | 3 | – |
| 6Adam BurtD | 0 | 1 | 1 | −3 | 4 | – |
| 7Curtis LeschyshynD | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | – |
| 14Kevin HallerD | 0 | 1 | 1 | −2 | 2 | – |
| 11Kevin DineenR | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | – |
| 12Steven RiceR | 0 | 0 | 0 | −2 | 3 | – |
| 16Nelson EmersonR | 0 | 0 | 0 | −2 | 2 | – |
| 18Robert KronC | 0 | 0 | 0 | −1 | 4 | – |
| 21Andrew CasselsC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | – |
| 22Mark JanssensC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | – |
| 32Stu GrimsonL | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 37Jeff DanielsL | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | – |
| 55Keith PrimeauC | 0 | 0 | 0 | −2 | 3 | – |
| 4Gerald DiduckD | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | – |
| 5Alexander GodynyukD | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | – |
| 36Glen FeatherstoneD | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | – |
| Goalie | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29Jason MuzzattiG | L | 13 | 3 | .769 |
| 47Jean-Sebastien GiguereG | 21 | 2 | .905 |
New York Rangers
| 99Wayne GretzkyC | 1 | 1 | 2 | +1 | 5 | – |
| 8Patrick FlatleyR | 0 | 1 | 1 | +1 | 0 | – |
| 9Adam GravesL | 1 | 0 | 1 | +1 | 5 | – |
| 11Mark MessierC | 0 | 1 | 1 | +1 | 2 | – |
| 18Bill BergL | 1 | 0 | 1 | +1 | 1 | – |
| 20Luc RobitailleL | 1 | 0 | 1 | +1 | 6 | – |
| 24Niklas SundstromR | 0 | 1 | 1 | +1 | 1 | – |
| 28Brian NoonanR | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 6Doug LidsterD | 1 | 0 | 1 | +1 | 4 | – |
| 23Jeff BeukeboomD | 0 | 1 | 1 | +1 | 2 | – |
| 13Sergei NemchinovL | 0 | 0 | 0 | +1 | 2 | – |
| 16Daniel GoneauL | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 22Shane ChurlaR | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 27Alex KovalevR | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | – |
| 2Brian LeetchD | 0 | 0 | 0 | +1 | 1 | – |
| 5Ulf SamuelssonD | 0 | 0 | 0 | +1 | 1 | – |
| 25Alexander KarpovtsevD | 0 | 0 | 0 | +1 | 0 | – |
| 33Bruce DriverD | 0 | 0 | 0 | +1 | 2 | – |
| Goalie | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30Glenn HealyG | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 35Mike RichterG | W | 41 | 2 | .951 |