NYR Top Post-Lockout Moments #15-11

Part 3 of an 8-part series. Up tomorrow: Top Islanders' Moments #15-11.

15) Messier Night / Jagr Scores in OT
MSG - January 12, 2006
Can you imagine how angry the fans would have been after spending $500 on one ticket to Mark Messier Night only to see a loss? Granted, the ceremony itself was great - albeit very long. But during the last retirement ceremony (Mike Richter’s), the Rangers blew a 3-2 lead and lost 4-3 to Minnesota.

Steve Rucchin started the scoring, but then Edmonton scored 3 straight to take a 3-1 lead. The Rangers jumped ahead 4-3 on an early 3rd period goal by Petr Prucha, but Mike Peca’s shorthanded goal was his second of the night scored his 2nd goal of the night and tied it at 4 (his first goal tied it at 1 and it was a power play goal with Martin Straka off the ice for an illegal stick penalty!).

Maybe predictably for a fast-paced, back and forth game, overtime didn’t last very long. Just fourteen seconds in, Jaromir Jagr whipped one past former Ranger Jussi Markkanen, capping off a great night for Rangers fans.

How fitting of an ending for a 75-minute ceremony than an extra session of hockey?

Oh, but my overall favorite moment? Christopher Reeve’s widow (now deceased herself) Dana singing Carole King’s “Now and Forever.”



14) Leetch Announcing Adam Graves’ Night
MSG - January 24, 2008
For how good the game was during Mark Messier Night, Brian Leetch Night’s game was a rolling disaster.

Sure, the Rangers won in dramatic fashion, but it was more a matter of desperation than anything. They needed the points badly (they were merely 2 games over .500 at the time) and they had played a lackluster, downright boring game so far. Michal Rozsival potted one with 11 minutes left in the 3rd period to finally give the Rangers something to cheer about since the ceremony ended.

(Brendan Shanahan wound up scoring the only shootout goal to give the Rangers 2 points, but the game, overall, was still very boring.)

The ceremony, of course, was excellent, and definitely shorter than Messier’s marathon. The highlight was definitely when Leetch took the time out of his own night to announce that Adam Graves Night would be held the following season.

They played great together on the ice, and it was a great touch for Leetch to do this. He was never completely comfortable with the spotlight on him, and even on his special night, he shone the light on someone else. That’s a good teammate.

13) Jagr Scores :29 Into Season
MSG - October 5, 2006
Five months ago, Jaromir Jagr couldn’t even lift his shoulder after hurting it throwing a weak, awkward punch at then-Devil Scott Gomez. He had surgery to repair it, but there were doubts surrounding the team coming into the start of the 2006-07 season. The three main questions concerning the team were about Jagr’s shoulder, how Henrik Lundqvist would be after his problems in the ’06 playoffs after the Olympics (he played awful, if you remember, after coming back from Italy grinding his teeth while he slept and with migraines), and if Brendan Shanahan was a good signing.

Well, 29 seconds into the season, newly-introducted Captain Jagr stormed up the ice, cut across center, and fired one past notorious Ranger-killer Olaf Kolzig on the first shot of the season. The crowd chanted “MVP! MVP!” to Jagr, as he should have been crowned it the season before, but Joe Thornton won it when he overtook him in the points race at the end of the season.

Shanahan wound up scoring 2 goals in his Ranger debut, goals 599 and 600, Lundqvist stood tall, and for a night, all was perfect in Rangerland.

Who knew that the deciding factor of the season wouldn’t be Jagr’s shoulder, Shanahan’s ability, or Lundqvist’s migraines, but a last-minute icing in May in Buffalo.

12) Lundqvist Robs Savard
Boston - October 20, 2007
The Rangers and Boston have played some very close games since the Lockout, but none of them could top the 1-0 shootout won by Boston in October of 2007. Lundqvist had 19 saves, Manny Fernandez had 26, and the game was won in a shootout by Phil Kessel after the first 5 shooters didn’t score.

It almost didn’t get to that shootout, however, if not for an excellent save by Lundqvist on Marc Savard.

If you remember, this was also the game where Marty Straka blocked TWO Zdeno Chara slappers from the point and broke the same finger in two separate spots on both shots. If we had this website during this game, I would have called Straka a Warrior.

