Blueshirt Banter Roundtable: Looking Back At Best Moments of The Decade

With the decade coming to an end, we put together a roundtable to look back at the top New York Rangers and hockey moments from the last ten years.

Top New York Rangers’ Goal of the Decade

Dominic Moore’s Game 6 Game-Winning Goal

Selected by Kevin

The Rangers reaching the Stanley Cup Final in 2014 was a top moment for the franchise over the last decade, but how did they get there? A game-winning goal from Dominic Moore, in his second stint in New York, helped send them there.

With a 3-1 series lead, Montreal rebounded in Game 5 to win by a score of 7-4. In Game 6, Henrik Lundqvist was perfect, and the one goal of the game came from the Rangers’ depth. Brian Boyle sent the pass to Moore, who scored what became the game-winning and series-clinching goal.

Derek Stepan’s Game 7 Overtime Winner

Selected by Tom, Adam, Bryan, and Matt

After defeating the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-1 in their opening series of the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Rangers took on the Washington Capitals in their fifth meeting in the playoffs in seven years. The Rangers went down 3-1 in the series, but rallied with a win in overtime in Game 5 when Ryan McDonagh scored to keep their postseason going. A 4-3 regulation win in Game 6 tied the series. Then came Game 7.

Tied 1-1, the Rangers and Capitals went to overtime, and Derek Stepan was the hero with the game-winning goal that sent New York to the Eastern Conference Final for the second consecutive season.

Marty St. Louis’ Mother’s Day Goal

Selected by Mike, Joe, and Shayna

The Rangers were trailing the Penguins 3-1 in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. During that series, Martin St. Louis’ mother passed away. The veteran winger remained in the lineup, as the team rallied around him; they won Game 5 to return home to Madison Square Garden.

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There, with his father and sister in the stands, on Mother’s Day, St. Louis scored his first goal since April 22, as he helped the Rangers force a Game 7.

Marty St. Louis’ Game 4 Overtime Game-Winner

Selected by Jack

The Rangers won three consecutive games to battle back against the Penguins, and move on to the Eastern Conference Final where they faced off against the Montreal Canadiens.

In Game 4, during an emotional playoff run for St. Louis and the Rangers, he scored the game-winning goal in overtime after rookie Dustin Tokarski robbed him numerous times in regulation. The Game 4 victory gave them a 3-1 series lead in the Eastern Conference Final.

Top New York Rangers’ Moment of the Decade

Marty St. Louis’ Mother’s Day Goal

Selected by Bryan

Go scroll up and feel all of the things again.

Game 7 win versus Pittsburgh in 2014

Selected by Jack

Down 3-1 in the second round against the Penguins, the Rangers started with a 5-1 win in Game 5, before taking Game 6 by a score of 3-1 and forcing a Game 7.

Even in the series, it all came down to Game 7. Boyle opened the scoring in the first. Jussi Jokinen tied the game in the second, and Brad Richards pulled the Rangers ahead minutes later on the power play, for what became the game-winner. Two goals and 35 saves later, the Rangers completed the comeback and were on to the Eastern Conference Final.

Game 6 of the 2014 Eastern Conference Final

Selected by Tom, Adam, Joe, Kevin, Matt, and Shayna

The Rangers’ 2014 Stanley Cup run was emotional before they even reached Montreal, as they had to come back from a 3-1 deficit in Round 2, and rally around their teammate St. Louis. They reached the Eastern Conference Final, where two years earlier they fell to the New Jersey Devils.

With a 3-1 series lead, they lost 7-4 to Montreal as Rene Bourque scored a hat trick and had some words about Lundqvist after the game.

That brings us to Game 6, where the Rangers had their second chance to close out the series. Lundqvist stopped all 18 shots he faced, Boyle set up Moore for what became the game-winner in the second period, and the Rangers won the series to reach the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in 20 years.

Henrik Lundqvist’s 40-save performance vs. Los Angeles in the Stanley Cup Final

Selected by Mike

Facing elimination and the Los Angeles Kings winning the Stanley Cup, the Rangers leaned on Lundqvist to keep their playoff hopes alive in Game 4 with a 40-save performance, including a 15-save third period. It also marked Lundqvist’s eighth straight home win on Madison Square Garden ice when facing elimination — over that eight-game streak he stopped 243 of the 251 shots he faced.

Top Hockey Moment of the Decade

Mike: The St. Louis Blues going from worst in the league to Stanley Cup win — their first, which was 51 years in the making.

Tom: “Penguins winning second of back-to-back cups, in the salary cap era, and the first team to do so since 97-98 Red Wings.”

Adam, Joe, and Bryan: The expansion Vegas Golden Knights making the Stanley Cup Final in their first season.

Kevin: Team North America. “Everything about it was what hockey should be.”

Matt: 2010 Gold Medal Game between Team USA and Team Canada.

Jack: June 29, 2016 — Taylor Hall was traded for Adam Larsson in a one-for-one trade, as was P.K. Subban for Shea Weber. And, Steven Stamkos signed an extension to remain with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Shayna: Team USA’s Olympic win over Team Canada in PyeongChang for their first gold medal in 20 years, since Nagano in 1998.