1. 1928. THE CRAZY YEAR. Bizarre is the word to describe crease custodians during the first Cup run. It started with Lorne Chabot who got sidelined with a severe eye injury. Manager Lester Patrick put on the pads and actually won a game. But the real – and too-often-unsung – hero was a mostly minor leaguer, Joe Miller. He rescued the Blueshirts by beating the heavily-favored Montreal Maroons for New York's first Stanley. 2. 1933. HANDY ANDY IS A DANDY: Prior to the 1932-33 NHL season, Rangers boss Lester Patrick was in a goaltending quandary as to his starting puck-stopper. Finally, he decided to gamble on a minor leaguer who was toiling for the Bronx Tigers, a subway ride from old Madison Square Garden. Born in Scotland but reared in Canada, Andy Aitkenhead proved to be not just good; but excellent during the regular season and playoffs. In the Cup final, he helped New York to a three games to one victory over Toronto, clinching the title with a 1-0 shutout. Stan Fischler US Hall Of Fame MSG 3. 1940. THE BITTER-SWEET SAGA OF DAVE KERR: Starting in 1930 the Toronto native played superior goal in the NHL for nine years without winning a Stanley Cup. But by 1939, Boss Lester Patrick crafted a strong squad top to bottom. At the very top was Kerr's excellent goalkeeping. He played every minute of every game in each of his last five seasons. Plus he won the 1940 Cup beating Toronto ace Turk Broda. After the triumph he justifiably demanded a $10,000 contract, but tight-fisted Patrick said no. At age 31, Kerr, who had plenty of good hockey left, quit the team because of his stubborn manager who refused to pay him a fair wage. Davey never played again. 4. 1994. PHILLY-BORN PHENOM LEADS NEW YORK: Idolizing the Flyers Cup-winning goalie Bernie Parent in his native Philadelphia, Mike Richter ended the Rangers 54-year Cup famine by defeating New Jersey and Vancouver in a pair of breathtaking series in the spring of 1994. A tumultuous parade down Broadway's Canyon of Champions followed. Hockey News writer Matt Larkin said that Richter "developed an intense, acrobatic style that made him one of the most entertaining goalies of his generation." Small compared today's goalie behemoths, Mike – as teammate Brian Leetch put it – "maximized his potential, physically and mentally."