On the same power play, a rebound came to Savard and he absolutely rocketed a shot to an open net, except Lundqvist whipped out his left arm and caught the puck. A shocked Savard fell to the ice (partly due to the force he took the shot with) and looked to the heavens.

Between Straka being immortal and Lundqvist making one of the Saves of the Decade, the winner of the game didn’t even matter.



11) Nylander’s Playoff Hat Trick
MSG - April 17, 2007
The last time the Rangers had won a playoff game at MSG, well, I don’t know, but I assume it was in 1997, a full 10 years before they beat the Thrashers 7-0.

The previous year, against New Jersey, they got outscored 7-2 in their two home playoff games, and even though they got a standing ovation after being eliminated, it stung.

This was the complete opposite.

Kari Lehtonen was reinstated as starting goaltender after being replaced by Johan Hedberg for Game 2. The Rangers made quick work of him, though he was never pulled in the game. Michael Nylander scored his first goal 32 seconds into the game and his second 9 minutes later. His 3rd goal was the team’s 7th, completing what he started.

Ryan Callahan also scored twice on this night, 11 minutes apart in the 2nd period, and even Marek Malik scored on a great shot from the left circle. Shanahan scored the other goal for the Rangers, and Jagr had 4 assists.

It was a great night to be a fan from start to finish, and the sweep of Atlanta the next night made for a flawless first round victory.

What Ranger Jerseys Can You Comfortably Wear?...

I started compiling this list after I was at the Ranger-Islander game at the Coliseum last Wednesday and saw Nikolai Zherdev and Lauri Korpikoski standing next to each other. Of course, it wasn't actually them, but two people who paid a combined $360 for the jerseys of two players who no longer play on the Rangers.

Yet, some players no longer play in New York, but you can still wear their jersey and be proud of it. And even further, there are some players who play here whose jersey should not be worn, and if it is, you should be ridiculed.

Think you're safe? Check the list...

Good (Wear Proudly)
Jaromir Jagr #68 (had a great resurgence in NY; since he didn’t win a Cup, you have about 2 more years with this jersey before you should move on)
Brendan Shanahan #14 (I would never fault someone for having a Shanny jersey)
Henrik Lundqvist #30
Blair Betts #15/19; Jed Ortmeyer #41 (you can wear there jerseys for years and they would be appropriate)
Nigel Dawes #10 ; Petr Prucha #25 (it’s not your fault they were traded)
Sean Avery #16
Dan Girardi #5; Brandon Dubinsky #17; Marc Staal #18; Ryan Callahan #24; Artem Anisimov #42
Mike Del Zotto #4; Matt Gilroy #97 (buy with no hesitation; there two will be around a while)
Marian Gaborik #10
Steve Rucchin #20 (because I have one, and every once in a while, I still wear it)
Petr Nedved #93
Brian Leetch #2; Adam Graves #9; Mark Messier #11; Mike Richter #35
Jeff Beukeboom #23 (or mostly any member from the 1994 Cup team)
Ales Kotalik #12; Vinny Prospal #20; Martin Straka #82; Michael Nylander #92 (not the superstar of the team, but they compliment a Jagr or Gaborik well)
Eddie Giacomin #1; Rod Gilbert #7; Andy Bathgate #9; Ron Duguay #10 (or any other number he wore); Phil Esposito #77 (if you were old enough to watch these players play)

Iffy (Wear Cautiously)
Darius Kasparaitis #6; Pavel Bure #9; Theo Fleury #14 (I don’t mind the players, but it’s time for a new one, don’t you think?)
#28 Colton Orr (had a solid season last year, but there weren’t other choices?)
#99 Wayne Gretzky (can’t fault a Gretzky jersey, but it has been a decade since he left and he was in the twilight of his great career here. If he won a Cup, that would be different, of course.)
Alex Kovalev #27 (hey, he still might come back, and after all, he did win the Cup here as a rookie)
Chris Drury #23 (you obviously bought it during the summer of 2007 when you thought he’d be a superstar in New York, but he plays hard enough most of the time to warrant wearing him on your back... sometimes)

