Remembering the 1994 NY Rangers: My Most Treasured Sports Memento

Every single New York Ranger fan who was around back in 1994 remembers this chant all too well. I was 30 years old at the time and I'd been hearing it tauntingly shouted at my team by opposing fans for as far back as I could remember. New York Ranger fans are some of the most diehard fans out there and for 54 years, they endured a few close calls, lots of failure, and more than their fair share of heartbreak. But that all ended in 1994 and I've got the ultimate treasure to prove it.

The year 1994 was a magical one for New York sports fans. Both the Rangers hockey team and the Knicks basketball team were in the respective final rounds of their playoff tourneys, both on the verge of breaking painstakingly long dry spells without a championship. The city and its fans were absolutely buzzing, and in the end one of the two teams made it to the summit of their sport.

On June 14^th 1994, the New York Rangers broke a 54-year dry spell without winning a championship and took home the coveted Stanley Cup. A coworker of mine, Anne, had a husband who worked for Newsday, Long Island's major periodical. She knew the depth of my adoration for the team and decided to get me a little present. Of course in the days after the incredible victory, local newspapers were filled with stories, analysis, and photos commemorating the event and Newsday always provided stellar coverage stories like these.

According to Anne's husband Tony, newspapers pre-arrange several pages in anticipation of an occasion such as this one, and not all of them make it into the paper. Tony brought something home for her to give to me. The item is a metal printing press of a two-page spread the newspaper had set in advance of the final game. The newspaper never used it and today it belongs to me.

"1994 - What a Year!"

After an exciting seven-game victory over their cross-river rivals, the New Jersey Devils, the Rangers entered the Stanley Cup Final Championship series against the Vancouver Canucks with the home ice advantage. The Rangers had clicked all year long, winning the coveted President's Trophy for having the best record in the league in the regular season and by the time they reached the Finals things looked good.

The Rangers were led by team captain Mark Messier, who would later be nicknamed "The Messiah" by Rangers' broadcaster Sam Rosen, All-Star defenseman Brian Leetch, hot goalie Mike Richter, and all around go-to guy Adam Graves, with a supporting cast of rough and tumble hockey players with lots of character and a lot of heart. The team began their playoff run with a sweep of their bitter rivals, the New York Islanders, and a 4-1 series victory over the Washington Capitals.

The real test of their mettle came in the Conference Finals against the Devils, another bitter rival of the team. After falling behind three games to two, Messier boldly predicted to the media that the Rangers would indeed win the series. In one of the most heroic efforts in all of sports history, the captain delivered, scoring three goals, a hat trick, to tie the series in game six, and setting up a thrilling game seven.

"Matteau, Matteau, Matteau!"

In a very heated game seven at Madison Square Garden, the teams squared off for a chance at going to the Final series and a chance at winning the most coveted trophy in all of sports, the Stanley Cup. After three tension-filled periods, the score was tied 1-1. Sudden death overtime was at hand. Apprehension filled the air at the Garden as the teams played a scoreless first overtime period and then, seemingly out of nowhere, a late season acquisition by the name of Stephane Matteau scored the game-winner at 6:13 of the second overtime. The Rangers were headed to the Finals.

After such a tough series, Ranger fans were very confident against the Canucks, whom they only saw on rare occasions since they play on the west coast. The confidence turned to worry quickly as the Canucks came into the Garden and took the first game. The Rangers fought back, though, winning the next three to take a 3-1 series lead, just one win away from ending the 54-year drought.

Alas, as had been the story for long-suffering Rangers' fans, nothing was to come easy. The Canucks battled back in games five and six to force a deciding game seven. In yet another tense game, the Garden Crowd sat on the edge of their seats for a thrilling 60 minutes of play, but this time the result would be different. The New York Rangers had won the game and the Stanley Cup.

"This one will last a lifetime!"

All of New York City went nuts, celebrating the end of one of the longest droughts in sports. For the first time since 1940, the New York Rangers were the NHL Champions. The fans at the Garden had their own sarcastic chant at the end of that game: "1940, 1940, 1940," which soon morphed into "1994, 1994, 1994." They gleefully put 1940 to rest once and for all and I was loving every minute of it.

The metal newspaper press is my treasure, a unique piece of sports memorabilia that will forever bring me back to 1994, the year the Rangers won the Cup. Though I hadn't waited as long as some of the others, I'd waited long enough. So now every time I look at my treasured plate, I remember the year, 1994, and smile! Let's just hope they don't wait another 54 years to do it again!

Sources:

Personal experience

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1993%E2%80%9394_New_York_Rangers_season#Playoffs

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1994_Stanley_Cup_Finals

http://www.hockey-reference.com/teams/NYR/1994.html