NHL '94 "Game of the Night" Devils @ Rangers "1994 Eastern Conference Finals 05/15/94 game 1.

Eastern Conference final (1) New York Rangers vs. (3) New Jersey Devils This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with New York winning the only previous series. They last met in the 1992 Patrick Division Semifinals, which New York won in seven games. New York made their third Semifinals/Conference Final appearance since the league began using a 16-team or greater playoff format in 1980. They were defeated in five games by the Montreal Canadiens in their most recent Conference Finals appearance in 1986. New Jersey made their second appearance in the Conference Final. Their most recent appearance was in the 1988 Prince of Wales Conference Final, which New Jersey lost against the Boston Bruins in seven games. New York won all six games in this year's regular season series. With a minute remaining in game one at Madison Square Garden, New York was leading 3–2. However, Devils forward Claude Lemieux tied the game on a scramble in front of New York goaltender Mike Richter. The Devils went on to win the game on Stephane Richer's breakaway goal at 15:23 of the second overtime. The Rangers evened the series winning game two in a 4–0 shutout. The series then turned to the Meadowlands in East Rutherford, New Jersey, for games three and four. Like game one, game three went into double overtime but this time it was New York who won 3–2 on Stephane Matteau's goal at 6:13 of the second overtime period. The Devils won game four by a final score of 3–1 and evened the series at 2–2. The Devils took the series lead with a 4–1 win at Madison Square Garden in game five. Despite the fact that his team trailed in the series 3–2, Rangers captain Mark Messier made a highly publicized guarantee that New York would win game six. After trailing New Jersey by a score of 2–1 after two periods Messier himself scored a third-period hat trick to rally the Rangers to a 4–2 victory. Rangers coach Mike Keenan said of the guarantee, "Mark was sending a message to his teammates that he believed together we could win. He put on an amazing performance to make sure it happened."[6] Game seven played at Madison Square Garden, was a goaltending battle between New Jersey's Martin Brodeur and New York's Mike Richter. Brian Leetch gave the Rangers a 1–0 lead in the second period. Richter shut out the Devils for over 59 minutes before conceding a goal to Devils forward Valeri Zelepukin with just 7.7 seconds remaining in regulation. The two teams played into double overtime for the third time in the series and for the second time in the series it was Stephane Matteau who scored the game winner. Matteau scored on a wrap-around at 4:24 of the second overtime period as the Rangers won the game 2–1 and the series 4–3. Many consider this one of the greatest hockey playoff series of all time.[7] May 15 New Jersey Devils 4–3 2OT New York Rangers Madison Square Garden Recap May 17 New Jersey Devils 0–4 New York Rangers Madison Square Garden Recap May 19 New York Rangers 3–2 2OT New Jersey Devils Brendan Byrne Arena Recap May 21 New York Rangers 1–3 New Jersey Devils Brendan Byrne Arena Recap May 23 New Jersey Devils 4–1 New York Rangers Madison Square Garden Recap May 25 New York Rangers 4–2 New Jersey Devils Brendan Byrne Arena Recap May 27 New Jersey Devils 1–2 2OT New York Rangers Madison Square Garden Recap New York won series 4–3