A LIST: 25 Great Devils-Rangers Quotes Over the Years

Stan Fischler recounts the greatest quotes from throughout the history of the Devils-Rangers Hudson River Rivalry.
1. "I sang the Anthem at The Garden for 31 years and I can say that the 1994 Rangers-Devils series was hockey at its greatest. The most exciting time in my career." -MSG National Anthem singer John Amirante.
2. "I've been fired more times than Custer's pistol and Clint Eastwood's Magnum." -Devils coach Tom McVie after being replaced by Jacques Lemaire after the Rangers beat the Devils in 1993 playoffs.
3. "They were New York. We were New Jersey. They were established. We weren't. They were our biggest rival." -Bill Guerin before a Rangers-Devils game in 1992.

4. "If you were a Devil, especially in 1994, you were measured against the Rangers. Attendance was measured against the Rangers. Newspaper coverage. Television. This was the order of things between the rivals." -New York Daily News hockey reporter John Dellapina, now V.P. P.R. NHL.
5."Devils owner John McMullen hated the Rangers. He said that if I mentioned the Rangers on the radio, he'd fire me!" -Devils radio play-by-play man Larry Hirsch.
6."With an archive full of memorable games and moments between the Rangers and Devils, you have to ask yourself, 'What more can these teams do to each other?'" -Devils radio play-by-play man Matt Loughlin.
7. "After Adam Henrique scored the playoff-clinching goal in (2012) overtime against the Rangers, that was the fastest I've seen Marty Brodeur move. He came down the ice to celebrate. He loved beating Henrik Lundqvist and the Rangers." -Deb Placey, long-time Devils MSG Networks reporter, host.
8. "Only this time - after New Jersey beat New York in the 2012 playoffs - the Rangers didn't have Mark Messier to bail them out." -Matthew Blittner, author of Unforgettable Devils: Games & Moments From The Press Box, Ice & Front Office.
9. "The Rangers refused to go away." -New York Post columnist Larry Brooks, recalling the Devils' obstacle as they pursued their first playoff berth in the 1987-88 homestretch.
10. "The Devils were an annoyance at first, really. Nothing more." -WFAN radio host Joe Benigno, echoing the thoughts of Rangers fans when the Devils were young.
11. "We'd play the Rangers at our home rink and, forget it. We'd look around and say, 'This is more like a road game.'" -Devils forward Corey Millen talking about all the New York fans at Byrne Arena.
12. "Lou Lamoriello held everyone accountable in the Devils organization and success followed." -Rangers captain Mark Messier.
13. "There was a positive change in Jersey. The Devils got good goaltending, good defense and they're making it work." -Rangers forward Steve Larmer, prior to the 1994 Devils-Rangers playoff.
14. "With Jacques Lemaire behind our bench, we always felt we could win. He was the best coach I ever played for and nobody is in second place." -Bobby Holik, before the 1994 Rangers-Devils series.
15. "We knew, as a team, we were going to win every night. Of course, we didn't every night. But that was the feeling we had. We had Jacques Lemaire, the greatest goalie ever and the defense was unbelievable." -Devils center Bernie Nicholls, prior to 1994 playoff vs. Rangers.
16. "The Devils were dedicated, driven and dominant." -Author Tim Sullivan in his book, Battle on the Hudson - the Devils, the Rangers and the NHL's Greatest Series Ever.
17. "I cross-checked (Alexei) Kovalev. I did. But I didn't hurt him." -Bernie Nicholls after whacking the Rangers forward under the helmet at his neck. Kovalev fell backward, landed on his back and clutched his throat. There was no call on the play.
18. "I liked Mark Messier and Kevin Lowe (of the Rangers) well. They were instrumental with my development when I was growing up as a player in Edmonton and later during the summers." -Devils defenseman Ken Daneyko about playing against his "friends" on the Blueshirts.
19. "Kenny (Daneyko) worked hard with us during the summers. He really wanted it." -Rangers defenseman Kevin Lowe on his pal, Daneyko.
20. "Big series, big moment of the game and the thing with Marty Brodeur is that he has so much fun playing against the Rangers." -Devils defenseman Scott Niedermayer.
21. "Everyone talks about how unclassy I am but 'Fatso' (Martin Brodeur) over there forgot to shake my hand." -Rangers pest Sean Avery after a confrontation with the Devils goalie in March 2014.
22. "The new (Avery) rule states that it's illegal to stand in front of the goalie and wave the stick in his face." -The NHL's response to Sean Avery's stick-waving routine in March 2014.
23. "The Rangers series was tough; there were a lot of things going on, but in a series like that (1994) is where we really learned how to come together as a team." -Devils defenseman Scott Niedermayer, explaining how the1994 playoff with New York helped propel New Jersey to the Stanley Cup the following spring.
24. "You have to give credit to all those Devils guys who kept it going after we beat them in '94. They didn't sit around after that loss to us. They got right back up." -Rangers defenseman Brian Leetch on the Devils' comeback in the 1994-95 season.
25. "They score! Henrique! It's over!" -Doc Emrick, May 25, 2012. Devils beat Rangers in Game 6, double-overtime.