NY Rangers Loved Christmas Day Games

NHL teams used to play games on Christmas day. One team that felt especially merry to be playing on the biggest holiday of the year was the New York Rangers. In fact, the Rangers went 12-1-2 in Christmas Day matches between 1933 and 1949.

That 1949 game was particularly memorable. The Rangers knocked off the Toronto Maple Leafs by a score of 3-1. But it was the Rangers' forward Phil Watson who made the night unforgettable for those lucky enough to be in attendance.

Watson took to the pre-game warm up dressed up in a Santa Claus outfit. He went through his full workout routine disguised as jolly old St. Nick - taking shots, passing puck and even playfully checking his teammates!

Everyone loved the stunt. And how could the Rangers possibly lose the game? They had Santa on their side!

Update: Hockey Super Sleuth Jennifer Conway found this newspaper clipping of Watson's Christmas escapade (click on the photo for a larger image):