Frank Becerra Jr./The Journal News / USA TODAY NETWORK [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/b467e5f8-c3da-4432-ba76-18820c30b4c8.jpeg] Frank Becerra Jr./The Journal News / USA TODAY NETWORK During Hall of Famer Lester Patrick's managerial reign, the Rangers [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers] won The Stanley Cup in 1928, 1933, and 1940. Unlike many teams, then and now, Lester ignored pep talks before big games. In his wonderful book, "Hockey's Royal Family," Eric Whitehead pointed out that a few rounds of beer was a better way to plan for next night's climactic game. It happened on the eve of New York's 1940 championship Game Six in Toronto, or, as Whitehead noted: "They gathered at the Ford Hotel beer parlor the afternoon before Game Six with the Maple Leafs. Captain Art Coulter opened with a toast." Boucher then lifted his stein and the beer flowed like – well more beer – and more after that as steins were drained and refilled and drained again. Whitehead: "This, oft-repeated, was the extent of the team meeting agenda. It was laced with convivial conversation, the odd burst of ribald laughter and even an occasional more or less scholarly reference to the upcoming game against the Leafs. "After about four hours of 'loosening,' as Captain Coulter called it, there wasn't an upright pore in the place." Had then NHL President Frank Calder been there to view the drinking spree, he might have given the entire Rangers team a game misconduct. As for Game Six, the Rangers were so "loose," that they whipped the Maple Leafs 3-2 in overtime. Phil Watson passed to linemate Bryan Hextall who fired the rubber past goalie Turk Broda and that was that. A day later the Stanley Cup – much smaller then – was delivered to New York. Or, as one wit put it: "For one night the Rangers acted like a Beer League Team, the next night they played like the Stanley Cup champions; which they were!" P.S. After that, more beer!
