1950 Stanley Cup Finals

1950 ice hockey championship series

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. This was a rematch of the 1937 Stanley Cup Finals, which the Red Wings won in five games. The Red Wings once again defeated the Rangers, this time in seven games, to mark their franchise's fourth Cup win, and first since 1943.

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

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

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 7, the first time ever in which the Stanley Cup was won in extra frames in Game 7. 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

Stanley Cup engraving

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

  Centres

• 8 George Gee
• 11 Max McNab
• 12 Sid Abel (Captain)
• 16 Jim McFadden
• 20 Larry Wilson

  Wingers

• 7 Ted Lindsay (A)
• 9 Gordie Howe
• 10 Jimmy Peters, Sr.
• 14 Pete Babando
• 15 Marty Pavelich
• 17 Joe Carveth
• 18 Gerry Couture
• 19 Steve Black
• 23 John Wilson
• 27 Doug McKay†^a
• 20 Gordon Haidy†^b

  Defencemen

• 2 Jack Stewart(A)
• 3 Clare Martin
• 4 Leonard Red Kelly
• 5 Leo Reise, Jr. (A)
• 21 Lido Lee Fogolin, Sr.
• 22 Marcel Pronovost
• 22-3 Al Dewsbury

  Goaltenders

• 1 Harry Lumley
• Harry MacQueston (Spare-did not play)

† 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

• James E. Norris Sr. (President/Owner), James D. Norris Jr. (Vice President/Owner)
• Arthur Wirtz Sr. (Secretary-Treasurer/Owner). Jack Adams (Manager)
• Tommy Ivan (Coach), Fred Hubert Jr (Publicity Director)
• Carson Cooper (Chief Scout), Carl Mattson (Trainer)
• Walter Humeniuk (Asst. Trainer)
• Wally Crossman (Stick Boy/Asst. Trainer) (on 1 of 3 team pictures)

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

• 1949–50 NHL season

Notes

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

References

• Diamond, Dan, ed. (2000). Total Stanley Cup. NHL.
• Podnieks, Andrew; Hockey Hall of Fame (2004). Lord Stanley's Cup. Triumph Books. ISBN 978-1-55168-261-7.
• "All-Time NHL Results".