sundays with stan
DEVILS-RANGERS, 1994 EASTERN FINAL
Part 5: The Devils' Offensive
Part 4: Ultra Suspenseful Game 3
Part 3: Can the Devils Do It Again!?
Part 2: Devils Upset Rangers in Game 1
Part 1: Prelude to the Historic Series
Nicholls not only starred just a game after his suspension, he infused even further faith in his mates that they could send the high-priced Rangers to assorted golf courses in either of the next two games.
"We didn't want to get cocky," insisted Bill Guerin, "or overconfident. We knew by now what we were up against."
The folks on the other side had repaired to their practice rink at Playland in suburban Rye, New York. They were very business-like. Many, such as the "Edmonton Rangers," had been in many tough situations before.
Center Mark Messier and defenseman Kevin Lowe in particular.
Minus Wayne Gretzky, the 1990 Oilers' conference victory over Chicago was paced by Messier. With his club down, two games to one, Mark called his skaters to three straight triumphs.
"Mark practically single-handedly won it for us," Lowe reiterated. "He was our captain for a reason - in Edmonton and now in New York."
In Rye, 'Mess' was doing his quiet thing; being Mess, talking it up when necessary and knowing full well what it was like to be behind the eight-ball.
As the press throng moved forward as a group, Mark halted them with his presence and faced the media music - and danced.
"We'll win!" was the name of his tune.
The lyrics went like this: "We know we're going to go in there (Meadowlands) and win Game 6 and bring it back to the Garden."
'Nuff said.
Well, not really. Messier's two-little-words; his deportment, his personamoved some reporters to ecstatic extremes. The New York Post's headline said it all: Captain Courageous' bold prediction: WE'LL WIN TONIGHT.
Other journalistic reports were more temperate; but they faded in the shade of the Post's bolder-than-bold type.
Some sports historians likened the Messier prediction-promise to Babe Ruth's World Series home plate arm point in the direction of his vowed home run. And then The Sultan of Swat delivered.
To this day, Messier's so-called "guarantee" remains debatable.
Skeptics argue that it was exaggerated by an eager media looking for a good headline-grabber.
The other side claims - with good reason and evidence - that Mess meant every word and message; and that's that. Case closed.
Or, as author Tim Sullivan, wrote in Battle On The Hudson, "Messier's pledge remains one of the most famous moments in NHL history."
Since I was on the other side - doing the TV end for the Devils' production - I recall a semi-serious reaction to the Messier message.
On the Rangers' broadcast side, Howie Rose allowed that he "wasn't optimistic at all."
One of the combatants who would have a big say in the matter was Martin Brodeur. Still a kid who nevertheless would be voted the Calder Memorial Trophy as rookie of the year, Marty was not making any predictions.
However, he wasn't conceding anything either.
Just in case, he reserved a pair of seats for his father, Denis, and his fiance, Melanie.
If he could deliver a sixth game win, Marty wanted those important people in his life there to see it.
For the first 30 minutes of Game 6, they would be delighted, watching what then was the game of their lives.
For Martin and the Devils, the top half of the match filled them with hope. They were at the very top of their game.
