1950 Stanley Cup Finals

The 1950 Stanley Cup Finals was contested by the New York Rangers and the Detroit Red Wings. It was the Rangers' first appearance in the Finals since their Stanley Cup victory in 1940. The Red Wings won the series 4–3 to mark their franchise's fourth Cup win, and first since 1943.

1950 Stanley Cup Finals
1234567Total
Detroit Red Wings4143*1*54**4
New York Rangers1304*2*43**3
* – Denotes overtime period(s)
Location(s)Detroit: Olympia Stadium (1, 4–7)
Toronto: Maple Leaf Gardens (2, 3)
CoachesDetroit: Tommy Ivan
New York: Lynn Patrick
CaptainsDetroit: Sid Abel
New York: Frank Eddolls
DatesApril 11–23, 1950
Series-winning goalPete Babando (8:31, second OT)
Hall of FamersRed Wings:
Sid Abel (1969)
Gordie Howe (1972; did not play)
Red Kelly (1969)
Ted Lindsay (1966)
Harry Lumley (1980)
Marcel Pronovost (1978)
Jack Stewart (1964)
Rangers:
Edgar Laprade (1993)
Buddy O'Connor (1998)
Chuck Rayner (1973)
Fred Shero (2013, builder)
Allan Stanley (1981)
Coaches:
Tommy Ivan (1974)
Lynn Patrick (1980, player)
← 1949Stanley Cup Finals1951 →

This was the last Stanley Cup Finals to feature a team that did not host any games and also the last to feature neutral site games until 2020. The neutral site games were held in Toronto on account of scheduling conflicts at Madison Square Garden.

Paths to the Finals edit

New York defeated the Montreal Canadiens 4–1 to reach the Finals. Detroit defeated the three-time defending champion Toronto Maple Leafs (who had swept the Red Wings in the Finals two years running) 4–3 to reach the Finals.

Game summaries edit

Two games were played in Toronto as the circus had taken over Madison Square Garden in New York. New York's Don Raleigh scored two overtime winners and Pete Babando scored the Cup-winning goal in double overtime of game seven, the first time ever in which the Stanley Cup was won in extra frames in game seven. Detroit won the Cup without Gordie Howe, injured in the first game of the playoffs.[1][2]

As Stanley Cup runner-up, the Rangers were awarded the O'Brien Cup, and they became the last team to win this trophy, which was retired after the season.[2] Originally, the O'Brien Cup was the championship trophy of the National Hockey Association, the NHL's precursor, and later awarded to the NHL champion before the league took over control of the Stanley Cup in 1927.

Series edit

April 11New York Rangers1–4Detroit Red WingsOlympia StadiumRecap 
Buddy O'Connor (2) – 05:58First periodNo scoring
No scoringSecond period04:43 – ppJoe Carveth (2)
09:32 – George Gee (2)
10:06 – Jim McFadden (1)
13:56 – ppGerry Couture (2)
No scoringThird periodNo scoring
Chuck RaynerGoalie statsHarry Lumley
April 13Detroit Red Wings1–3New York RangersMaple Leaf GardensRecap 
No scoringFirst periodNo scoring
Gerry Couture (3) – 03:05Second period10:39 – Pat Egan (3)
No scoringThird period03:04 – Edgar Laprade (1)
11:20 – Edgar Laprade (2)
Harry LumleyGoalie statsChuck Rayner
April 15Detroit Red Wings4–0New York RangersMaple Leaf GardensRecap 
Gerry Couture (4) – pp – 14:14
George Gee (3) – pp – 19:08
First periodNo scoring
Sid Abel (2) – 19:16Second periodNo scoring
Marty Pavelich (3) – 16:55Third periodNo scoring
Harry LumleyGoalie statsChuck Rayner
April 18New York Rangers4–3OTDetroit Red WingsOlympia StadiumRecap 
No scoringFirst period06:31 – Ted Lindsay (1)
16:48 – Sid Abel (3)
Buddy O'Connor (3) – 19:59Second periodNo scoring
Edgar Laprade (3) – 08:09
Gus Kyle (1) – 16:26
Third period03:32 – Marty Pavelich (4)
Don Raleigh (3) – 08:34First overtime periodNo scoring
Chuck RaynerGoalie statsHarry Lumley
April 20New York Rangers2–1OTDetroit Red WingsOlympia StadiumRecap 
No scoringFirst periodNo scoring
Dunc Fisher (2) – 07:44Second periodNo scoring
No scoringThird period18:10 – Ted Lindsay (2)
Don Raleigh (4) – 01:38First overtime periodNo scoring
Chuck RaynerGoalie statsHarry Lumley
April 22New York Rangers4–5Detroit Red WingsOlympia StadiumRecap 
Allan Stanley (1) – 03:45
Dunc Fisher (3) – 07:35
First period19:18 – Ted Lindsay (3)
Pentti Lund (6) – pp – 03:18Second period05:38 – Sid Abel (4)
16:07 – Gerry Couture (5)
Tony Leswick (1) – 01:54Third period04:13 – Ted Lindsay (4)
10:34 – Sid Abel (5)
Chuck RaynerGoalie statsHarry Lumley
April 23New York Rangers3–42OTDetroit Red WingsOlympia StadiumRecap 
Allan Stanley (2) – pp – 11:14
Tony Leswick (2) – pp – 12:18
First periodNo scoring
Buddy O'Connor (4) – 11:42Second period05:09 – ppPete Babando (1)
05:30 – ppSid Abel (6)
15:57 – Jim McFadden (2)
No scoringThird periodNo scoring
No scoringSecond overtime period08:31 – Pete Babando (2)
Chuck RaynerGoalie statsHarry Lumley
Detroit won series 4–3


Stanley Cup engraving edit

The 1950 Stanley Cup was presented to Red Wings captain Sid Abel by NHL President Clarence Campbell following the Red Wings 4–3 double overtime win over the Rangers in game seven.

The following Red Wings players and staff had their names engraved on the Stanley Cup

1949–50 Detroit Red Wings

Players

  Goaltenders

† Left off the cup, but qualified to be on it.
a Played his only NHL game in Finals.
b Played his only NHL game in Semi-Finals.

Coaching and administrative staff

Stanley Cup engraving

  • #1 Terry Sawchuk played seven NHL games in 1950, because Harry Lumley was injured. Sawchuk was not available for the playoffs, because he was helping the AHL Indianapolis Capitals win the Calder Cup. Instead, Harry MacQuestion was called up as the spare goalie for the playoffs. MacQuestion's name was engraved on the Stanley Cup, but he never played in the NHL. MacQuestion was removed from the Stanley Cup when it was re-done during 1957–58 season.
  • Detroit did not engrave Gordon Haidy and Doug McKay on the Stanley Cup, even though they each played one playoff game and qualified to be on the cup. Both players also won the Calder Cup with Al Dewsbury, Terry Sawchuk that season.

See also edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ Fink, Mike (December 29, 2023). "NHL's History of Game 7 Overtime Series-Clinching Goals". The Hockey Writers. Retrieved January 31, 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Legends of Hockey - Historic Trophies - O'Brien Trophy". www.hhof.com. Retrieved January 31, 2024.

References edit

Preceded by Detroit Red Wings
Stanley Cup Champions

1950
Succeeded by