On November 1, 1959, Canadiens goaltender Jacques Plante donned his famous goal mask for the first time in a league game. He had already been using it in practice.

New York, Nov. 1 -- UP -- Goalie Jacques Plante, wearing a plastic helmet to protect a face injury sustained early in the game, turned in a masterful performance as his Montreal mates drubbed the New York Rangers. 3-1 tonight before a sellout National Hockey League crowd of 15,925.

Dickie Moore, Andre Pronovost and Bernie (Boom Boom) Geoffrion scored the goals for the Canadians, who ran their unbeaten streak to eight -- six victories and two ties. It was the Canadians' second victory in three meetings with the Rangers and kept intact their first-place lead of four points over second-place Detroit.

New York's goal did not come until midway in the third period. This was scored by Camille Henry, who smashed in a rebound after Plante had made a brilliant save on Andy Hebenton.

Altogether Plante made 27 saves to 30 for Gump Worsley, who also did a magnificent goaltending job despite the three goals scored against him. On six occasions, four times in the last period, Worsley had to thwart a Montreal breakaway, with a Canadian swooping in on him all alone.

Requires Seven Stitches

Plante played despite a painful facial wound that required seven stitches to close. Early in the first period, the tall netminder stopped a backhanded shot by Andy Bathgate, with his face and he had to be helped off the ice, his blood leaving a red path on the ice. After a doctor had patched up his face -- the injury was described as cuts on the left side of his nose and upper lip -- Plante came out wearing a flesh-colored helmet, with slits for his eyes and mouth.

Montreal's first goal was scored by Moore while the Rangers, Jim Bartlett was off the ice for charging. It came at 19:09 of the first period. Maurice Richard and Tom Johnson received assists. Pronovost made it 2-0 at 4:15 of the second period, on passes from Phil Goyette and Claude Provost. Geoffrion added a third Montreal goal at 18:56 of the same period. It was the seventh goal and 15th point of the season for the league's leading scorer, Marcel Bonin and Jean Beliveau assisted.

The defeat was the first for the Rangers in their last four games. They had won one and tied two after winning only one of their first seven starts.

Canadians -- Goal: Plante; defense: Harvey, Langlois, Johnson, Talbot, Tremblay; forwards: Beliveau, Geoffrion, Bonin, Hicke, H. Richard, M. Richard, Moore, Provost, McDonald, Goyette, Marshall, Pronovost.

New York -- Goal: Worsley; defense: Cushenna, Gadsby, Howell. Hanna, Fontinato, Spencer, Price; forwards: Cullen, Rathgate, Prentice, Shack, Sullivan, Ingarfield, Hebenton, Schinkel, Popein, Henry, Bartlett.

Referee: Powers; linesmen: Hayes and Frampton.