Very Important Rangers Facts That Every Fan Should Know

 Frank Becerra Jr./The Journal News / USA TODAY NETWORK

* Dean Prentice, who got Andy Bathgate into the Hall of Fame by fetching the corner pucks, was an eleven-year Ranger. Dean belongs in the HOF with Andy.

* Prentice – alias Deano The Dynamo – once had an explosive off-season job in the Northern Ontario gold mines. He was a dynamite-carrier.

* Teammate Louie (The Leaper) Fontinato's off-season job offered better photo ops. Fonty carried cement bags to construction sites.

* The Rangers Victory Song – words and music by J. Fred Coots – was turned into sheet music in 1940 after the third Cup win.

* Coots was a hit songwriter on Tin Pan Alley. One of his best tunes was "Love Letters In The Sand."

* Best hockey shop in the world at both the old and newer Garden was Gerry Cosby's; first manned by Gerry and then (now in Sheffield,l Mass.) his son Michael, who occasionally agrees with my columns.

* For many Sundays for many years you could get three hockey games in one day every week at the old Garden. 1:30 p.m. Met League game; 3:30 p.m. New York Rovers; 8:30 p.m. Rangers.

* Two guys who suffered build-ups to letdowns: Brian Cullen up front and Irv (The Next Doug Harvey, NOT!) Spencer on the blue line.

* Only Ranger who never-ever had a hair out of place: Dave Balon. (He used barbershop pomade which also could double for construction cement.)

* Best Ranger goalie who never could show New York how really great he was: Al Rollins. He was upstaged by 1960 Olympic hero Jack McCartan.

* An Old Garden subway fact few knew. MSG's 50th street station had two levels; 1. Upper for the AA local; 2. Lower for E Queens Express.

* If you think this team has troubles, forget about it. During the 1943-44 season the beleaguered wartime Blueshirts went 21 games without a win (1/23/44 - 3/19/44)