Ranger fans sweated their way through the Stanley Cup Finals in 1994, worrying and wondering whether their team could possibly win its first Stanley Cup in 54 long years. Well, our new research indicates that sweating wasn't necessary -- it was foretold in two instants in the Eastern Conference Finals. Not only did a pair of goals announce that the curse was over, they also pointed out the approximate time the goal that won the Cup would be scored.
Stephane Matteau became the first player in history to score two double-overtime goals in one playoff series when he beat the New Jersey Devils twice in the Eastern Conference Finals.
But it is the second of those two double-OT goals that is particularly intriguing (and OK, it's heavily manipulated, but hey, in case you didn't realize, I'm being sarcastic), because it predicted the date and time of the Cup win. The actual time of Matteau's goal was about a quarter to midnight, but when the Garden game clock stopped after Matteau's wraparound that sent Howie Rose off on the call of his life, it read "15:36," which meant the goal was Matteau from Tikkanen at 4:24.
That number is crucial. Four-hundred-twenty-four hours after Matteau's goal brings us to about 3:45 p.m. on June 14, 1994.
That night at 8 p.m., Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals was played. Neat enough, but look at this.
Matteau wore number 32, the sum of which (numerology, doncha know) is...
Matteau from Tikkanen at 4:24 means 32 (10) 4:24. Add that up, and you get 46:24. That takes you to approximately 9:35 p.m.
Mark Messier's Stanley Cup winning goal was scored at 14:42 of the second period, which was probably just about 9:35 p.m. EDT.
No shivering, now.
What does that mean? I'm reminded of Dark Helmet's response to Lonestar's question of "What does that make us?"
A: "Absolutely nothing."
But in the meantime, it's kinda fun, no?
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