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1994 STANLEY CUP FINALS: GAME 7 {NEW YORK RANGERS VS. VANCOUVER CANUCKS} (TV)

Summary

The seventh game of the 1994 Stanley Cup championship series between the New York Rangers and the Vancouver Canucks. Al Trautwig hosts this pregame show from New York's Madison Square Garden. Highlights include the following: comments from Ranger captain Mark Messier; Ranger coach Mike Keenan's firm denial that he is going to leave New York for the Detroit Red Wings following the season; a look at the Canucks secret weapon -- a hyperbaric chamber in their Vancouver training facility which allows the players to breathe pure oxygen; a "Cat Chat" segment in which former goaltender Emile Francis comments on the game; and a Bruce Beck interview with several Rangers' fanatics -- including a longtime Garden staple known as "Fuzzy" -- about the showdown. Prior to the game, vocalist John Amirante attempts to sing the Canadian and American national anthems; his voice is overwhelmed, however, by the frenzied Garden fans' chants of "Let's Go Ran-gers!" The first period offers crisp, hard-checking action as the Rangers jump to a 2-0 advantage on a goal by defenseman Brian Leetch and and a power-play goal by Adam Graves.

The Rangers' Glenn Anderson misses part of the period after a slashing stick cuts his face and injures his nose. Following the first period, Al Trautwig interviews Scott North and Phil Pritchard -- the "keepers of the Cup" -- who comment on the Cup presentation which will follow the game. Trautwig also interviews former Ranger Ron Duguay and one-time NHL official Bill "The Big Whistle" Chadwick, who comment on the game thus far. The second period sees Vancouver narrow the New York lead to 2-1 on a goal by Trevor Linden. The "Broadway Blues" are dealt a further blow as defenseman Jeff Beukeboom returns to the locker room with a leg injury. As 12:01 remains in the second period, the Rangers lead the Canucks 2-1. By the end of the period, the Rangers have extended their lead to 3-1 as Messier is given credit for a goal on a Ranger power play, when the puck deflects off a Canuck defender into the net. Following the second period, Trautwig interviews former Ranger player and general manager Francis, and former players Dave Maloney and Ulf Nilsson. The third period begins as Canucks captain Linden scores his second goal of the game to reduce the Canucks deficit to one goal. The rest of the period consists of furious offensive sequences at both ends of the ice, several near-goals which carom off the posts, and many great saves by Rangers goalie Mike Richter. There is no further scoring as the Rangers win the game 3-2 and capture the Stanley Cup for the first time in fifty-four years. A wild celebration begins as raucous Ranger fans chant "We Want the Cup!"

Postgame highlights include the following: NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman awards the Conn Smythe MVP trophy to Ranger defenseman Leetch; Bettman presents the Stanley Cup to team captain Messier; Messier and the Rangers skate around the ice before their jubilant fans with the Cup aloft; footage of the exterior of Madison Square Garden, where exuberant, shirtless fans dive from atop taxi stand kiosks onto the welter of celebrants gathered below; and the fans inside the Garden retire the derogatory chant "19-40!" as they repeat one final chorus, in celebration rather than disappointment. In addition to comments from announcers Rosen and Davidson, Trautwig conducts postgame locker room interviews with general manager Neil Smith, coach Keenan and most of the Ranger players. Smith sums up the mood of the victorious organization when he refers to the champagne he has sipped from Lord Stanley's Cup as the "sweetest nectar I've ever tasted." Rosen, Davidson, and Trautwig then wrap up the coverage from New York's Madison Square Garden. Highlights include the following: Rosen asserts that the Stanley Cup is the toughest team sports championship to win and credits the New York players with being "really good guys"; Davidson comments on how hockey's future will be affected by this game; Trautwig refers to the game as "surreal, a blur"; and Beck interviews former Ranger head coach and current Vancouver assistant Ron Smith on his feelings about the game's outcome. The program concludes with a replay of Rosen's call as the Rangers finally win the Cup. Commercials deleted.

(This program is a live feed of the broadcast. During regular commercial breaks, audio and video coverage remains at the Garden; the microphones pick up the off-air comments of the broadcasters, technicians and guests.)

This selection from the Alan Gerry Cable Collection has been made available by the Gerry Foundation, Inc.

Details

  • NETWORK: MSG
  • DATE: June 14, 1994 Tuesday 7:30 PM
  • RUNNING TIME: 4:06:55
  • COLOR/B&W: Color
  • CATALOG ID: T:35080
  • GENRE: Sports
  • SUBJECT HEADING: Hockey; Sports; Stanley Cup - 1994
  • SERIES RUN: MSG - TV, 1994
  • COMMERCIALS: N/A

CREDITS

  • Michael McCarthy … Executive Producer
  • Joe Whelan … Producer
  • Frank DiGraci … Associate Producer
  • Bob Lewis … Director
  • Al Trautwig … Host
  • Sam Rosen … Announcer
  • John Davidson … Announcer
  • Bruce Beck … Reporter
  • Al Trautwig … Reporter
  • John Amirante … Performer
  • Emile "The Cat" Francis … Guest
  • Scott North … Guest
  • Phiol Pritchard … Guest
  • Ron Duguay … Guest
  • Bill "The Big Whistle" Chadwick … Guest
  • Dave Maloney … Guest
  • Ulf Nilsson … Guest
  • Ron Smith … Guest
  • Glenn Anderson
  • Gary Bettman
  • Jeff Beukeboom
  • Adam Graves
  • Mike Keenan
  • Brian Leetch
  • Trevor Linden
  • Mark Messier
  • Mike Richter
  • Neil Smith
  • Conn Smythe
  • Frederick Arthur Stanley (See also: Lord Stanley of Preston)
  • New York Rangers (hockey team)
  • Vancouver Canucks (hockey team)