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New Jersey Devils: What If the Rangers Didn’t Win in ’94?

By Kevin Whalen

Canadian professional hockey player Stephane Richer (kneeling, #44), left wing for the New Jersey Devils, celebrates double overtime in front of the goal during Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals with the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden, New York, New York, May 15, 1994. Devils teammates nearby include Russian-born professional hockey player Viacheslav Fetisov (right), Canadian hockey player Scott Niedermayer (center with beard), and American hockey player Bobby Carpenter (left). New York Rangers players nearby are Canadian professional hockey player and defenseman Jeff Beukeboom, American goalie Mike Richter, Canadian left wing Adam Graves, and Canadian forward Glenn Anderson. (Photo by Brian Winkler/Getty Images)
Canadian professional hockey player Stephane Richer (kneeling, #44), left wing for the New Jersey Devils, celebrates double overtime in front of the goal during Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals with the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden, New York, New York, May 15, 1994. Devils teammates nearby include Russian-born professional hockey player Viacheslav Fetisov (right), Canadian hockey player Scott Niedermayer (center with beard), and American hockey player Bobby Carpenter (left). New York Rangers players nearby are Canadian professional hockey player and defenseman Jeff Beukeboom, American goalie Mike Richter, Canadian left wing Adam Graves, and Canadian forward Glenn Anderson. (Photo by Brian Winkler/Getty Images) /
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“…into the far corner, Matteau swoops in to intercept, Matteau behind the net, swings it in front, HE SCORES! MATTEAU! MATTEAU! MATTEAU!”

A legendary call made by New York Rangers radio announcer Howie Rose after Stephane Matteau scored the OT winner in game 7 of the 1994 Eastern Conference Finals. An iconic moment in NHL history and one of the most heartbreaking moments for the New Jersey Devils.

It was May 28th, 1994 and the Devils had just been eliminated from the Stanley Cup playoffs after a devastating overtime loss to their rivals, the Rangers. That call is still played over and over all the time, it’s one of those things that you just can’t avoid. The excitement of Howie Rose calling out “MATTEAU!” is burned into our memories forever. But what if it never happened? What if Matteau didn’t wrap that puck around on Martin Brodeur and the Devils won Game 7?

First off, let’s start with how it would have happened. The Rangers won the game in the second overtime. The way this game got to OT was a miracle in itself with a last-minute third-period goal by Valeri Zelepukin. Had the hockey God’s been on our side, the Devils winning goal would have been a re-direction or a scrum in the front of the net type of goal. But it would have come from none other than Claude Lemieux. That makes the most sense. Lemieux had 2 goals and 3 assists in that series, and he would have been right there in front to make that last goal happen. If the Devils won this game, it would have been very late into the third OT. Maybe it would have gone like this:

“Stevens with a drive to the net blocked to the side by Richter, Stephane Richer in the corner digs it out, throws it at the front of the net! Rebound off Richter, its chaos in front! Lemieux takes a shot………SCORE!!!! IT’S OVER!! (Mike Emrick voice).

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The Devils would have been off to their first Stanley Cup Final and the Rangers would have been left to wonder when the curse would end. Then, for the Devils, onto the Vancouver Canucks in the Stanley Cup Finals.

In comparison, the Devils and Rangers were very evenly matched statistically, but the Devils were better in goals and goals against that year. The Canucks went on a Cinderella run that year as a seven seed beating the 2, 4 and 3 seeds to advance to the Finals.

The Devils would have absolutely won this series, in fact, they would have won it in six. They would have won it in Vancouver, which would have caused the Canucks fans to once again riot. Martin Brodeur would have won the Conn Smythe Trophy, his first and only. The Devils would have begun their dynasty in 1994 and won back to back championships in 1995.

The bigger picture in all of this is that the Rangers would have never broken the curse. How long would it have been extended? They clearly wouldn’t have won anytime in the years after that as they never came close to the Cup again for years. As a franchise, to this day they could still be chasing that elusive championship had it not been for that one fateful goal on that one wrap-around attempt. Think about that for a minute. That one goal ended their curse, otherwise, they are looking at 80 years without a Stanley Cup.

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This would also have changed the perception of the Devils in hockey history as well. While we have three championships, having a back-to-back championship would have been something special, truly cementing the Devils dynasty, especially when keeping our rivals from winning their first Cup since 1940. While they were regarded as one of the best franchises during this time, this win would have been on another level and would only have added to the legacy of Martin Brodeur.

The year was 1994 and the Devils had just won their first Stanley Cup championship, their first of four, derailing their rivals the New York Rangers in the process and hoisting the Cup in Vancouver. The fans in Vancouver revolted in the streets as Scott Stevens and Martin Brodeur paraded around the Pacific Coliseum. The New Jersey Devils had just begun their magical run and crushed the dreams of their rivals while doing so.

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