Bad (Give Them Away to the Garden of Dreams Foundation)
(Before you ask, yes, I have seen all of these jerseys recently.)
Dale Purinton #5 (seriously, I once saw one)
Andy Bathgate #9 (if you were born after 1955, you should not wear a Bathgate jersey. If you have seen him play in person, go for it.)
Lauri Korpikoski #29; Fedor Tyutin #51 (while it’s not your fault they were traded, it’s your fault for buying one in the first place)
Wade Redden #6 (must’ve been a present)
Ivan Baranka #21 (one NHL game and you have a jersey?)
Steve Valiquette #40 (you got it to be different, admit it)
Michal Rozsival #33
Eric Lindros #88 (Only one other jersey makes me madder, and I even have a Lindros jersey... safely in my closet. While Lindros, the player, wasn't awful, this jersey symbolizes a horrible stretch of time in Rangers history and wearing it only brings up good memories. No one goes, "Oh, the Lindros Era! What a jolly time!")
Luc Robitaille #20 (he wasn’t here long enough/didn’t play good enough to warrant having his jersey still 10 years later)
Chris Higgins #21 (until he proves otherwise)
Nik Zherdev #13
Markus Naslund #91
Ryan Hollweg #44 (Yes, I have one - I got it after his great 2005-06 season - and no, I’ll probably never wear it again, even though about 15 players have signed it)
Tom Poti #3/16
Dan Blackburn #31 (by this logic, you should’ve gotten a Lundqvist when he first came up)

And the worst Rangers jersey to wear...
Scott Gomez #19 (You bought it when he was signed. He never did anything in New York except play well against them. Everyone sighed when he was finally traded. Yet, you continue to wear this on your back when real players like Prospal and Gaborik actually show up to play. If you have a Scott Gomez jersey, please don't wear it. No one wants to see it, no one wants to remember him.)

I Was Right; I Was Wrong...

Of course, no Ranger games will be played at the Coliseum next season. Got to save those for weeknights since they'll close-to-sell-out anyway. No need to waste a Saturday where you'll sell 14,000 tickets anyway, no matter who the opponent. I was right about that.

I was wrong, however, when I predicted that 80% of their last 10 games would be division rivals. In fact, only half are, and we get to see that always exciting "Florida road trip" in April. Whoa, Schedule Makers, I'll make sure I take my heart medicine, because that's one to get the blood pumping!

And of course, what season would be complete without a home & home versus Philadelphia?

When the Penguins won the Cup, an avid and eager reader of this website, Dan, sent a string of angry text messages. One of them predicted that the Rangers would be the opponent when the Penguins raise the Stanley Cup banner to the rafters. Indeed, a short month later, his Nostradamus-like prediction is in fact a reality. I'm not mad. First of all, it's a crappy thing to get mad about. Second of all, maybe watching it will light an illusionary fire under the arses of certain Rangers players and get them going.

When the Rangers were awful in 2002-03, I wanted to send a mail to MSG. Specifically, I wanted to mail it to Gord Dwyer. I figured he never got any fan mail, so he would atleast open it, as opposed to sending it to Mark Messier or Tom Poti (it would have been lost in Poti's hatemail). I wanted to send him the video tape of "Oh Baby!" which was the highlights of the 1993-94 season, from playing in Europe to winning the Cup in Game 7. I figured it would start a fire under him, and he would show it to everyone and they would then be inspired to reach for glory.

Alas, I never sent it, the Rangers missed the playoffs, and I've blamed myself ever since. So maybe the banner-raising ceremony in Steeltown will be the "Oh Baby!" that is still sitting on my desk upstairs in my room.

A few notes...

In 2005-06, the Rangers played a very short February also, due to the Olympics. They played 6 games and won all of them, 5 in regulation and 1 in overtime on a Jaromir Jagr goal (from Martin Rucinsky and Michal Rozsival... ah, to be Czech in America). This year, that's do-able as well. Six games, 4 at home, including the Lightning and Predators.

With 24 games vs. the Atlantic, 40 vs. the rest of the East, and 15 against the West, that leaves them playing 3 Western teams twice this year. If I remember from last year, they played Chicago twice, Dallas twice, and the Ducks twice. This year's repeat offenders are St. Louis, Phoenix, and Los Angeles.

