Brad Penner-Imagn ImagesI'll never forgive Lynn Patrick for what I consider the biggest and worst double-cross in Rangers history.
To review; Lynn Patrick, son of Blueshirts patriarch Lester Patrick, had been a star Rangers left wing for his entire playing career. The Rangers were his bread and butter. He later would get the hockey job of his life.
Rangers manager-coach Frank Boucher saved Patrick's hockey career by first naming him coach of the club's AHL team in New Haven. In due time Boucher promoted Patrick to head coach of the Rangers.
Minus Boucher, Patrick would have been a hockey nothing. Nothing! He owed his hockey life to the Blueshirts.
In 1949-50 Patrick showed his coaching stripes when his Blueshirts made the playoffs and then disposed of the favored Montreal Canadiens in five playoff games. At the time it was a colossal upset.
Having moved into the 1950 Cup Final round, the Rangers were forced -- the circus in town at The Garden – to play five games at Detroit's Olympia Stadium and two "home" games at Maple `Leaf Gardens in Toronto.
"It was an incredible burden," recalled then Blueshirt publicist Stan Saplin, "yet Lynn was terrific and guided them as far as they could go in the Cup Final."
That would be double overtime of game seven when a lost faceoff resulted in the winning goal scored by the Red Wings Pete Babando on a screen that goalie Chuck Rayner never saw.
Like all others who had followed the Rangers through thick and thin, I couldn't wait for the next season. This surprising Blueshirt team possibly figured to do even better. The core – from goalie Rayner to defense and forwards – remained intact.
Then, IT happened – the egregious double-cross – Patrick would quit the Rangers to become coach of the hated Boston Bruins.