A Longtime Rangers Rival Writes A Fantastic Book

It’s rare – to say the least – that a book written by a former New York Islander is commended to Rangers fans.

But Ken Morrow’s heroism as a stickhandler far transcends his Islanders years. In case you’ve forgotten, the Flint, Michigan native was a 1980 Miracle On Ice star and has the Gold Medal to prove it.

The book – now on sale is a gem – and is available. It’s called “Miracle Gold, Four Stanley Cups, And A Lifetime of Islanders Hockey.” (Triumph Books).

It was co-authored by The Associated Press’ top hockey writer Allan Kreda.Take my word for it, Ken and Allan did it right, a one-two combo.

Among the many compelling reads in Ken’s autobio is his recollection of the deciding 1984 Game Five playoff between the Rangers and Islanders.

Many critics who were there – and The Maven was one of them – called it “The greatest game ever played.”

It went into overtime before Morrow beat goalie Glen Hanon for the series-winner. Here’s how Ken described the decisive – and memorable – play in his book:

“I had jumped on the ice as the puck went into their end, and I skated over toward my position on the right side just as the puck bounced off the boards. The timing just happened to be right so that I was able to skate to the puck and shoot at the net in one motion.

“I never had the hardest shot. In fact Billy Smith used to joke that he could read the ‘Made In Canada’ stamped on the puck as my shot came at him in practice. The big thing with me was that I always tried to get my shots through and to get them on net. They didn’t have to be hard, but if they got through then good things could happen – like tips and rebounds.

“This overtime goal was one of those moments – a low shot along the ice that found its way through a great screen by Patrick Flatley and past Glen Hanlon who couldn’t see it coming.

“It popped loose to the side,’ Hanlon told the New York Post at the time. ‘I tried to dodge traffic in front. I saw it. I saw it three times and lost it.’ I didn’t see my shot go in, but I heard the puck clang off the back of the goal and then I heard the roar of the Nassau Coliseum crowd.”

That’s just a thin slice of 268 pages of absolutely wonderful writing and marvelous stories.

And guess, what? The Acknowledgments segment at the end is as much a fun read as this terrific volume!