No "California Trip" this year, since their only game out there is against LA. That trip sees them in Phoenix, Colorado, then LA. The "Florida Trip" not only happens near the end of the season, but the Rangers also make the same trip during Thanksgiving week, as they do every year (Panthers on Thanksgiving Eve, Lightning on Black Friday).

They do have a Western Canada trip, though, as they play Calgary, Vancouver, and Edmonton in early November. Mark that down as a loss, as they normally do awful on that road trip. That will also be Tom Renney's first - and only - meeting with his old team. They also stop in Minnesota before hitting Canada.

Don't bank on any romantic Friday evenings at the Garden. The Rangers have 6 road games on a Friday (including the opener in Pittsburgh) but if you want to see them in the City on a Friday, you'll have to wait until the last home game of the year, 4/9/10 (looks weird to write!) against the Flyers.

Three home games that my girlfriend will kill me if I don't sell my tickets: 11/21 vs. Florida, her birthday; 2/14 vs. Tampa Bay, Valentine's Day; and 3/18 vs. St. Louis, our anniversary.

Possible road trips: October 24 & January 23, Montreal; December 9, Chicago; December 17, Philadelphia; January 9 & March 21, Boston; March 6, Washington; March 27, Toronto; December 21 & 31, Carolina. Sadly, no trip to Nashville is in the works, atleast not for a hockey game.

Ceremonies...

October 14, 1979 - Rod Gilbert Night - Rangers 6, Minnesota North Stars 4

"You have given me a home, friendship, respect, and love, and that's more important than fame. For these things, I will always be grateful."

March 15, 1989 - Eddie Giacomin Night - Winnipeg Jets 6, Rangers 3

"You have been my motivation, my inspiration. It's the most thrilling moment of my life."

The bottom-feeding Jets scored 4 power play goals and 1 short-handed goal to beat the Rangers. The Blueshirts lost their 6th game in 7 tries yet were still in 2nd place in the Patrick Division, trailing Washington by 2 points.

Brian Leetch got hurt after scoring his 22nd goal of the season.

Giacomin became the 2nd Ranger to have their jersey retired and the 4th in NHL history (first 3 were Bernie Parent, Rogatien Vachon, and Tony Esposito).

February 4, 2004 - Mike Richter Night - Minnesota Wild 4, Rangers 3

"I'm wondering whose idea it was to get a guy who retired because of head injuries to memorize a speech to give to 18,000 people."

Adam Graves got the loudest cheers of the night.

Rangers were leading 3-2 on two Jaromir Jagr goals (and an assist), then Mike Dunham gave up two goals and the crowd chanted "We want Richter!"

January 12, 2006 - Mark Messier Night - Rangers 5, Edmonton Oilers 4 (OT)

"I was ready for the challenge of winning the Stanley Cup. I was ready for this city. I wasn't intimidated about coming to New York."

Leetch wasn't in attendance because Boston was playing (and losing 6-0 to Los Angeles) that night, but his video tribute gathered the loudest applause.

Rangers leading 1-0, Oilers go up 3-1, Rangers go up 4-3, Mike Peca scores in the 3rd to tie it at 4. Jagr scores a beautiful goal 14 seconds into overtime to end the game. A great game capped off an emotional and incredible night.

January 24, 2008 - Brian Leetch Night - Rangers 2, Atlanta Thrashers 1 (SO)

"I've always been privileged to play for the Rangers. We'll always share that championship banner that hangs from the rafters."

Thrashers had a 1-0 from early in the second period. The crowd was getting restless until Michal Rozsival finally tied it up midway through the third. Brendan Shanahan scored the only goal in the shootout to end a night that will be remembered more for the ceremony than for the boring game.

February 3, 2009 - Adam Graves Night - Rangers vs. Thrashers

As I sit here watching a replay of Game 7 of the Rangers/Canucks series in 1994, I'm reminded of how great a player Adam Graves really was. This team is missing someone like him, although Brandon Dubinsky reminds me of him in spurts. Graves went to the net, got smacked around, hit by sticks, cross-checked from behind, and still stood and scored. The 2 points tonight are needed, but tonight won't be remembered for the game, that's for sure.

The Difference...

I've probably spoken about this before, but there is a stark difference in this year's Rangers team as opposed to years past. 

