Redemption week ends today at NHL FanSided, and it made sense to save one of the best stories in hockey history for last, one that changed New York Rangers history forever. The 1993-94 Rangers are famous for ending a 54-year drought, and to this date it is the franchise's most recent championship. Considering the 1993-94 season ended 31 years ago, now's a great time to take a look back on an important part of team history.
The Rangers entered the 1993-94 season with a new head coach in Mike Keenan, and the team needed to get back on track. Keenan replaced Ron Smith who coached the team on an interim basis after Roger Neilson was fired midseason.
The 1992-93 team was a massive disappointment as it went 34–39–11 and finished in last place of the division. It was very unexpected, and a complete reversal of the previous season. During the 1991-92 season the Blueshirts won the Presidents' Trophy as the top team in the league. It was during that season that newcomer Mark Messier captured the Hart Trophy as league MVP, Brian Leetch tallied 102 points and won the Norris Trophy as the league's top defenseman, and the team finished with five 30-goal scorers. With 1992-93 ending so poorly there was nowhere to go but up, and as we now know, that's exactly what happened.
The 93-94 squad was a dynamic group that had many key contributors. Sergei Zubov led the team in scoring with 89 points as a defenseman, Messier was second with 84 points, Adam Graves scored a franchise record 52 goals, Leetch had 79 points, and youngster Alexei Kovalev contributed 56 points. Mike Richter was also quite solid between the pipes and won 42 games in the regular season.
The team also made some key trades which paid off later on in the season which include sending out Tony Amonte, Mike Gartner, and Todd Marchant in separate deals that returned Stephane Matteau, Brian Noonan, Glenn Anderson, and Craig MacTavish.
After making easy work of the league during the regular season, the Rangers made quick work of the New York Islanders in the first round by sweeping them, and then they dispatched the Washington Capitals in five games. Things got interesting in the Eastern Conference Final against an upstart New Jersey Devils squad. The Devils took Game 1 in double overtime, the Rangers bounced back in Game 2 and 3 to take a 2-1 series lead, and they proceeded to lose Games 4 and 5 which put them on the brink of elimination in Game 6 on the road.
The Devils got off to a quick start in Game 6 and took a 2-0 lead in the first period. Kovalev got the Rangers a goal in the second period, but they went to the locker room down 2-1 and were 20 minutes away from their season ending. Messier got things started for the Blueshirts with a goal just 2:48 into the period, and he would score a go-ahead goal just under 10 minutes later. The score remained 3-2 until late in the third and Messier scored his famous empty net goal to complete the hat trick and live up to his "guarantee".
The Rangers still had a Game 7 to win at home, and it very much looked like they were going to advance to the Stanley Cup Final without any drama. Leetch gave the team a 1-0 lead early in the first period, and the score stayed that way until the final seconds of the third period.
With 7.7 seconds left, Valeri Zelepukin gave the Devils new life by squeaking the puck past Richter to make it 1-1. The Rangers were once again in a position where they faced elimination, and the margin for error was thin in overtime of Game 7. Both teams failed to score in the first overtime, and play continued into double overtime.
The Rangers only needed 4:24 to punch their ticket to play the Vancouver Canucks, and the most famous goal in franchise history was scored by trade deadline acquisition Stephane Matteau, a name fans will remember forever thanks to HowIe Rose's goal call.
Matteau's goal was a moment of redemption for the Rangers, and something that certainly made Richter happy given what transpired at the end of regulation. With the Devils dispatched, the Rangers advanced to play Vancouver.
Things were looking pretty good for the Blueshirts and they took a 3-1 series lead which gave them a chance to clinch the series during a Game 5 at Madison Square Garden. The team came out flat in Game 5 and lost 6-3, and then returned to Vancouver where they'd also lose Game 6 by a score of 4-1. The Rangers once again put themselves in a situation where their backs were against the wall, and it all came down to Game 7 back on home ice.
The Rangers needed to win to avoid completely blowing a 3-1 series lead, and to prevent the championship drought from extending to a 55th year. Luckily for the Rangers, and their fans, the team took care of business at MSG and hoisted the Cup after winning Game 7 3-2. The moment was one of pride and relief, and represented some much needed redemption..
The 1993-94 team will always be remembered fondly. It is the team fans will think about until the Rangers are able to win their next title. It's a great redemption story because the victory represents the Rangers overcoming a lot.
To recap the Rangers
- Snapped a 54-year title drought
- Won the Presidents' Trophy for second time in franchise history which came in the season after missing the playoffs when they won Presidents' Trophy for first time the year prior
- Overcame a 3-2 deficit in the Eastern Conference Final after previously being up 2-1
- Won in double OT of Game 7 after surrendering the tying goal with 7.7 seconds left
- Defeated Vancouver in Game 7 after previously leading 3 games to 1 in the series
When you read all of those facts, it's pretty easy to see how 1993-94 was the ultimate year of redemption for the Blueshirts.