Sullivan - Battle on the Hudson: the Devils, the Rangers, and the NHLs greatest series ever

Foreword by Stephane Matteau

All season long, I heard it from Mike Keenan: Matteau. Matteau. Matteau. And that was before that famous radio call about him. He just loved Stephane; he took him everywhere he coached. And I liked him, too. I remembered him from his draft year. But it sunk in for me, for sure. It became increasingly obvious to me that, at some point in the season, I was going to have to trade for Stephane Matteau.

Neil Smith, general manager, New York Rangers (19892000)

W hen I first heard the news that I had been traded from the Chicago Blackhawks to the New York Rangers in 1994, I was a little skeptical. The Rangers were first overall and were really cruising. It seemed like no one could get near them. They had goal scorers, great defensemen, terrific goaltendingthey had it all. It was their year. Everyone knew that.

So, when I got traded there, I was like, Well, they traded for me to be there just in case somebody gets hurt. Great.

That was the feeling I had on my way to Calgary. We were scheduled to play the Flames on my first night with the team, and I remember being so nervous when I got off the plane to meet my new teammates. But Mike Keenan was there waiting for me, a coach who knew me, and he knew where I might be able to fit in.

We had a quick meeting. I remember he said, Youre going to play with [Steve] Larmer and [Alexei] Kovalev. Which wasnt too bad, right? When I looked up at the bulletin board and saw my name a little bit later, I was like, This is going to be okay. Lets go to work. For hockey players, its a great feeling to look up at the board in the locker room, see your name, and know where youre going to play that night. Thats what its all about.

So, Mike put me on the second line, which I really appreciated, and I never moved from that line the rest of the season.

When we pulled the goalie late in that first game against Calgary, Mike put me out there and I scored a goal. What a feeling to be able to contribute to such a great team right away. The next night, still on the road, we played the Edmonton Oilers and I scored again, and everything settled in. I was fortunate to be around great players, and we all knew what the ultimate goal was.

There were times when things came easy for us in 94, but we knew those times were over when the New Jersey Devils showed up in the Eastern Conference Finals. They were big, strong, physical, tough in their own zone, and had great goaltending. No one in our roomno onetook that team lightly. And right off the bat, Stephane Richer scored for them in double overtime, and we lost Game 1 in Madison Square Garden. We knew right then and there that wed be in for a long and tough series.

From there, the whole series was a roller-coaster ride. Wed win, theyd win. The momentum swings in that series were unlike anything I had ever seen before. We were very focused against that team, because we knew how good they were. But they were better than us on some nights. Theres no doubt about it. The drama was unbelievable.

By the time we made it to Game 6, obviously, things had changed. We knew that if we slipped up just a little bit against those guys, wed lose the series and be out of the playoffs. On that morning of Game 6, it dawned on me that if we lost, wed be labeled the biggest chokers of all time, and wed be gone just like that. All of that work, the trades, the great season, all gone.

I tried not to think about the pressure. I didnt read the papers at all. Being a young player, I had to concentrate on the things I had to do. But thats what made that Rangers team so specialwe had an incredible group of older players who had been in all of those situations before, especially the guys from the Edmonton Oilers. And everything was smooth and focused, even during those tough times.

We never panicked. Never.

Things didnt start great for us in Game 6. We were down 20 after one period. We had to do something quick, and Mark Messiers line did it for us. He guaranteed the win, and away we went. Messier did it in that one, just like he did throughout the postseason.

Who knew that Id be the one to do it in the next game? Certainly not me. But to score two double-overtime goals, and three in the series overall, Id say that was a pretty good stretch for me. I will always feel fortunate for that. Its easily the most dramatic series and stretch of my career. I knew Id never match that feeling again, and that was okay, because I knew how important what we did was to New York and to the Rangers organization.

In Game 7, when I scored in double overtime to end it, people started calling me Mr. Overtime. Me? Mr. Overtime? Yeah, right. It took me 56 playoff games to score my next playoff goal! Seven years to finally score in the postseasonlet me tell you, thats a long time in hockey.

I didnt know [Devils goaltender] Marty [Brodeur] at the time. The Russian players have a bond in this league, and I think the French Canadian players do, too. That was our bond, and it was always professional. Marty was such a good goaltender that I knew hed bounce back from that. And he did.

As for the goal, yes, you always dream about how youre going to react in that moment. As a kid in the street, you always imagined your celebration, what you were going to do when given the chance. At any level of sports, anyone who wants to succeed thinks hes going to be the one to hit the winning home run in the World Series, or score the game-winning goal in the playoffs. And incredibly, thats what happened for me. The celebration wasnt scripted or planned. All I could think about was that I had a chance now we had a chance nowto play in the Stanley Cup Finals.

When I saw the puck going in the net so very slowly past Marty, I just started going, doing whatever, and was finally mobbed by the team. I will never forget it. To score the winner of such a classic series in Game 7, double overtimeI carry that memory with me every day in my coaching career.

To be an assistant coach now at the junior level is great for me. The Rangers helped me get to this point, but my whole NHL career helped, too. Being on six different NHL teams, I was able to play for a lot of coaches and see a lot of different management styles. I always show respect for the player and tell him where he stands. You cannot be afraid to tell a player, any player, that we need more when the time is right. Thats my job.

Sometimes I can be hard on the guys. Respectful, but hard. But the relationship I have with the players as an assistant coach is perfect. I love what I do, and I think the kids respect that. They know Ive been there and done that.

I would love to be an assistant coach somewhere in the NHL. Being a head coach is tough. Im way too nice for that. Right now, Im enjoying my junior career as an assistant coach. I love it, but if a team comes calling, Id think very hard about going back to the NHL.

No matter what happens, no matter where I go, I will never forget that 94 team, the bond we had, and the battles we won. The Devils series was such a classic, memorable series for everyone, especially the fans in the area, and I will always be appreciative of the chance I had to have an impact on it.

Looking back, who would have guessed that a French Canadian kid from Rouyn-Noranda would become an unsung hero for the Rangers in such a momentous year?

Im part of the past now. Im part of that tremendous series, and Ill never forget that. Ill always be grateful for that. It was great for me and my career. And I cannot thank the Rangers organization, the fans, and the staff enough for giving me that opportunity. It will never be forgotten.

When my son, Stefan, read this foreword and relived some of these memories with me, he was so excited. I just want to make it to the NHL, he told me. I cant wait. So, its amazing that five months after I wrote thisand 18 years since 1994Stefan was selected in the first round of the 2012 NHL Draft bythe New Jersey Devils. I suppose the Matteaus are destined to be a part of this rivalry forever.