Game 7 can mean only agony or ecstasy. There is no middle ground.
Lately, Rangers fans have been reveling in the aftermath of five consecutive victories in hockey’s ultimate showdown contests over the preceding three playoff tournaments, and in eight of nine Game 7s since 1992.
That, of course, leads into Wednesday’s second-round Game 7 at the Garden against the Caps in which the Blueshirts were attempting to become the first team in NHL history to pull off comebacks from down 3-1 in two straight years.
But before the ecstasy, there was a heritage of agony. Indeed, before the Rangers prevailed over the Devils in the 1992 first round, the team had never, ever, never, ever won a Game 7 in franchise history. There have been four Game 7 defeats — each agonizing in its own right.
Ranking the Game 7s from most momentous to most mundane (home team in caps):
1. June 14, 1994, Stanley Cup Finals, RANGERS 3, Vancouver 2
The one that has lasted a lifetime for Rangers fans, who were able to celebrate the end of the 54-year championship drought once Craig MacTavish beat Pavel Bure on the final faceoff with 1.6 seconds remaining in the circle to the right of Mike Richter.
2. May 27, 1994, Eastern Conference Finals, RANGERS 2, Devils 1 (2 OT)
The best quality of high-stakes hockey ever played in New York that capped an epochal series that featured three double overtime matches and Mark Messier’s Game 6 guarantee/hat trick. The game that the Devils’ Valeri Zelepukin tied with 7.7 seconds remaining in regulation and the one that ensured Stephane Matteau would never, ever have to pay for a drink in New York again.
3. April 23, 1950, Stanley Cup Finals, DETROIT 4, Rangers 3 (2 OT)
The chant would have been “1950” if the Red Wings hadn’t rallied from a 3-2 series deficit to take Game 6, 5-4, on a late third-period goal by Sid Abel and then win the Cup on Pete Babando’s goal against Chuck Rayner at 8:31 of the second OT after the Blueshirts had gone out in front 2-0 in the first period. The Rangers’ two “home” games were played in Toronto and the other five matches, including Games 4 through 7, were played at the Olympia because the Blueshirts were evicted from the Garden. The circus already had been booked.
4. May 2, 1971, Stanley Cup Semifinals, CHICAGO 3, Rangers 2
Excruciating defeat for Emile Francis’ club in the wake of Pete Stemkowski’s Game 6 triple OT winner at the Garden. Bobby Hull’s goal at 4:35 of the third period off a left circle clean faceoff win by Lou Angotti following an unaccountable icing infraction by Brad Park breaks a 2-2 tie and stands as the winner, the Blueshirts’ fate later sealed by an empty-netter.
5. May 5, 1974, Stanley Cup Semifinals, PHILADELPHIA 4, Rangers 3
The window closes on the old gang of Gilbert, Ratelle, Hadfield, Giacomin, Park et al., in the match that will always be remembered for the Dave Schultz-Dale Rolfe fiasco. Ed Giacomin, by the way, kept his team in the game with 42 saves.
6. April 2, 1939, Stanley Cup Semifinals, BOSTON 2, Rangers 1 (3 OT)
The Blueshirts forced a Game 7 by winning three straight after dropping the opening three of the first best-of-seven series in NHL playoff history. But the Rangers are beaten on Mel Hill’s goal at 8:00 of triple overtime. It’s the third OT winner of the series scored by Hill, who thereafter would be known as Mel “Sudden Death” Hill.
UPDATE: 7. May 13, 2014, Second Round, Rangers 2, PITTSBURGH 1
The Blueshirts ride the inspirational wave that followed the death of Martin St. Louis’ mother on the eve of Game 5 to complete the first 3-1 comeback in club history. Brian Boyle scores a spectacular first-period goal before Brad Richards breaks a 1-1 tie with a second-period power-play goal. Snapshot moment: Henrik Lundqvist’s series of frantic acrobatic saves after losing his stick in a goalmouth scramble with 5:15 remaining.
8. April 26, 2012, First Round, RANGERS 2, Ottawa 1
Marc Staal and Dan Girardi are the goal-scorers as the Rangers, who trailed 3-2 in the series before taking Game 6 in Ottawa, become the first team in 62 years to win a Game 7 without benefit of a goal from a forward.
9. May 12, 2012, Eastern Conference Semifinals, RANGERS 2, Washington 1
Sixteen nights later, the Blueshirts do it again, with Michael Del Zotto getting what proves to be the game-winner. Henrik Lundqvist, who faces just 23 shots and only two from Alex Ovechkin, yields only a third-period goal to Roman Hamrlik at 10:43.
10. May 13, 2013, First Round, Rangers 5, WASHINGTON 0
Lundqvist records his second shutout in two games and two days following a Game 6, 1-0 victory at the Garden. The Blueshirts take command of this one late in the first period and then coast after going up 3-0 early in the second period.
11. April 28, 2009, First Round, WASHINGTON 2, Rangers 1
Sergei Fedorov’s goal from the right circle with 4:59 remaining in regulation completes the comeback for the Caps, who had trailed 3-1 in the series in which coach John Tortorella was suspended for Game 6 after having thrown a water bottle into the stands at a heckler in Game 5 in DC. That was the match, irony of ironies, for which the coach scratched Sean Avery for lack of discipline.
12. May 1, 1992, First Round, RANGERS 8, Devils 4
A blowout in which the President’s Trophy-winning Rangers are up 6-1 late in the second period with Chris Terreri in the New Jersey net and a 19-year-old Martin Brodeur, who made his playoff debut earlier in the series, on the bench as the backup. Victory followed a Game 6 defeat at the Meadowlands that finished with a wild brawl that spilled into the New Jersey bench.
13. April 30, 2014, First Round, RANGERS 2, Philadelphia 1
The Blueshirts respond one night after absorbing a Game 6 spanking on the road from which Lundqvist is removed for the third period. Second-period goals by Daniel Carcillo and Benoit Pouliot are enough on this night for The King.