New York Rangers’ Best Games to Watch in our Recent History
In this round of Blue Line Station’s New York Rangers Round-Table, we discuss the best games we’ve witnessed at Madison Square Garden.
We’ve all been to wonderful New York Rangers games, and the experiences last a lifetime. Whether it’s a playoff game, an overtime winner, or a regular ol’ 3-2 win, the Garden environment leaves us wanting more.
In the end we are all fans, and we love to connect with our readers on a fan to fan level. With that in mind, the team got together to share some of our favorite games we’ve seen in person. Please note, the games also include some road games. All the more exciting!
Brandon Cohen- 1/5/11- Zuccarello’s First NHL Goal-
Before I get into my favorite game, let me give a pitch for why someone should buy me season tickets.
In the first game I attended at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers won 8-2. Overall, the Rangers are 13-4-2 in games I’ve attended at Madison Square Garden. I would like seats in the 200s, please.
As for my favorite game, it has to be the second game I attended at the Garden. I went in expecting the Rangers to score eight goals again (I’m greedy and demanding!) but came out with a new found admiration for a diminutive forward who no one was familiar with.
Mats Zuccarello.
Zuccarello scored an overtime winner against the Carolina Hurricanes after Brandon Dubinsky brought the puck from his own end all the way into the Hurricanes’ end. The crowd went wild when Zuccarello scored, and it was my first overtime experience at the Garden. What an electric atmosphere.
Daniel Carrozzi- 2015 OT Win vs. Columbus Blue Jackets-
The best New York Rangers game I attended was on April 6th, 2015 against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
The Rangers were safely headed to the playoffs, and the Blue Jackets were safely not. Nevertheless, this game still had plenty of intensity. The Blue Jackets were on a nine-game winning streak and the Rangers were pursing the President’s Trophy (which they would ultimately win).
New York trailed 3-2 late in the third period and appeared headed for a loss. Alain Vigneault pulled Henrik Lundqvist and it was one of the rare times the move paid off.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tvPiW2Wo5I
Derek Stepan scored into a vacated net with 28 seconds remaining to send the game into overtime.Through an exciting overtime period, the game appeared to be headed to a shootout.
Stepan had something to say about that as well, scoring with 50 seconds to go.
I hugged a man I did not know twice after the Rangers scored their last two goals.
That was also the night where the Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award was presented to Cam Talbot.Those are always special games and Talbot was a well-deserved winner for his efforts in holding down the fort while Lundqvist was injured.
Tim Haggerty- The Ryan Hollweg Game
I have been to many New York Rangers games at Madison Square Garden throughout my lifetime. However the most memorable game didn’t come in Upper Manhattan.
It was March 8th, 2007 at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, or as some would call it, the Chris Simon game. Simon’s name rings a bell with all New York Rangers fans.
Late in the third period of the game, the Rangers’ Ryan Hollweg hit the Islanders’ Chris Simon from behind, sending him to the boards where he would sustain a concussion. As Simon slowly got up, he looked to Hollweg and promptly hit him in the face with his stick, baseball bat style.
Hollweg had a bloody chin and chaos ensued. Simon was ejected from the game and received a 25 game suspension for the incident; the third largest NHL suspension in league history.
However the chaos wouldn’t end there. The Rangers led the game 2-1 late in the third period when the Islanders scored a goal to tie it. However after review, it was found to be a kicked in and the goal was disallowed.
The Rangers went on to win the game 2-1, and it stands out as my most memorable New York Rangers game.
Drew McCaffrey- Marian Gaborik Hat Trick vs. Avalanche-
While living in Colorado means that I haven’t had the opportunity to make many games at Madison Square Garden, there have been a few classics between the Rangers and Avs over the years. By far the most memorable was on January 31st, 2010.
In Marian Gaborik’s first season with the Rangers, he was on an absolute tear (he would finish with 42 goals and 86 points). When the Rangers came to Denver, I managed to snag student tickets through my university…and boy, was the $10 price tag worth it.