Before the lockout, the Rangers were notorious for leaving points on the table. It was a few years ago, so my memory of those lean years is (thankfully) fading, but in 2002-03 and 03-04, I used to try to keep track of how many games the Rangers blew when leading 2-0 or 3-1, only to lose in regulation or overtime or tie. Points lost to weak links like Atlanta, Columbus, and Chicago would have led the team into the playoffs.

Back when Chris Simon, Matt Barnaby, Petr Nedved, Eric Lindros, and Mike Dunham wore Ranger blue, no one played as a team, and they had no chemistry. Nobody besides Leetch, Messier, and Richter cared if the team won or loss. They were there for their paychecks, and that was that. Free agency hit at 31, so they collected big money from the big bosses in NY, then rested on their laurels (does that phrase apply?).

The years after the lockout were different. The Czech Contingent played as a team, and everyone adapted to it. The 2005-06 season was a dream season. Jaromir Jagr playing like a beast, Marty Straka and Rucinsky playing great, rookies like Hollweg, Ortmeyer, and Moore playing with heart. 

In the past 2 years, the team was good, but it lost some identity. There were a lot of points left on the table as well, however, no one complained because the team reached the playoffs. 

Do you remember in 2007 when the Rangers would consistently blow 2-goal leads? As a fan, I would cringe when they would go up 2 goals. They were up 3-1 to Detroit at MSG, and the whole building was waiting for them to blow it. And they did, in regulation.

I remember one game against the Penguins, March 2007. The Rangers were up 2-0, gave up two shorthanded goals to tie the game, went up 3-2, then gave up a powerplay goal. They lost 4-3 in a shootout. At that point, the season seemed lost. However, the next game, the Rangers beat St. Louis in a shootout after being down 2-0, came back and made the playoffs.

This year, they are playing much like the did down the stretches in 2007 and 2008, like they did that night against the Blues at MSG. Yes, they have flaws. They had shaky-at-best offense against Dallas and Buffalo, including some shaky-at-best defense against Dallas. 

But they fight back. They were behind against Detroit on the second game of a back-to-back (after a flight to Michigan) and scored 2 third period goals. They were down 2-0 to Pittsburgh even though they played well for most of the game, and they didn't give up.

The difference in this team from the teams in previous seasons is that they don't let their flaws bring them down. They still find ways to win. They haven't played like Stanley Cup champions every game this season, but an 8-2-1 record after a shortened training camp and 8 preseason games is nothing to complain about.

Plus, I'm smiling like a 7-year-old on Christmas morning from watching that Nik Zherdev goal over and over again.

But Isn't Nikolai Zherdev Going to Wear Number 13...

Reports, false or otherwise, have the Rangers still interested in Mats Sundin, even with all the forwards and high priced players already on their roster. 

While I do doubt that he will play on Broadway, there is a chance, and we do know that he spoke to the Rangers' organization even before Toronto gave Montreal permission to talk to him. So, there is an outside chance.

Of course, the Rangers would have to move salary to get him there. And he would have to agree to a discount. Vancouver's $10M per year for 2 years deal is still on the table. Would he give that up to play for a chance at the Cup in Manhattan, even if it means taking less money than 2002 All-Star Wade Redden's $6.5M? Would Sundin also accept a one-year deal?

Part of me thinks the Rangers should give this up and continue with the rebuilding that has renewed the organization since the lockout. They have homegrown talent named Dawes, Callahan, Dubinsky, Korpikoski, Anisimov, Byers, Moore and Prucha who can put the puck in the net (yes, I realize they all will not be on the team come October). Those people have rejuvenated the franchise, and another big-name veteran would again delay their development.

Also, with 5 centers on the roster (Gomez, Drury, Dubinsky, Fritsche, Betts), another 3rd first-line center would be overkill.

However, there is no denying his skill, even at 37. He was drafted in 1989, a year before Jaromir Jagr, two years after Brendan Shanahan, and one pick before the Islanders drafted Dave Chyzowski (nice cheap shot).

His stats have never wavered. Most superstars tail off towards the end of their careers. Mark Messier had a great season in 1996-97, then never again reach point-per-game status, scoring 60, 48, 54, 67, 23, 40, and 43 points until he retired. Mike Modano, drafted the year before Sundin went 1st overall, had good seasons in 2002-03 and 05-06, but has been a damper on the team in other years. In Eric Lindros' last 2 seasons, he played a total of 82 games and scored 48 points, a far cry from his pre-concussion 70 points in 41 games in 94-95 and his 115 points in 73 games in 95-96.

