Incredible But True Rangers Tales: The “Too-Wide Nets Discovery”

It was bad enough that the Rangers suffered an inferior team during the early 1960’s but they also were – in a sense – cheating themselves; and their opponents; if such a feat was possible.

Don’t ask me how it happened but the nets at Old Madison Square Garden were actually too wide, according to the NHL standards. But for a long time nobody knew anything about; so nothing was done about it.

That is, until Hall of Fame goalie Jacques Plante – then with the Canadiens – made the discovery.

According to “Guardians Of The Goal” author George Grimm, Plante finally complained to NHL President Clarence Campbell.

“Campbell notified Rangers GM Muzz Patrick,” said Grimm, “and Muzz at first dismissed the claim.”

After all, everyone knows that the “official” NHL nets are four feet high and six feet wide. However, Muzz finally ordered assistant publicist Hal Bock and MSG Superintendent Dick Donopria to check them out. Sure enough, they learned that the nets, in fact, were three inches too wide.

Bock: “When we reported back to Muzz with the details, he put his finger to his mouth and said, ‘Shhhh,'”

Too embarrassed to admit the blunder, Patrick told Campbell that the nets were A-OK – but promptly told Rangers equipment supplier Gerry Cosby to hurry up and order a new pair of regulation irons

Cosby must have been more amused than others since he once had been practice goalie for the Bruins and Rangers!