Article by John Manenti
There is nothing worse, in Sport as in life, than “have enemies at home” and, for the franchise of New York Rangers Ice Hockey, this consists of the admission, starting from the 1972-’73 season, of the city rivals of the New York Islanders – whose history we have already dealt with – after their foundation in 1926, the Rangers already had on their bulletin board three editions (1928, 1933 and 1940) of the Stanley Cup, in addition to having reached the Final on 5 other occasions, the last of which between the beginning of April and the beginning of May 1972, defeated 4-2 by the Boston Bruins …
From then on, The New York Rangers only reached the Stanley Cup series in 1979 overcoming in the semifinals 4-2 just the “hate yourself” Islanders, also giving, ironically, start to their winning streak that leads them to win four consecutive titles (1980-’83), as well as a fifth Final in 1984 where they surrender 1-4 to the overwhelming power of Wayne Gretzky and his Edmonton Oilers.
And more, for four consecutive seasons (1981-’84) the path of the New York Rangers in the Playoffs stops right in front of fellow citizens and little consolation comes from the fact that, in the following decade, both franchises fail to qualify for the final act, with the 1993 season however ending with diametrically opposite results, in the sense that while the Islanders are defeated in the Playoff semifinals by the “legendary” Montreal Canadiens, the Rangers even fail to access the playoffs, thanks to a “regular season” finished with a record of 34-39-11 which, in the language of the NHL Usa, means 34 wins, 39 defeats and 11 defeats.
Around Long Island they don’t imagine that the one against the Canadiens on May 22, 1993 in the series they lost 1-4 should remain their last win in a playoff match for almost 9 years, returning to success only on April 23, 2002 in a 6-1 against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round which however sees them come out defeated 3-4 in the series, while we believe that not even the most ardent Rangers fan could hypothesize such an extraordinary rebirth after a 1993 Tournament finished in last place of the Oatrick Division …
But Sport, as we know, is used enough to give certain surprises and that of 1993-’94 season for the New York Rangers represents a story so compelling that it deserves to be toldand, as often happens in these cases, after a disappointing vintage it is almost obligatory to change technical management, entrusted to the 44-year-old Mike Keenan, moreover with three defeats in the Stanley Cup Final behind himtwo with Philadelphia (1985 and 1987) and the third with Chicago in 1992, clearly beaten (0-4) by Pittsburgh.
Obviously, no coach has the magic wand and, in fact, at the “breakthrough” contributes in a much more decisive way “buying in bulk” well 7 players from the Edmonton Oilers, three of whom (Mark Messier, Kevin Lowe and Glenn Anderson) future Hall of Famers, a circumstance that allows the new coach to Have a roster of 11 players with prior Stanley Cup Finals experiencea significant advantage in view of the future season which, in fact, the New York Rangers finish with the best record in the NHL at 112 points result of 52 victories, 24 defeats and 8 draws, for an absolute record surpassed only in 2015 with 113 points, while Adam Graves, also purchased by the Oilers, establishes another record with 52 goalsimproving on the limit of 50 set by Vic Hadfield in 1972…
Acquired, therefore, the advantage of the home factor in each round of the Playoffs, athe Rangers offer themselves the wonderful opportunity of a clear revenge on the Islanders, literally “swept away” with a 4-0 whose individual results (6-0, 6-0, 5-1 and 5-2) are such as not to allow for any reply, with Messier and the Soviet Alex Kovalev scoring three times against Graves’ three, for then be faced in the semifinale della Eastern Conference i Washington Capitals who, surprisingly, eliminated the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-2.
But against the Rangers in spring 1994 it was tough for anyone, so that, after the two successes at the “Madison Square Garden” for 6-3 and 5-2, New York secures the qualification with the 3-0 of match-3 in the Capital to then conclude the series on 4-1 and in which Graves takes back the scepter of best scorer with 4 goalsalthough the most decisive is Brian Leetch, who in addition to scoring 3 times, also gives 6 assists to his teammates, who are now preparing to play the Conference Final facing in another “derby”, albeit less heard, the New Jersey Devilsalso authors of an excellent “regular season”, finished in second place in the Atlantic Division with 106 points …
And that the Devils are an obstacle that should not be underestimated is demonstrated by the trend of the series, given that they turn the home advantage advantage in their favor thanks to the 4-3 success of race-1 at the “Madison Square Garden”, resolved by a goal by Stephane Richer in extra timea handicap start that the Rangers, after the clear victory for 4-0 in race-2, canceled going to conquer the “Brendan Byrne Arena” on May 19, 1994 with a 3-2 also decided in extra time thanks to Stephane Matteaueven though the Devils impact the series on 2-2 with the 3-1 of game-4.
