"A Christmas Carol" is first published, the NHL plays its first games, Apollo 17 splashes down, and the U.S. House impeaches President Bill Clinton, all on this day.
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1917: The first games of the new National Hockey League are played. The initial NHL included the Montreal Canadiens, Montreal Wanderers, Ottawa Senators and Toronto Arenas, although the Wanderers would fold four games into their season due to a fire that destroyed Montreal Arena on Jan. 2, 1918.