There was every reason to believe that the 1958-59 NHL season – at least the regular season –would be a good one for the New York Rangers. They had earned themselves a playoff spot three straight seasons, and – in fact – in 1957-58, they had finished in second place, with 77 points. The decade had begun with five straight seasons out of the playoffs.
In 1957-58 – the Rangers' high water mark of the 1950s – there was some individual excellence. The ever improving Andy Bathgate – playing 65 of New York's 70 regular season games – finished fifth in the league in goals (30), second in assists (48) and third in points (78). Teammate Camille Henry was tied for third in the league in goals with 32. With 56 points, Henry was second on the Rangers. He led the league with 19 power-play goals. Defenseman Bill Gadsby led NHL defensemen with 14 goals and 46 points. Goalie Gump Worsley was second in the league with a goals-against-average of 2.32.
Individual excellence continued in 1958-59. Bathgate had 40 goals – becoming the first Ranger to hit the 40-goal mark – to go with 48 assists. He finished third in the NHL in goals, second in assists and third in points. He was awarded the Hart Trophy. Andy's usual linemates were Dean Prentice (17 goals, 33 assists) and Larry Popein (13 goals, 21 assists), who finished sixth and seventh respectively on the Rangers in points.
New York's so-called second line was quite productive. Red Sullivan had the best season of his career with 21 goals and 42 assists. His 63 points were second best on the team. Linemate Andy Hebenton also enjoyed his career best season, with 33 goals and 29 assists. He led the league with 15 power-play goals. Camille Henry – the third member of the trio – hit the 20-goal mark for the third time in his career (23), and added 35 assists. Henry led the NHL with 21 assists on the power-play.
The power-play was the one area where the Rangers certainly did excel. They finished with 50 power-play goals in 1958-59. Only the Montreal Canadiens – who were far and away the best team in the league at that point – had more, with 52. Often, New York's second line would be out on the power-play, with Bathgate and Gadsby on the points. Both of those gentlemen had 20 assists on the power-play that season.
Worsley played 67 games, and had an average of 2.97.
Must have been a Joyeux Noel in New York for the team and its followers. The Rangers won five of six games to finish the first half – the only loss coming on Christmas Day, when they lost 4-1 to the Canadiens in Montreal. The one goal was Bathgate's 20th of the season.
February 1, 1959, patrons in attendance at Madison Square Gardens were witness to what would be the shot heard around the hockey world. In the first period of the game between the Detroit and New York, a skirmish behind the Rangers' net between Red Kelly and Eddie Shack attracted the attention of Gordie Howe. His intervention on Kelly's behalf resulted in Lou Fontinato – home-town favorite and resident policeman – racing behind the net to engage Howe. Gordie – aware of Leaping Lou's approach – ducked the haymaker intended for him, and gave Fontinato a punch in the proboscis Sonny Liston might have been proud of. Howe has said that Lou got some shots in too. Both men served 5-minute penalties, and both men finished the game. In fact – his latest broken nose notwithstanding – Fontinato was as feisty as ever, picking up a penalty in the second period, and another in the third period. Following the game, Lou went to a local hospital to have his nose repaired. A photo was taken of him – sitting in the hospital bed with his face all bandaged – and was seen the next day in newspapers across the U.S and Canada.
Heading in to the month of March, 1959, it certainly seemed that the Rangers would be participating in the postseason for the fourth straight season. After 60 games, they had 23 wins, 26 losses, 11 ties, for 57 points. They were ahead of the Detroit Red Wings, who had 23 wins, 31 losses, 6 ties, for 51 points; and the Toronto Maple Leafs, who also had 51 points, with 20 wins, 29 losses, and 11 ties. During the month of March, New York faced Toronto three times, and could have buried whatever playoff hopes the Leafs had. The Rangers picked up just one of a possible six points. On the second-last weekend of the season, New York lost both games in a home-and-home series against Toronto. During the week before those two games against Toronto, management at Madison Square Gardens printed and mailed out playoff tickets to season-ticket holders.
Still – with just three games left in the season for both teams – the Rangers were three points ahead. Game 68, New York lost to the Boston Bruins, while the Leafs defeated the Canadiens. Game 69, the Rangers defeated Detroit, while Toronto beat the Hawks. Game 70, New York lost to Montreal, while the Leafs won their game against the Wings. Toronto finished the season with 65 points, good enough for fourth place in the standings. New York finished in fifth place with 64 points.
Both the Wings and Hawks picked up just six points in their last ten games of the season. That condemned Detroit to a last place finish in the standings, and cost Chicago second place. The Hawks earned themselves a first-round series against first-place Montreal, and ensured themselves a quick exit from the playoffs. That said, Chicago was nonetheless happy to have returned to the playoffs for the first time in a long time. Boston picked up 15 points in their last 10 games, enabling them to climb over the Hawks, in to second place. They faced the Leafs in the first-round, and – in a series lasting seven games – were eliminated. In the Stanley Cup Final, the Canadiens made short work of Toronto, and hoisted the Cup for the fourth straight season.
