If Rangers fans were looking for another example similar to the team’s winning record in 1994, they found it Thursday night.
The Rangers had a dramatic victory over the Hurricanes in the second round of the playoffs, winning seven straight and now 7-0 in the postseason, a feat they haven’t accomplished since reaching the Stanley Cup 30 years ago. It is. .
This magical run culminated in the Blueshirts winning their first Stanley Cup in 54 years, and the Knicks also reaching the NBA Finals, but the latter fell short of New York City’s second championship of the year. Ta.
That year, the Rangers swept the rival Islanders in four games in the first round and won the first three games of their second round series against the Capitals.
Washington managed to win Game 4, forcing a final game and the Rangers winning Game 5 at the Garden, 4-3.
For MSG, where the first two games of each series are played in midtown Manhattan, the similarities between the 1994 Knicks and Rangers teams have been hard to ignore this past week.
However, the Rangers don’t want to have to play the Hurricanes for more than four games, as they enter Game 4 with a 3-0 record and a chance to clinch a ticket to the Eastern Conference Finals early. thinking.
Thursday’s victory made NHL history as the Rangers became the first team to start the playoffs with a 7-0 record since the 2008 Penguins reached the 2008 Stanley Cup Final.
A perfect start to the playoffs appeared to be in jeopardy Thursday night when Andrei Svechnikov scored with 1:36 left in regulation, forcing overtime.
But Artemi Panarin was the hero, beating Pyotr Kochetkov 1 minute, 42 seconds into overtime to lead the Rangers to victory.