Sundin has had a couple of off-years, but ever since his rookie year (58 points, 82 games) he has gotten atleast 72 points (47 in 47 in the strike-shortened 1994-95 year). He has averaged over a point per game every year since the lockout, an accomplished feat on a team that has been just under mediocre and missed the playoffs in each of those 3 seasons.

I guess I wrote this post to maybe convince myself that if I log onto the computer tomorrow and read "Rangers Trade Prucha, Sign Sundin", or I get a text while I'm Vegas saying "sundin a ranger, sweet", I won't be upset.

After all, he is a leader who stands up and takes responsibility. He's a Brendan Shanahan type player who will always face the media and take the heat when needed, except he can still play unlike the older and more-injured Shanahan.

I still think they should take the team they have now, but if they do sign him for one-year, it automatically makes them favorites in the non-improved East. 

Think about it: Pittsburgh replaced Marian Hossa with two former Islander journeymen. Montreal's biggest signing was Georges Laraque. Philadelphia didn't do much. Boston signed an unproven kid (Blake Wheeler) and bought out a veteran who will end up in Hollywood (Glen Murray). Atlanta is horrible. Washington didn't do much either besides locking up their own players and getting worse in goal. The Devils signed two back-up goalies and one past-his-prime center (Bobby Holik) and one solid winger (Brian Rolston). But besides Tampa Bay, who has really improved? Nobody. Whoever lands Sundin automatically becomes a favorite... unless it's Toronto, who might never be good again.

A Quick Goodbye to Jaromir Jagr...

An alternate title to this could have been "How Radek Dvorak Turned Into the Best Player the Rangers Have Had in a Decade."

Radek Dvorak and Cory Cross (bad memories!) were traded to Edmonton for Anson Carter (and Ales Pisa, who never quite fit in the NHL). Ten months, 54 games, and 22 disappointing points later, Carter was dealt straight up for Jaromir Jagr. At first, I was angry at the trade, saying the Rangers didn't need another aging superstar.

Then, the decision was made to buyout Bobby Holik's contract the summer before the NHL re-started operations and to build the team around JJ. History was made.

Jagr's first and last games as a Ranger were bad. The first game happened in Ottawa and the Rangers lost 9-1, causing someone I was friends with at the time - who had no knowledge of hockey - to say, "What was that, baseball? I didn't know hockey scores got that high." Especially pre-lockout! (Hey, Jussi Markkanen and Jason LaBarbera were in goal that night.) His last game was Game 5 in Pittsburgh (fittingly), where the Rangers lost in overtime, 3-2. Also fittingly, he took two hooking penalties in the game.

I happened to be at the Garden for his first and last home games, as well. His first home game was against the Panthers, and the Rangers won 5-2. Jagr assisted on Brian Leetch's goal, then scored the game winner, then got an assist on Matthew Barnaby's empty-netter. One goal, two assists on his first night in NY. It was a great game in a dark season and it drew his first standing ovation from the Garden faithful. 

His last game at MSG was Game 4, where the Rangers shut-out Pittsburgh 3-0. This time, the statline was reversed. He had 2 goals - the game winner and an empty netter -  and 

assisted on Brandon Dubinsky's goal. He clapped at the crowd as we chanted "Jag-er! Jag-er!" (Editor's Note: Glen Sather must have forgotten about this game.) (Editor's Note 2: The "Re-sign Av'ry!" chants were also forgotten.)

Besides those 2 games, I was there in October 2006 when he was introduced as Captain, then scored 29 seconds into the game with a still-injured shoulder. I was there in March 2006 at the Nassau Coliseum when he had 4 first period assists (with one incorrectly given to his as a goal for a short time) to break Jean Ratelle's Rangers record for points. I was there in March 2007 when he scored in a shootout in the turning point of the season for the Rangers. If he didn't score, they would have lost, and he was getting heat for not participating in shootouts. So he came out, did a move, scored, and they wound up winning on a Marcel Hossa goal in the 4th round of a game there were down 2-0 with 9 minutes left.

