Just after the Maple Leafs’ second-round loss to the Panthers, the infinitely creative Sean McIndoe of The Athletic spoke out. Ranking all 29 of Toronto’s playoff losses Since the team’s return to the playoffs in 2017 after being sidelined nine times in the past ten seasons.
A few days later, Questions on the @nyrangersmuse Twitter account “Which game would change the outcome of any Rangers game in NHL history, and why?”
Multiple answers cited Lost 2-0 in Game 7 to the Lightning in the 2015 Conference Finals. Some numbers show that the Devils lost 3-2 in overtime in Game 6 of the 2012 conference finals. In Game 3 of 1975, disappointment was expressed after the Islanders scored a goal from JP Parisse at 0:11 in overtime to eliminate the qualifying.
In the second leg of the 1979 Cup final, the Rangers took a 2–0 lead after winning the opening game at the Montreal Forum, but lost 6–2 en route to a five-game losing streak. Some point to the Kings’ double overtime loss in Game 5 in the 2014 Finals, while the 1984 Game 5 saw the Islanders best of all by Kenny Morrow’s OT winner. Some pointed out that he was eliminated at 5.
Howie Rose survived Pete Stemkowski’s Game 6 triple overtime win to end the then-31-year drought for the Blueshirts in one of the events that resonated with older generations. Days later in the 1971 semifinals, he cited a Game 7 loss in Chicago.
lightning strike
Considering the answers Lost in 2015indeed, was memorable for completing perhaps the most impenetrable series in team history.
The Rangers scored a franchise-record 113 points (53-22-7) to win the Presidents Trophy in a season in which Henrik Lundqvist was sidelined for nearly two months with a bullet in the throat, giving the club points. became 18. -4-3 in his absence.
The Blueshirts beat the Penguins in five games in the first round. After that, they bounced back from 3 wins and 1 loss in the series, beat the capitalswhich won Games 5 and 7 of overtime at the Garden, with goals from Ryan McDonagh and Derek Stepan respectively.
The Rangers then defeated the Lightning at the Garden in the opening game of the conference finals. It seemed that the final advance for the second year in a row would be within a week.
It wasn’t.
The Rangers couldn’t win another home game. In the game against Tampa, he scored 17 points (5 points, 5 points, 7 points) in the 3rd, 4th and 6th games and won 2-1. In the following three games against MSG, he scored two goals and shut out the fifth and seventh games 2-0.
Incomprehensible trilogy
The only series to match it was the 1973 semifinals, which completed the Chicago trilogy, against the then-named Blackhawks.
After losing seven players in 1971 to two trigger-position goals on Bobby Hull’s faceoff (a Game 7 dagger was applied following Brad Park’s icing violation), the Blueshirts were 72 years old. He won the Hawks in 2009 and reached the climax with a gene shoot. Kerr’s Game 4 goal made the loudest noise ever heard in the building to this day.
Then, in a rematch in 1973 in Chicago, they won Game 1 4-1, but lost Game 2 5-4.
However, he scored three goals for the remainder of the series, scoring one each in Games 3 and 4 at MSG and Game 5 in Chicago, dropping the series in five games. It never made sense.
Just like 2015 will never make sense.
But Game 7 in 2015 wasn’t the game I would come from behind because Ryan McDonagh, Marc Stahl and Dan Girardi were all injured.
McDonagh probably wouldn’t have played in the finals against the Blackhawks after struggling the last three games against Tampa Bay with a broken leg.
Both Stahl and Girardi had foot problems and would have been severely damaged even if they played.
And the team wouldn’t be without Mats Zuccarello, who has been sidelined since the first-round finale with a fractured skull.
So I doubt the Rangers could have stayed in Chicago. Losing two straight finals would have been more disappointing than losing the conference finals. That’s why I wouldn’t have chosen this 7th game as a come-from-behind game.
The game I want you to come back to is…
I tended to follow Howie on this one. The pain of losing the 7th game in 1971 still remains. no kidding.
I don’t know if the Rangers could beat Ken Dryden and the Canadiens in the finals, but I would love to see it. Still, Hubbs and the rookie goaltender from Cornell had a Cinderella vibe. So it’s not my choice.
What I want back is the 1972 Boston Finals opener. In this game, the Rangers were trailing 5-1 at 10 minutes and 46 seconds into the second period.
I remember and still feel the wave of humiliation that was about to overwhelm the Blueshirts family. However, Rod Gilbert scored before the second period ended.
The Rangers then scored again and again and Bruce McGregor scored at 9:17 in the third period to make the game 5-5. The Blueshirts are miraculous comebacks to qualify for the cup just as the Canadiens overcame a 5-1 deficit to win Game 2 of the first-round series against the B’s a year ago. was aiming for 7-5 to 7 consecutive wins.
This was it.
Until it’s not.
Because at 17:44 Ace Bailey came — Tragically lost on UA flight 175 on 9/11 — defeated Eddie Giacomin on the short side to be the winner 6-5. The Rangers never fully recovered.
The Blueshirts lost Game 2 at home and won Game 3, but Park lost against Bobby Orr on Sunday afternoon at MSG.
Bobby Rousseau scored twice in the third period for the Rangers, who were leading the series 3-1, to overcome their 2-1 deficit and win 3-2 in Game 5 in Boston. escaped defeat.
The final came in the sixth round a few days later. Orr scored a 360 at the blue line against a powerless McGregor to beat Gilles Wilmeur and that was it. It was 3-0. Johnny Bussik and the hated Bs eventually slid through the Zamboni entrance with their cups. It was the first time in my life I had the Stanley Cup in front of me, and believe me when I say I hated every moment of it.
If Eddie made that save in Game 1…
If so.
They could have won the cup. The most popular team during the Emile Francis era would have won the cup.
i know it.
Here’s a match in franchise history where I’d love to reverse the outcome. First leg of the 1972 final.