New Yorkers have been talking for weeks about the similarities between this Rangers Stanley Cup chase and the one in 1994 which ended the franchise’s 54-year curse.
From the Rangers winning the Presidents’ Trophy to the Knicks making a concurrent title charge to an earthquake, an eclipse and O.J. Simpson in the headlines, people were already starting to take notice. The Rangers’ 6-0 start to the postseason has only added more fodder to this fun discussion.
Let’s have a look:
Behind the bench
In 1994, the Rangers had a first-year coach in veteran Mike Keenan, who previously had led the Flyers to the Stanley Cup Finals. Before this season, Peter Laviolette came on board.
He also had taken Philadelphia to the finals and lost.
There goes the sun
On May 10, 1994, an annular solar eclipse was visible across a swath of North America. On April 8 of this year, a total solar eclipse followed a similar path including Western New York.
Kaboom!
Parts of the tristate area were shaken by a 4.6-magnitude earthquake centered in Berks County, Pa., on Jan. 16, 1994.
This year on April 5, a 4.8-magnitude quake erupted in Tewksbury Township, N.J.
Go New York Go!
Much like the Rangers won the Presidents’ Trophy for owning the best record in the NHL in both years, the Knicks entered the playoffs as the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference each time. A few of the postseason opponents also have been repeats. The Rangers defeated the Capitals in five games in the second round in 1994 and swept them in the first round this year. The Knicks beat the Pacers in seven games in the Eastern Conference Finals back then and are facing Indiana again now.
Run, O.J., Run!
June 17, 1994 began with the Rangers’ parade up the Canyon of Heroes and concluded with the Knicks beating the Rockets 91-84 at MSG to take a 3-2 lead in the NBA Finals.
The day is remembered best for O.J. Simpson’s white Bronco police chase and subsequent televised arrest in the driveway of his home in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles.
Simpson died from cancer on April 10, 2024 at age 76.
Rocking the Garden
This spring’s hockey-hoops festivities at MSG already have one-upped those of 30 years ago.
Tuesday will end a run of four consecutive days of Rangers-Knicks-Rangers-Knicks.
In 1994, three days was the longest streak, occurring twice.
The concurrent league schedules help here, as in 1994 the NHL playoffs began and ended about a week earlier than the NBA.
Six-shooters
The Rangers’ 6-0 start to the playoffs matches that of the Mark Messier team, which made it seven in a row before finally losing in Game 4 of the second round in Washington.
Now, the Captain is talking about it all on ESPN’s studio show.
On the double
Vincent Trocheck’s Game 2 winner in the second overtime on Tuesday night (right) matched the feat of Stephane Matteau in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Devils at the Meadowlands.
Same type of shot, too — a whack at a loose puck through traffic. Of course, “Matteau, Matteau, Matteau” would have another, more famous double-OT moment later in that postseason.
That one left the Rangers with, as Howie Rose famously announced, “One more hill to climb, baby, but it’s Mount Vancouver.”
There actually is a Mount Vancouver in Alaska, a thousand miles northwest of the Canadian NHL city.
Something to keep in mind with a Stanley Cup Finals rematch with the Canucks still looming as a possibility.
