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Detroit Red Wings vs. New York Rangers 1949-50

The Stanley Cup is one of the most-recognized symbols in North American sports. It is the championship trophy of the NHL, National Hockey League which is won by one of the teams that have qualified for the championship finals after playing a series of playoff matches. It is the only trophy in professional sports that has the name of the winning players, coaches, management, and club staff engraved upon it. The Cup winners keep it until the new champion is crowned.

Toronto entered the 1950 playoffs seeking an unprecedented fourth straight Stanley Cup title, but they were derailed by the regular-season champion Detroit Red Wings in a physical, seven-game series that saw Gordie Howe fracture his skull and ended when Detroit's Leo Reise scored in overtime of the final contest. In the other semifinal, New York rode the goaltending of Chuck Rayner to a five-game upset of the Montreal Canadiens. The Rangers were making their first appearance in the finals in 10 years. They took a 1-0 lead in Game 1, but Detroit rallied with four unanswered goals to win 4-1. Edgar Laprade scored twice in Game 2, as the Rangers evened the series with a 3-1 victory.

Harry Lumley shut out New York and Doc Couture contributed the game-winner in the third contest, but the Rangers weren't dead yet. Raleigh was the hero again in Game 5, winning it with another overtime tally and giving the Rangers a 3-2 lead in the Series. New York scored early in the third period of Game 6, but Ted Lindsay and Sid Abel rally the Wings to a 5-4 win and force Game 7. The finale went into the second overtime tied 3-3 before Detroit's Pete Babando, one of the few American players in the NHL at the time, beat Rayner and won the Cup for Detroit.

This match between Detroit Red Wings versus New York Rangers is known to be one of the best matches in the history of hockey, to be ever played, in which sheer determination, fighting spirit and clean game could be seen throughout the game. Young spectators had a lot to learn from this game, in which they experienced the exhibition of various game strategies and tricks.

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