Anyway, there's not much that I can say that hasn't been said by every newspaper and online outlet out there. Yes, he's a first-ballot Hall of Famer, but he was much more than that. He was an extremely nice and vulnerable man. He would sign autographs for every kid there was, but if there was an autograph hound looking for one to sell, he wouldn't sign a thing for him.

He got a bad rap from the crowd at the Garden when he slumped. He bought into Tom Renney's defense-first system, which severely hampered his goal-scoring. However, he was still a beast when he could. He played injured ever since 2005 with hip flexor problems, yet he never complained and he didn't miss one regular season game as a Ranger (his last full season before 05-06 was 95-96). He did miss one game as a Ranger, and that was Game 3 against the Devils in the 2006 playoffs. He came back for Game 4, but got crushed against the boards and couldn't return. 

He was a great Ranger in his time in New York. I remember during the lockout, he said that if he wasn't a Ranger, he wouldn't come back to the NHL. So it doesn't surprise me that he is playing in Russia this year instead of signing with another team in the NHL. But can you imagine if he signed in the Western Conference? With all that open ice, he could have put up another 100-point season.

I wish him luck in Russia, and wonder what Petr Prucha is going to do without him.

L-R: Mario Lemieux, Jagr, Mark Messier, Brendan Shanahan. 

Jagr and Shanahan being honored at MSG for scoring their 600th NHL goals.

My Rangers DVD Set...

Asked by Bryan to pick 10 games for a hypothetical NY Rangers DVD boxed set (essentially, a Top 10 Rangers games of all-time list), like yeast in dough, I rose to the occasion. Keep in mind, I was born in 1983, so anything before 1990 or so is based on what I have heard about, read about, or seen on TV. Tempted to only write about Ranger victories over the Islanders, my judgement caught up with me...

April 13, 1940 - NYR 3, Toronto 2, Overtime - Stanley Cup Finals, Game 6 - All-Star RW Bryan Hextall (he of 39 points in 48 games) scores in overtime to give the Rangers their 3rd Stanley Cup in just 14 seasons. Then, management burned the lease of MSG in the Cup, and the Rangers wouldn't win the Cup for another 54 years.

April 29, 1971 - NYR 3, Chicago 2, Triple Overtime - Semi-Finals, Game 6 - Pete Stemkowski scores in triple overtime to give the Rangers a Game 7 against the Blackhawks while at MSG. They wound up losing Game 7, but the game - and Stemkowski - are forever a part of Rangers's lore.

November 2, 1975 - Detroit 6, NYR 4 - Regular Season - The season before, Eddie Giacomin started less games than his partner, Gilles Villemure. In the off-season, Villemure was traded to Chicago. Giacomin lost his starting job to John Davidson, and in fact only played 4 games in blue before going to Detroit on waivers. Two days later, he returned, and when a Ranger scored on Eddie, they were boo-ed mercilessly. The Wings won the game, and Giacomin received a standing ovation.

May 8, 1979 - NYR 2, Islanders 1 - Semi-finals, Game 6 - The Islanders were the future, the Rangers an afterthought. However, in this series, John Davidson became a Rangers legend with his incredible play. Mike Lupica called the series "a gift" because of how good the hockey was. In a baseball town, it put hockey on the map and solidified JD's legacy in NY.

March 6, 1994 - NYR 5, NYI 4 - Regular Season - The Rangers hadn't won at the Coliseum since October of 1989. The night before, they tied 3-3 at MSG. With a young, chubby, 10-year old me at the game, the Rangers won on a Sergei Zubov power play goal with just over a minute remaining in the game. In this game, Mike Richter started, Glen Healy replaced him, and Richter replaced Healy later on. (By the way, Islanders goal scorers that night: Pierre Turgeon, Ben Hogue, Ray Ferraro, and Marty McInnis.)

May 27, 1994 - NYR 2, Devils 1 - Conference Finals, Game 7 - How was this not one of the best games - if not series - ever? Up 1-0 with 7.7 seconds left, Val Zelepukin scores for the Devils to bring it to overtime. If the Devils won in OT, the Rangers would still be cursed to this day. However, the Stanley Cup was their Destiny in 1994, and Stephane Matteau (he of the Tony Amonte deadline-day trade) scored his second double-OT goal of the series. Not only did this game cement his legacy in Rangers lore, it put Howie Rose's call on the list of greatest calls ever. By the way, Howie, there is no Mount Vancouver.

