A classic Henrik Lundqvist performance pushed the Rangers past the rival Philadelphia Flyers in a memorable Game 7 victory on this day in 2014.
The Rangers had hoped to finish off the Flyers on the road a day earlier – but a 5-2 defeat at Wells Fargo Center sent the first-round series back to Madison Square Garden for a deciding seventh game.
Typically, Lundqvist plays his best under the most intense of spotlights. In Game 7, he turned away 26 of 27 shots to help the Blueshirts earn a hard-fought 2-1 win.
"Coming home last night, I was so disappointed," Lundqvist said. "But at the same time, I was mad because we couldn't come up with a better performance. To play a Game 7 at home and to win, that was the inspiration. We played a really strong series. I think we were the better team. We pushed the pace almost every game. We definitely earned this one."
Daniel Carcillo, a former cult hero among Flyers fans, had become an unlikely goal-getter for the Rangers. His third period goal in Game 3 caused quite a stir when he banged his stick on the glass and posed with his arms aloft only to receive a double bird salute from the Philly faithful.
In Game 7, Carcillo rubbed further salt in the wound by scoring the game's opening goal at 3:06 of the second period. Mats Zuccarello sent a no-look, backhand pass that Carcillo tucked past Steve Mason. Head coach Alain Vigneault's decision to dress Carcillo and scratch J.T. Miller had paid off.
"When you're in, you try to do something to stay in, whether it be offensively or bring a lot of energy," Carcillo said. "That's just what I was trying to do every time I was in this series. To track it through two sets of legs and then to get decent wood on it and see it go in, is a good feeling."
Benoit Pouliot would double the Rangers' lead to 2-0 later in the period, finishing off a Derick Brassard feed. Pouliot, Brassard and Zuccarello struck up strong chemistry throughout the regular season and their success continued into the playoffs.
The Flyers got on the board at 4:32 of the third period when Jason Akeson threw a puck at net that deceived Lundqvist.
"You try not to think too much about the Game 7 situation, you try to focus on the things that's going to help you help the team – stopping the puck," Lundqvist said. "When they scored that goal, I knew it was going to be an intense game."
With the victory, Lundqvist improved his personal Game 7 record to 4-1. It was a record-setting night for the Blueshirts, who became the first NHL team to win a Game 7 in three consecutive years and the only NHL team to remain undefeated in home Game 7's – extending their record to 6-0.
Awaiting the Rangers in round two were the rival Pittsburgh Penguins, who had eliminated the Columbus Blue Jackets in the opening round. What unfolded was an emotional series that no one would forget.
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