"Matteau! Matteau! Matteau!"
It was the radio call that shook the city. WFAN play-by-play announcer Howie Rose captured an iconic moment that has since been replayed countless times.
On this day in Rangers history, Stephane Matteau sensationally won Game 7 of the 1994 Eastern Conference Final in double overtime. Previously, Matteau served as the hero of Game 3. His double overtime goal earned the Rangers a 2-1 series lead.
Lightning would strike twice for Matteau and the Rangers. In Game 7, the scale was greater and the stakes were significantly higher. The frenzied pressure of sudden death double overtime forced dueling netminders Mike Richter and Martin Brodeur into game-saving stops.
Brodeur had kept the Devils alive by denying two Mark Messier chances on the doorstep. Moments later, Devils wing Stephane Richer uncorked a powerful drive that Richter couldn't glove. Bernie Nicholls and John MacLean crashed Richter's net – but No. 35 cleared the danger with a diving poke check.
Meanwhile, Matteau had been undergoing skate repairs in the Rangers' home dressing room and was late to join teammates on the bench. Matteau asked scratched forward Eddie Olczyk to kiss his stick blade for good luck. A joking Matteau told Olczyk: "I'll be back in five minutes with the winning goal."
Then, it happened. Matteau scored one of hockey's most historic goals at 4:24 of the second overtime period.
Devils defenseman Viacheslav Fetisov cleared the puck to the far corner. Matteau immediately darted to the puck, outracing a fleet-footed Scott Niedermayer. Having won the puck, Matteau circled behind the net and Niedermayer slashed, then hooked, the 6-foot-4 wing. Niedermayer's efforts failed to hinder Matteau's path to Brodeur's left post.
While prescouting, the Rangers had pinpointed a tendency of Brodeur's. When Brodeur moved from right-to-left to defend wraparounds, he would put his paddle down to guard the lower corner of his glove side.
Matteau put what appeared to be a tame shot on net. The puck trickled past Brodeur and The Garden crowd erupted in jubilation.
"Fetisov for the Devils, plays it cross-ice into the far corner," Rose began the famous call. "Matteau swoops in to intercept. Matteau behind the net, sweeps it in front – he scores! Matteau! Matteau! Matteau! Stephane Matteau and the Rangers have one more hill to climb, baby! It's Mount Vancouver. The Rangers are headed to the Finals!"
Jeff Beukeboom embraced Matteau and soon they were swarmed by ecstatic teammates. "Iron Mike" Keenan began hugging fans. The Garden roared with chants of: "Let's go, Rangers" and "We want the Cup" as Messier was presented with the Prince of Wales Trophy.
The call was replayed on the WFAN airwaves late into the night and long into the next day. Schoolchildren repeated it on the playground, as did grizzled workers on construction sites. Fans still mob Rose with their imitations 26 years later. You probably shouldn't go repeating it to Brodeur.
It's a call that is permanently embedded in the minds of New Yorkers. Matteau's goal and Rose's radio call will live on forever.
