FIVE YEARS AGO: April 14, 1994

For the last day of the regular season: team awards. Not surprisingly, Adam Graves wins just about everything possible: Team MVP, the Fan Club's Frank Boucher Trophy as most popular player, and, for the third time in his three seasons as a Ranger, the Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award.

Alexander Karpovtsev is, almost by default, the Fan Club's Rookie of the Year. And Black Ace Extraordinaire Eddie Olczyk is voted Player's Player by his teammates.

Oh yeah, they played a game: the regular season ends with a 2-2 tie against the homeward-bound Flyers, with Craig MacTavish scoring the tying goal. The Rangers shoot 54 times, which is, what, a week's worth today.

So, end season I (52-24-8). If they can find a way to win 16 games in Season II by mid-June before the NHL sends them home, they will give their fans the thrill of their lives. And if they can't, well, it'll just be another year of disappointment...

Mike (fill in the punchline -- the Fan Club has not awarded the Rookie of the Year since) Fornabaio -- mef17@oocities.com

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