1939–40 New York Rangers season



The 1939–40 New York Rangers season was the 14th season for the team in the National Hockey League (NHL). With new coach Frank Boucher the Rangers finished 2nd in the league with an impressive 27–11–10 record. In the Semi-finals, the Rangers beat the Boston Bruins in 6 games to advance to the 1940 Stanley Cup Finals. In the Finals, the Rangers won their first 2 games by scores of 2–1 and 6–2 at the Garden, before finishing the series on the road because of the circus. After dropping the first 2 games against the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Rangers won a critical Game 5 by 2–1 on Muzz Patrick's overtime goal. In Game 6, it would take overtime again as the Rangers won the Stanley Cup for the 3rd time 3–2 on Bryan Hextall's goal 2:33 into OT.

Pre-season
The Rangers held their training camp in Winnipeg, Manitoba and played a six game series against the New York Americans in western Canada:


 * Friday, October 20 Rangers 2 Americans 2 @ Winnipeg
 * Saturday, October 21 Rangers 3 Americans 2 @ Port Arthur
 * Monday, October 23 Rangers 4 Americans 2 @ Winnipeg
 * Tuesday, October 24 Rangers 5 Americans 2 @ Regina
 * Saturday, October 28 Americans 2 Rangers 0 @ Regina
 * Monday, October 30 Americans 3 Rangers 1 @ Winnipeg

The Rangers won the series 3 wins to 2, 1 tie.

Regular Season
The New York Rangers-Montreal Canadiens 6-2 game on February 25, 1940 was the first ice hockey game ever to be shown on TV in the USA.

Following the season the Rangers would celebrate buying out their lease at Madison Square Garden by burning the lease in the historic Stanley Cup, a move that would take on greater mystery in coming years.

New York Rangers 4, Boston Bruins 2
The league's two best teams met in the second round of the playoffs, both teams having received byes in the first round. The Bruins lost 4 players to injury during the series. The Rangers held league leading scorer Milt Schmidt off the score sheet for the series and won 4-2, with goalie Dave Kerr posting three shutouts. The Rangers would go on to the beat the Leafs in the Finals.

Game 1 at Madison Square Garden was dominated by the Rangers. After Phil Watson put the Rangers up 1-0 in the second period, the "Bread Line" of Alex Shibicky, Neil Colville and Mac Colville took over. Combining for 7 points on a goal by Shibicky and two by Mac, the Rangers blanked the Bruins 4-0 with Dave Kerr earning the shutout.

Game 2 in Boston was special teams battle. A huge brawl in the first period saw seven players in the penalty box after which Mac Colville scored a Shorthanded goal. The Bruins special teams took over in the second period. Power play goals by Flash Hollett and Woody Dumart and a shorthanded goal by Herb Cain spotted them a 3-1 lead. The Rangers Dutch Hiller made it close at 9:56 of the third but Art Jackson sealed the Bruins 4-2 victory with a late goal. The Bruins Mel Hill broke his ankle and was lost for the remainder of the series.

Game 3 in Boston was a close affair with the team trading goals throughout the game. A pair by Eddie Wiseman, who opened the scoring at 7:21 of the first and netted the winner at 7:49 of the third period was the difference as the Bruins took game 3 by a 4-3 score and led in the series 2-1.

Game 4 in New York was a goaltending duel between Frank Brimsek and Kerr with the Rangers prevailing 1-0 on a 40 foot shot by Muzz Patrick at 10:40 of the third period to tie the series 2-2. The Bruins lost defenseman Des Smith to injury for the remainder of the series.

Game 5 in Boston was a repeat of Game 4 but with Babe Pratt scoring the game's only goal at 4:27 of the third period on a two on one with Alex Shibicky. The Bruins Art Jackson broke his ankle in the first period. With 20 seconds left, the Bruins pulled Brimsek for an extra attacker but to no avail. Dit Clapper hurt his ankle at the end of the game and wouldn't play in Game 6.

Game 6 in New York saw the Bruins go ahead 1-0 on a late first period goal by Roy Conacher assisted by Art Jackson's replacement Terry Reardon. But the shorthanded Bruins, playing without Jackson, Des Smith, Mel Hill and Clapper couldn't hold off the Rangers and Alf Pike tied it up in the second period. In the third, Alex Shibicky scored to make it 2-1 and in the process Robert "Red" Hamill took a major penalty for high-sticking and broke Shibicky's nose. The Rangers capitalized on the power play with goals by Clint Smith and Phil Watson to win the series with a 4-1 victory in front of their home town faithful.

New York Rangers 4, Toronto Maple Leafs 2
The final series between the Rangers and the Maple Leafs was an exciting one that went back and forth with three overtime games. The Rangers took the first two at home and the Leafs took the next two in Toronto. The circus forced the Rangers to vacate Madison Square Garden after the first two games. The Rangers would score three game-winning goals in overtime including the Cup winner. Lynn and Murray Patrick played for the Rangers to be the third and fourth members of the Patrick family to win the Stanley Cup.

Bryan Hextall scored in overtime in the final game to give the Rangers their last Stanley Cup until 1994.

New York wins best-of-seven series 4–2.

Regular Season

 * Scoring
 * Goaltending

Playoffs

 * Scoring
 * Goaltending

Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes; PPG = Power-play goals; SHG = Short-handed goals; GWG = Game-winning goals

MIN = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals-against; GAA = Goals-against average; SO = Shutouts

1940 New York Rangers Stanley Cup Champions
Dave Kerr, Art Coulter, Ott Heller, Alex Shibicky, Mac Colville, Neil Colville, Phil Watson, Lynn Patrick, Clint Smith, Muzz Patrick, Babe Pratt, Bryan Hextall, Kilby MacDonald, Dutch Hiller, Alf Pike, Stanford Smith, Lester Patrick (manager), Frank Boucher (coach), Harry Westerby (trainer)

Awards and Records

 * Calder Memorial Trophy: Kilby MacDonald
 * Vezina Trophy: Dave Kerr
 * Dave Kerr, Goalie, NHL First Team All-Star
 * Bryan Hextall Sr., Right Wing, NHL First Team All-Star
 * Art Coulter, Defense, NHL Second Team All-Star
 * Neil Colville, Center, NHL Second Team All-Star
 * Frank Boucher, Coach, NHL Second Team All-Star

Video
A minute of highlights of the March 19, 1940 Semi-finals Game 1 which the Rangers won 4-0 on their way to winning the Stanley Cup. Second period goals by Phil Watson and Alex Shibicky are shown.