June 14, 1994 - NYR 3, Vancouver 2 - Stanley Cup Finals, Game 7 - What can be said about this that hasn't already been said? This was the apex of Ranger fandom and might be forever, regardless of how many Cups they wind up winning. After 54 years and a turbulent playoffs where they went 3-0 in elimination games, who else but Mark Messier scores the Cup-winning goal. Looking back, it was an amazing game, with all the stars scoring - Mess, Adam Graves, Brian Leetch, and Trevor Linden had the only 2 for the Canucks. Richter also played off the wall in this game, saving history for the Rangers.

March 31, 2004 - Buffalo 4, NYR 2 - Last home game of the regular season - Not wanting his last game to be on the road, Mark Messier played his final game - and scored his final goal, number 694 - at MSG, followed by a few victory laps and a lot of tears from him. A disappointing end to another disappointing season, the game was only remarkable because he scored a goal and was surrounded by Jaromir Jagr, Bobby Holik, and a bunch of people named Green, Green, Balej, Murray, Larose, and other names you won't care to remember.

October 5, 2005 - Rangers 5, Flyers 3 - Regular Season, First Game - I remember sitting on my couch, depressed, as the Flyers took a 3-1 lead in the first game since the lockout. Some dude named Jason Strudwick scored the Rangers goal early in the first, but the Rangers gave up 2 quick ones and another in the 2nd before Jamie Lundmark (boooo) scored. Then, Jaromir Jagr took over, scoring 2 power play goals 5 minutes apart, and Marcel Hossa scored a half-minute later to make it 5-3. Jagr's goals were a pre-cursor of things to come, as we have never seen a Ranger score so many points in all of their years.

This also marked a turning point for the franchise. No longer were they going to go down by a few goals and not fight to stay in the game. No longer were the superstars going to stand around and collect paychecks. This was a team made up of grinders, stars, and established vets who played with heart and soul, not to mention a superstar goalie waiting in the wings. To this day, I call the 2005-06 season a dream season.

April 4, 2006 - NYR 3, Flyers 2 - Regular Season - This was the game where the Rangers clinched the playoffs for the first time in 9 years, with starter-turned-back-up Kevin Weekes in net. The Rangers needed just one point to clinch the playoffs, so when Marty Straka scored in the third, we all felt it. The shootout win was just icing on the cake. This was a great, great moment that took the gorilla off of the Rangers' backs, and on top of that, the game itself was excellent. Of course, the Rangers would only win two more games until October, but this was a night of celebration, a night the Rangers fans hadn't seen since Wayne Gretzky was in blue and Jagr was still on his first team.

April 5, 2007 - NYR 3, Montreal 1 - Regular Season - The last home game of the season, and as per usual, Steven McDonald was there to give out his Extra Effort Award (Jed Ortmeyer won). He also fired up the crowd and the team, who needed a win to clinch the playoffs again. His speech went something along the lines of this...

"When I lay dying in my hospital bed after being shot, the NY Rangers came in and gave me a challenge: Live. Today, I give you the NY Rangers a challenge: Win."

The Rangers won on with goals from Petr Prucha, Jagr, and Marek Malik (!). And the Chili's to-go I had gave me stomach pains for about 12 days.

April 17, 2007 - NYR 7, Atlanta 0 - First round, Game 3 - The 06-07 season was mediocre at best, with the Rangers again finishing in 6th place, although they drew a weak opponent in Atlanta. Still, it was a good sign when the Rangers won both games down south, then came back to MSG and demolished the Thrashers, 7-0. Michael Nylander scored one in the first minute and ended up with a hat trick. Malik (!) scored, rookie Ryan Callahan scored 2 in the second, and seasoned-vet Brendan Shanahan scored as well. It was also Henrik Lundqvist's first postseason shutout, and proved the Rangers were to be taken seriously in the playoffs on the heels of being swept last year. (They were the only team to be swept in 2006 and the only team to sweep a series in 2007.) Oh, and I had Subway for dinner.

Okay, okay, so it's 12 games, but I wanted to include the 7-0 game and Messier's final stand just in case it's hard to come by footage from 1940.