How the Rangers have fared in their 16 previous Game 7s
The Rangers' Stephane Matteau is embraced by teammates Glenn Anderson, Alexei Kovalev, and Jeff Beukeboom after his game-winning goal gave the Rangers a 3-2 win in double overtime over the Devils at Meadowlands Arena in East Rutherford, N.J., May 19, 1994. Credit: AP/Bill Kostroun
The Rangers will play the 17th Game 7 in franchise history – and second this month – against the Hurricanes on Monday night in Raleigh, North Carolina. They bring a 10-6 overall mark into the contest, though the Rangers are just 2-5 on the road. Here’s a look back:
April 2, 1939 – Bruins 2, Rangers 1 (3OT) at Boston: Mel Hill scores the OT winner in the semifinal series for the eventual Stanley Cup champion
April 23, 1950 – Red Wings 4, Rangers 3 (2OT) at Detroit: Future Ranger Pete Babando scores the Cup-winning goal and the Rangers wouldn’t return to the Cup Final until 1972
May 2, 1971 – Chicago 4, Rangers 2 at Chicago: The Rangers are eliminated in the semifinals three days after Pete Stemkowski’s triple-overtime winner in Game 6
May 5, 1974 – Flyers 4, Rangers 3 at Philadelphia: Gary Dornhoefer’s semifinal winner sends the Flyers on their way to the first of back-to-back Cups
May 1, 1992 – Rangers 8, Devils 4 at Madison Square Garden: The Rangers finally win a Game 7 in the division semifinals, though two years later would be much more dramatic
May 27, 1994 – Rangers 2, Devils 1 at MSG (2OT): “Mat-teau, Mat-teau, Mat-teau.”
June 14, 1994 – Rangers 3, Canucks 2 at MSG: The Rangers and Captain Mark Messier thwart the pesky Canucks from rallying from a 3-1 series deficit in the Cup Final, ending a 54-year title drought
April 28, 2009 – Capitals 2, Rangers 1 at Washington: John Tortorella’s first playoff series behind the Rangers’ bench ends with his team blowing a 3-1 series lead and includes the fiery coach being suspended for throwing a water bottle at a fan
April 26, 2012 – Rangers 2, Senators 1 at MSG: Defenseman Dan Girardi’s winner propels the Rangers in the conference quarterfinals
May 12, 2012 – Rangers 2, Capitals 1 at MSG: The Rangers win their second straight series in a Game 7. This time, it’s defenseman Michael Del Zotto with the series-winner
May 13, 2013 – Rangers 5, Capitals 0 at Washington: The conference quarterfinals – Tortorella’s last playoff series win with the team – marks the only time the Rangers have shut out their Game 7 opponent
April 30, 2014 – Rangers 2, Flyers 1 at MSG: Benoit Pouliot scores the first-round series winner as the teams alternate victories through all seven games
May 13, 2014 – Rangers 2, Penguins 1 at Pittsburgh: The Rangers, rallying around Martin St. Louis after his mother passes away, complete their comeback from a 3-1 series deficit in the second round with his buddy, Brad Richards, scoring the winner
May 13, 2015 – Rangers 2, Capitals 1 (OT) at MSG: The Rangers again rally from a 3-1 deficit in the second round as Derek Stepan scores the overtime winner
May 29, 2015 – Lightning 2, Rangers 0 at MSG: The Rangers are denied a second straight trip to the Cup Final after the Lightning had also blanked them at the Garden in Game 5 of the conference final
May 15, 2022 – Rangers 4, Penguins 3 (OT) at MSG: Artemi Panarin’s power-play wrister at 4:46 of overtime and Igor Shesterkin’s 42 saves cap the Rangers’ rally from a 3-1 series deficit in the first round
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
