This date in New York Rangers’ history: 2014 – a clutch Game Six

Exactly six years ago, the New York Rangers took their best shot at a Cup in decades.

It wasn’t quite a do-or-die game, but sometimes it’s better not to push things (and fans) to the limit.

On May 29, 2014, the New York Rangers and Henrik Lundqvist defeated the Montreal Canadiens 1-0 in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Finals, punching their ticket to the big show, the Stanley Cup Finals against the Los Angeles Kings.

It wasn’t one of King Henrik’s patented clutch Game Seven efforts, merely a series-clinching shutout against the second-best team in the East, as well as his record-setting 42nd playoff victory for the Rangers.

Dominic Moore scored the game winner (and only goal) in the second period, on a pass from Brian Boyle and an assist from Ryan McDonagh.

A tired Canadiens team didn’t put up much of an attack in the third period and the result was the Blueshirts’ first trip to the Stanley Cup Finals in 20 years, since….well, you know about that.

It’s become somewhat fashionable to dig Hank’s grave, summing up his career with ‘he didn’t win a Cup’, but fans might want to take a moment to remember exactly how the Swede carried a team that wasn’t a scoring juggernaut, sometimes dragging them to the next level through sheer force of will. I’ll have more to say on that in a few days.

But for now, let’s take a moment and celebrate a great Rangers’ playoff memory.

We don’t have nearly as many as we should.