Division 2nd American Goals for 94 General Manager Lester Patrick | 1927–28 record 19–16–9 Goals against 79 Coach Lester Patrick | |
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The 1927–28 New York Rangers season was the second season for the team in the National Hockey League. In the regular season, the Rangers finished in second place in the American Division with a 19–16–9 record and qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs. In a pair of two-game total goals series, New York defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates and Boston Bruins to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals, where they faced the Montreal Maroons. The Rangers defeated the Maroons 3–2 to win their first Stanley Cup.
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Note: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals For, GA = Goals Against
Teams that qualified for the playoffs are highlighted in bold.
Playoffs
The circus knocked the Rangers out of Madison Square Garden, and all games for the Stanley Cup Finals were played in the Montreal Forum. The Maroons won game one 2–0, as Red Dutton and Bill "Bat" Phillips scored goals, and goaltender Clint Benedict made 19 saves.
A well-known incident occurred in game two when Nels Stewart fired a hard shot that struck New York goaltender Lorne Chabot in the eye. He could not continue, and the Rangers needed a goaltender. However, when the Maroons refused to let the Rangers use Alex Connell or minor league goaltender Hugh McCormick, Rangers coach Lester Patrick decided to don the pads himself. The Rangers then increased their defensive pressure when any Maroon attempted a shot on Patrick. Bill Cook scored, putting the Rangers ahead 1–0, but Nels Stewart was not to be denied and scored, tying the game. In overtime, Frank Boucher got the winner for the Rangers 7:05 into overtime. The 44-year-old Patrick made 17 saves in his goaltending stint.
Joe "Red Light" Miller, New York Americans goalie, was allowed to take Chabot's place in goal, and he played well in a 2–0 loss in game three. However, Frank Boucher starred as the Rangers took the next two games, and the Stanley Cup; he scored twice in the Rangers' 2–1 game five victory. The Rangers almost lost another goalie to injury in the final game when Miller was badly cut while Murray Murdoch attempted to clear a loose puck away from goal, but he was able to continue. The crowd became unruly in the third period, throwing objects onto the ice after referee Mike Rodden disallowed an apparent game-tying goal by the Maroons. Even NHL president Frank Calder was a target of some fans immediately following the game. The Rangers became the second Stanley Cup champion from the United States, and the NHL's first American Cup-winning team.
Key: Win Loss
Player statistics
†Denotes player spent time with another team before joining Rangers. Stats reflect time with Rangers only.
‡Traded mid-season. Stats reflect time with Rangers only.
Note:
Pos = Position; GPI = Games played in; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes; +/- = Plus/minus; PPG = Power-play goals; SHG = Short-handed goals; GWG = Game-winning goalsMin, TOI = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T,T/OT = Ties; OTL = Overtime losses; GA = Goals-against; GAA = Goals-against average; SO = Shutouts; SA = Shots against; SV = Shots saved; SV% = Save percentage;