Gaborik would go on to register his first hat trick as a Ranger, including one absolute snipe low-blocker and a typical breakaway goal that featured his tremendous speed.
While Chris Kreider’s hat trick in Denver on New Year’s Eve was exciting, it doesn’t quite stack up to Gaborik’s dominating performance 7 years ago.
George Ruggiero- Vesey Shootout Winner vs. Nashville-
The best Rangers game I have been to was actually just earlier this season. December 17th, 2016, Jimmy Vesey made his first appearance in Nashville, playing against the team that drafted him.
As could be expected, every time Vesey touched the puck boos rained from the Smashville faithful onto the youngster. Little did we know, this game would end in the sweetest way possible.
The first period ended 1-0 for the Rangers following a Nashty snipe, but midway through the second, Preds captain Mike Fisher had a response. The game stayed at 1-1 through the third and through the 3 on 3 overtime period.
The shootout began with Ryan Johansen getting stoned by Henrik Lundqvist, and the Rangers first shooter skates from the bench. Who else, but Jimmy Vesey? Vesey wastes no time and scores what would eventually be the game winner to down the team that drafted him only a few years ago.
Alexandra Russo- 2015 Home Opener
One of the best Rangers’ games I’ve ever attended was a 5-2 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets. It was the home opener of the 2015-2016 season.
Despite that season not living up to expectations, that game remains one of my favorites because I remember the energy in the building.
After all, the Rangers had their 2015 Presidents Trophy Champions banner in the rafters for all to admire. Lundqvist had stated after the game that a large reason why the Rangers won was because of the passion from the home crowd. I was certainly glad to be one of the 18,000+.
The first period started out fast, as only a few minutes in the Rangers had already taken the 1-0 lead.
Since they had beaten the same team the night before, it was impressive to see the lively effort.
The Rangers had skated off with a 3-0 lead at the end of one, and Lundqvist made a spectacular save that was featured all season long in commercials. At the end of the night, Lundqvist threw his stick into the crowd, and the energy was something I will never forget.
Justin Starr- Comeback at the Coliseum
I have been to plenty of memorable Ranger games in the past few years. If I had to pick one to be the best, I would have to say it would be the Rangers vs Islanders on February 16, 2015. I was on break at school at Farmingdale State College and I spontaneously purchased two tickets to the game at the Nassau Coliseum for myself and my friend Jason.
I remember the Islanders got on the board before we even could sit down in our seats (Thanks NVMC Parking). The “Yes” chants were in full force and the Coliseum was rocking. It was 2-1 Islanders after the 1st period and they made it 3-1 within the first three minutes of the 2nd period. Talbot needed to settle down and get back into his groove.
The back and forth scoring throughout the game and both fan bases cheering at full force made for an unreal experience at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
The best part was the Rangers scoring 3 unanswered goals in the last 13 minutes of the game to win the game 6-5 in regulation. If you can, go back and enjoy that game on DVR.
Ben Whitney- 2015 Rangers Game 2 Win Over Washington
I haven’t been to many memorable Ranger games. Seats are expensive, and I have a tendency to pick awful ones, being a cheapskate.
I remember being mesmerized in my first game as a kid by how the crowd knew when to shout “Potvin sucks.” Man, Potvin sucks.
But the standout game for me was second round game 2 of playoff game against the Caps. The puck dropped at Noon on a beautiful Saturday in early May of 2015. The sun was shining on New York City and on the Rangers’ chances of making another run. The President’s Trophy winning Rangers were done one game to the Caps, but the Garden faithful were confident.
The Rangers got first period goals from Chris Kreider and Dan Boyle, but the Caps cut it one in the second. Brassard’s third period goal restored the two goal lead.
Alexander Ovechkin had a brilliant third period goal (of course he did), making things interesting, but Lundqvist shut it down. Seeing two superstars have glorious playoff moments in their primes was quite a thrill.
Next: Rangers' Top Deadline Targets
We celebrated in the sun with outdoor margaritas. Summer was coming and the Rangers were looking strong. It was a good day.