As you'd expect from one of the greatest playoff performers of all time, Mark Messier wills his team away from a 2-0 series deficit. And he basically gets it done all on the first shift of Game 2.
Messier sends Scott Stevens flying in the corner to the right of Martin Brodeur in the first 45 seconds, and he follows it up moments later by forcing Ken Daneyko into a turnover. Then, trying to clear the zone, Claude Lemieux is forced by Glenn Anderson into a turnover, and Messier takes the puck off the endboards and backhands it by Brodeur at 1:13 of the first period.
And that's just the first shift.
It takes another 40 minutes for the Rangers to score again, but the Rangers have established their game, and keep the pressure on, outshooting New Jersey 41-16 for the game: 11-5 in the first, 14-6 in the second, and 16-5 in the third. Three third-period goals (Sarge Nemchinov, Anderson, Adam Graves on the power play) give the Rangers a 4-0 win, evening the series 1-1.
Messier, incidentally, would do some other big things in this series. But what day is this, anyway?
NJD 0 0 0--0
NYR 1 0 3--4
(Series tied, 1-1)
Goals: NY--Messier, Nemchinov, Anderson, Graves. Assists: NY--Leetch 2,
Noonan, Messier. Goalies: NJ--Brodeur (40 shots-36 saves), Terreri (1-1);
NY--Richter (16-16). Power plays: NJ--0 of 3; NY--1 of 5.
Mike ("Have I said something amiss?" -- George Harrison) Fornabaio -- mef17@oocities.com
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