Brew Maestro: Frank Boucher was nearing the end of his coaching tenure with the New York Rangers in 1948 when he went to bat for America’s ancient lager. Born in Ottawa on a Monday of this date in 1901, Boucher belonged to a hockey dynasty, of course, and was a star centreman before he got around to coaching. Elected to the Hall of Fame in 1958, he was a two-time Stanley Cup winner with the New York Rangers. In recognition of his skilled and gentlemanly conduct, he also earned the Lady Byng Trophy so many times — seven in eight years in the 1920s and early ’30s — that he was awarded the original trophy outright (Lady Byng donated another). Boucher’s best year on the bench was his first, 1939-40, when he steered the Blueshirts to a Stanley Cup championship. After that, the war years were mostly a struggle for the Rangers, and they missed out on many playoffs. They did make it back to the post-season in ’48, though they ended up losing in the semi-finals to Detroit.