January 1, 2012, sidebar feature on former New York Ranger Stephane Matteau for HockeyPrimeTime.com

Alumni Game like an exam to Matteau

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Written by Denis Gorman

Saturday, December 31, 2011 20:25

Stephane Matteau had not appeared in an NHL game in nearly a decade. So forgive the man who responsible for the most important goal in New York Rangers history for being nervous. PHILADELPHIA — Sitting in a folding chair in the bowels of Citizens Bank Park on Saturday afternoon, the man who scored the most important goal in New York Rangers history was anxious. He had not played in the National Hockey League since the 2002-03 season and although the match he was about to play was an Alumni Game, the nerves that are endemic to all athletes were very much alive. “Nervous,” Stephane Matteau said. “Nervous to play. Like an exam.” Matteau, who played 848 NHL games for the Calgary Flames, Chicago Blackhawks, St. Louis Blues, San Jose Sharks and Florida Panthers along with the Rangers, is forever remembered for his double overtime, series winning, wraparound goal in Game Seven of the 1993-94 Eastern Conference Finals. The Rangers acquired Matteau from Chicago to bolster what was the league’s best team. He played in 77 regular-season games between the two Original Six franchises and totaled 19 goals, 19 assists, 38 points, 57 penalty minutes and was plus-15. But it was in the playoffs when his addition was most acutely felt. Matteau played in the Rangers’ 23 playoff games accumulating six goals, three assists, nine points and 20 penalty minutes as New York won its first Cup in 54 years. He scored double-overtime game-winners in Games Three and Seven of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Devils, arguably the best playoff series in NHL history. “It was the most dramatic stretch of my career,” Matteau said. Yet initially Matteau wasn’t enthused about the trade. He was concerned that he would not play. Yet a meeting with Mike Keenan, the-then Rangers coach and Matteau’s coach in Chicago, St. Louis and Florida quelled his fears. “(The Rangers were) first overall (and) cruising. No one could go near them,” Matteau recalled. “Mike was there. We had a quick meeting. He said I was going to play with (Steve) Larmer and (Alex) Kovalev.” The Rangers finished that year with a league-best 112 points. They swept their suburban rival Islanders in the first round and dismissed Washington in five games in the second round. But the Devils, who were the league’s second best regular season team with 106 points, took a 3-2 series lead. Autopsies were being performed on the Rangers going into Game Six at the Continental Airlines Arena. The Devils took a 2-0 lead but the Rangers won the game, 4-2, to even the series at three games apiece. Mark Messier recorded a hat trick and assisted on Kovalev’s goal that cut New Jersey’s lead in half, 2-1. “Focused. Aware we could lose the series,” Matteau said of his team’s mindset going into the win-or-go-home game. “We had the best group of older players. (We were) smooth but focused.” Matteau retired after the 2002-03 season. He is now an assistant coach with the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. He mentioned L.A. Kings coach Darryl Sutter and league executive Colin Campbell as the assistants he attempts to emulate when teaching his players. “Respect the player. Tell him where he stands,” is Matteau’s philosophy as it pertains to communicating with players. “Be respectful but hard.” You can follow us on Twitter @HockeyPrimeTime (http://twitter.com/#!/hockeyprimetime) and @DenisGorman (http://twitter.com/#!/denisgorman) Photo by Getty Images

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