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Too Close for Comfort

Shockingly, there was a moment in time when we almost lost the Montreal Canadiens when the train they were on almost plunged into an icy river.

The Canadiens had fallen to the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-1 in Toronto on December 20, 1950, and hours later were heading back to Montreal. Just 35 miles from the city, in the morning, the train began to cross the Dorion bridge high above the St. Lawrence River, but a cracked wheel bearing caused the baggage car to hop the rails. Quickly the next four cars also left the track, and members of the Canadiens moved to one side of their car to try and keep it from tipping.