Two victories away from returning after 15 years to play in a Stanley Cup Final, the Rangers see their dream falter at the end of the challenge staged on May 23 in front of its own public, suffering a clear 4-1 defeat that gives New Jersey the match point two days later in front of their fans and it is here that, now one step away from elimination after the 2-0 run in favor of the hosts, the Rangers show all their pride and, after closing the gap in the second period, it is Captain Messier who “plays the charge” by scoring a hat-trick for the final 4-2 which postpones any decision to game-7 scheduled for May 27th …
A challenge that sees the respective goalkeepers stand out as protagonists – Martin Brodeur for the Devils and Mike Richter for the Rangers – so much so that the first temple ends with white goals and, after Leetch gives the hosts the lead after 9’31” of the second half, the fans’ enthusiasm freezes when Valeri Zelepukin scores the equal point just 8″ from the end of the third and final periodmaking overtime necessary for the third time in the series, with Matthew to propose again who “man of providence” and the hard-earned Final is thus conquered, against the Vancouver Canucks who, after an up-and-down season (41 wins and 40 losses …) qualified by beating their compatriots from Toronto 4-1.
Final series that follows the progress of the semi-final for the Rangers, as race-1 at the “Madison Square Garden” of May 31, 1994 sees them joined on 2-2 by a goal by Martin Gelinas 1′ from the end of the match, and then it’s up to Greg Adams to score after 19’26” of extra time the goal that allows Vancouver to start off on the right foot, even if, after the 3-1 in their favor in game 2, New York reverses the inertia of the match in their favor in terms that seem definitive, thanks to the two affirmations (5-1 and 4-2) in Canada, in the second case recovering from 0-2 and with Leetch still protagonist with 3 overall goals …
With the possibility of closing the speech in front of their fans, the Rangers have not reckoned with the desire for redemption of the Canucks who surprise them at home with an affirmation for 6-3 gained in a crackling third period to say the least where the Canadians, who took the lead 3-0, are reached on 3-3 in the space of 5′, only to then spread thanks in particular to the Soviet Pavel Bure who with his brace takes him to 16 goals during the Playoffs, so as not to miss the opportunity to subsequently impacting the series on 3-3 thanks to the net 4-1 in game 6 at the “Pacific Coliseum” and therefore put all the pressure in the world on New Yorkers who are about to debunk a “curse” which has lasted for over 50 years June 14, 1994, a date that can become “historic” for the franchise.
These are the days in which the World Soccer Championships are about to begin in the United States – the first time that the country has been called to organize such an event – but that evening at the “Madison Square Garden” of Soccer (as it is called in these latitudes …) is of very little interest, while Keenan hopes to dispel the unpleasant reputation of “successful loser”, however being the first coach to face a Stanley Cup game-7 with two different clubshaving happened to him in 1987 at the helm of the Philadelphia Flyers, defeated 3-4 by the Edmonton Oilers, but now he no longer has to contend with a champion such as Gretzky and, moreover, Messier, Lowe and Anderson are on his side this time …
This does not mean that it is still a Final, albeit the same one things are going well for New York, which closes the first period with a double advantage that bears the signatures of Leetch and Gravesgap also maintained at the end of the second fraction, given that Linden’s point for Vancouver replies Messier with his 12th center in the Playoffs that smells of triumph, but it’s not over yet…
At the beginning of the third and last period, in fact, it is still Linden who signs the 2-3 goal and, with still more than a quarter of an hour to play, the match takes on a frenetic pace, with guests twice very close to a draw, first with Gelinas hitting the post and then with Nathan LaFayette who came close to scoring just 5′ from the conclusion, but in the end the result never changed and, after 54 years old, on the side of New York that supports Rangers we can finally go back to celebratingwith Brian Leetch elected MVP of the final series.
And for Rangers supporters, there is only the fear of having to wait for a further similar period of time since today, almost 30 years after this triumph, the Roll of Honor has no longer seen them in the winners box …