Dec. 5, 1963 - Jacques Plante (pictured), masked marvel of netminders, fingered a couple of arm bruises and grinned in resignation. “Well, that’s the way it goes,” said Plante after giving up four more goals to his former teammates tonight when the Canadiens whipped the New York Rangers before another slim weeknight crowd of 12,827 at the Montreal Forum. It was the Habs’ fourth straight victory over the Blueshirts this season and gave them a total of 19 goals against Plante, who is by far the most scored-upon goalie in the NHL so far this season. “I’m not satisfied with the way we’re going,” said Jacques. “But I’m working hard and doing my very best. I’m not discouraged, and I’m not quitting. This club isn’t going to finish first, and everybody knows that, but we should be able to make the playoffs.” Actually, Plante saved the weak-checking Rangers from a worse defeat with several outstanding saves in the first two periods. Bobby Rousseau, right wing on the Canadiens’ best forward line with Henri Richard and Red Berenson, was the top scorer with his fourth goal of the season and two assists. Berenson netted his third, while Jean Beliveau, with his first point in five games, and Dave Balon, his 12th of the schedule, accounted for the other Montreal markers. Coach Toe Blake, whose club moved back into second place by one point over the idle Maple Leafs, singled out Red Berenson as the standout but added: “That whole line played well.” As for the difference in the back-to-back games, the 3-0 loss at Toronto Wednesday and tonight’s performance, Blake remarked: “A lot more of the fellows were playing hockey tonight.” The coach didn’t complain about the Habs’ slowdown for a while in the late stages of the contest. “With a 4-1 lead, the slowdown might be expected,” Blake remarked.
