Brodeur last man left from '94 war

Enlarge Image

Martin Brodeur (CP)

GREENBURGH, N.Y. -- It's been 18 years since Stephane Matteau forever etched his name into hockey history with a wraparound goal that launched the New York Rangers-New Jersey Devils rivalry well beyond just a common border war.

Matteau ended Game 7 of the 1994 Eastern Conference finals with an unlikely goal in double overtime, beating goalie Martin Brodeur and the Devils and sending the Rangers toward the final step of ending a 54-year Stanley Cup curse.

The intensity and animosity has only grown over the past two decades. The Devils recovered well from the disappointment of losing such an important series to their so-called "big brothers," and went on to win the Stanley Cup three times between 1995 and 2003, with another finals loss mixed in.

The Rangers haven't come close to matching that run of success. This is New York's first appearance in the conference finals since 1997 -- a 4-1 series loss to Philadelphia.

Most of the names have changed from that landmark series back in 1994. Brodeur is the only player from either team to still be in the NHL, and he is still the cornerstone of the New Jersey club that will face the Rangers in this year's East finals that open tonight at Madison Square Garden.

No, there won't be any "Matt-eau, Matt-eau, Matt-eau" calls in this one. But that doesn't mean a similar situation won't occur in another dramatic Game 7, and a name such as "Kovy, Kovy" in a Devils win or "Cally, Cally" for the Rangers will instantly become as big a part of the rivalry lore.

Brodeur is excited to be at the centre of it again.

"I guess it's kind of amazing when you look at the amount of years in between the two series," he said Sunday. "A lot of things have changed since '94, as far as the media is concerned.

"I expect it to be just the same for the guys. They have to just enjoy the moment. This is a great time in everybody's lives, and we need to really take it all in. You never know when you're going to get back in the situation that you're going to play for a chance to go to the Stanley Cup finals. Playing against our biggest rival, kind of puts a cherry on top."

The names have certainly changed, but the intensity hasn't between these Atlantic Division rivals. During the regular season, the teams split six games. The most recent meeting on March 19 was the most memorable as it began with the clubs' enforcers on the ice and led to three fights right off the opening faceoff.

A repeat of that is unlikely, but feistiness and nastiness is almost a guarantee between these defensive-minded teams that value each and every goal, and know that any one could be the difference between a win and a loss.

"I think it's going to be physical," Rangers captain Ryan Callahan said. "Both teams like to play that style. They've been chippy games every time we played them in the regular season. I don't see that changing.

"At the same time you have to make sure you're disciplined, don't get too emotional out there. I'm sure you're not going to see guys fighting on an opening faceoff, but it's going to be intense."

New York coach John Tortorella made it clear Saturday night after the Rangers secured their place in the conference finals that he wasn't going to be sucked into any hoopla surrounding this juicy matchup.

"You guys can make your stories about the Devils-Rangers, and I know you're going to do it in the next couple weeks. Don't include me in it," Tortorella said. "We are going to worry about the New York Rangers."

Which is plenty.

Devils coach Peter DeBoer, who drew the ire of Tortorella because of the lineup he started back in March, left practice early on Sunday because he wasn't feeling well. But he was healthy enough to provide his thoughts on a conference call with reporters.

He said he watched the Rangers-Capitals finale, and did so without a rooting interest. Only seven points separated the top-seeded Rangers from the sixth-seeded Devils in the regular season.

"For me, it was a pick-your-poison type situation," the first-year Devils coach said. "I really think that there's a reason that there's only four teams left, and they're all very good.

"I am excited it's the Rangers. Anybody that coaches or plays wants to play your main rival in this type of situation. I don't think it gets any better than that. We're very excited that we'll get an opportunity at the best team in the Eastern Conference. They have the most points, and we're going to throw our best at them and see if it's good enough."

Close, tight games seem to be in store, just as it was in 1994 when Matteau's goal gave the Rangers a 2-1 victory. Three of those seven games went to double overtime back then, and two of those were won off Matteau's stick. The other, Game 1, was won with a Stephane Richer goal for New Jersey at Madison Square Garden.

All told, that 1994 series featured 27 periods of hockey, two suspensions, and a promise from New York captain Mark Messier that turned into "The Guarantee" of a Game 6 win. He delivered on it, the Rangers rallied from a 3-2 series deficit and a 2-0 hole in Game 6 itself, and went on to win the Stanley Cup two weeks later.

-- The Associated Press

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition May 14, 2012 C2