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5 Most Heartbreaking Playoff Series Losses in New Jersey Devils History

By Charlie Borges Jr.

The Carolina Hurricanes' Eric Staal (12) celebrates after he scored against the New Jersey Devils' Martin Brodeur (30) and Mike Mottau (27) during third period action in Game 7 of the NHL playoffs at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, Tuesday, April 28, 2009. The Hurricanes beat the Devils 4-3 to win the best-of-seven series, four games to three. (Photo by Chris Seward/Raleigh News & Observer/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
The Carolina Hurricanes' Eric Staal (12) celebrates after he scored against the New Jersey Devils' Martin Brodeur (30) and Mike Mottau (27) during third period action in Game 7 of the NHL playoffs at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, Tuesday, April 28, 2009. The Hurricanes beat the Devils 4-3 to win the best-of-seven series, four games to three. (Photo by Chris Seward/Raleigh News & Observer/Tribune News Service via Getty Images) /
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5. 1994 Eastern Conference Finals: Rangers win series 4-3

You thought this would be number one, didn’t you? It may not be the most heartbreaking but it sure is one of the more iconic losses in NHL history. The series itself may not be well known for what happened before games six or seven. You know the story. Mark Messier. The Guarantee. Then “Matteau, Matteau, Matteau”. Put it in the books. The Devils as a franchise got their first real taste of heartbreak. Yes, they made the Eastern Conference Finals before this in 1987-88 season, but that was the first time they were ever in the playoffs. If they had defeated the Boston Bruins in that Game 7, the opponent in the finals? Wayne Gretzky. That Cinderella team did not need to get swept.

Saying the series itself may not be well known before certain games may be an understatement. It was a low scoring affair, for that time period anyway, that featured a few double-overtime games even before game seven. Calder Trophy-winning Martin Brodeur came into his own and shown how much of a clutch performer he could be. However, Messier was just too much for the Devils squad. Messier had eleven points in the seven-game series while the Devils’ regular-season scoring leader Scott Stevens was held to just one assist. Even though Stephane Matteau wrapping the puck into the net to seal the deal was heartbreaking, there is plenty of reason to not have this higher on the list.

The events that happened after this game pushes this down this list. The Devils were able to win their first Stanley Cup the very next season. They became a perennial contender for the next decade, won the Stanley Cup three total times, and also who could forget “Henrique! It’s over!”. The ghosts of guarantees past were exercised by a net mouth scramble in 2012 that continued a playoff run that we will get to later on this list. The Rangers on the other hand fell into a cycle of failing massive expectations, spending money on players that never worked out, and rebuilding. They had a little window in the early 2010s but that has seemed to have closed. It may have sucked 26 years ago, but now it is something Devils fans can say they got revenge.

Although you could say the Rangers got the last laugh with the Devils taking Matteau’s son Stefan Matteau in the 1st round of the 2012 draft. Yikes.

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