New York Rangers
From ArticleWorld
The New York Rangers are a National Hockey League Team affiliated with New York City, New York and play at Madison Square Garden. They were founded in 1926. Their main rivals are the New Jersey Devils, the Philadelphia Flyers and the New York Islanders. Their team colors are red, white and blue and they currently have 3 jersey styles. The Rangers are credited as being one of the “original six” hockey teams in the NHL.
Beginning
The franchise was awarded to Tex Rickard in 1926 and Tex recruited Conn Smythe to assemble the team. Unfortunately, things with Smythe did not work out and Lester Patrick took over the team. The beginning of the franchise was up and down. The Rangers would win and lose with no real rhythm. In the 1940’s the Rangers crumpled. They would lose games by crater-sized margins. They missed the playoffs five straight seasons. They finally won their third Stanley Cup in the 1939-1940 season. They would wait 54 years before they won another.
1993-1994 season
In the early ‘90’s the Rangers picked up Mark Messier and Adam Graves moved to the team from the Oiler’s. Sergei Zubov was a rookie who led the team in points with 89 and Brian Leetch was an unmatchable defenseman. The stage was set and the Rangers performed. They received the President’s Trophy for the best regular season record in the NHL and were set to face their rivals, the New York Islanders, in the playoffs. The Islanders were no match for the skill the Rangers sent out onto the ice. They were swept in four games. The next round matched the Rangers up with the Washington Capitals. They, too, were defeated, this time in five games. The road then took them the Conference Finals and the New Jersey Devils. After a game five loss, Mark Messier confidently guaranteed a game six win. In game six Messier scored a hat trick in the third period and the Rangers won. The Rangers won game seven when Matteau scored in overtime. At the Stanley Cup Finals, the Rangers played the Vancouver Canucks. They wont he trophy at home and Mark Messier was the first Rangers captain to carry the trophy on Ranger ice. In addition, Brian Leetch was the first American player to with the Conn Smythe trophy.