This was early in the 1994-95 season, when the Devils were in Buffalo for the first time since losing an unforgettable first-round 1-0 quadruple-overtime Game 6 to Dominik Hasek, before defeating the Sabres at the Meadowlands two nights later in Game 7.
Following the morning skate, New Jersey defenseman Bruce Driver was asked what he remembered particularly about Game 6. Did he talk about Hasek, who had made 70 saves in the game? Did he talk about Martin Brodeur, who had made 49 saves? Did he talk about how it felt to be on the ice until 1:52 a.m., when Dave Hannan scored the goal to end it?
No, he did not.
Instead, Driver started talking about Mark Messier. Started talking about Mike Richter. About Alex Kovalev.
Started talking about the “We’ll Win Tonight” Game.
Of course he did.
And when he was interrupted, when the fellow who had asked the original question then said, “No, not that one, the one here [in Buffalo],” Driver said, “Well, you said Game 6.”
It is the one that is larger than life, Game 6 of the epochal 1994 conference finals at the Meadowlands in which a day after issuing the most famous guarantee in pro sports history this side of Joe Willie Namath (Patrick Ewing’s “See you on Sunday,” does not quite make the cut), Messier recorded a hat trick to defeat the Devils 4-2 and thus save the Blueshirts from extinction.
Two nights later, there was the “Matteau, Matteau, Matteau” Game 7 then three weeks later, there was the Rangers riding up the Canyon of Heroes with the Stanley Cup to celebrate.
All made possible by the mythical Game 6.
There was to be another Game 6 at the Garden on Saturday, this one representing the opportunity for the Rangers to clinch their first-round series against the Canadiens following consecutive victories including Thursday’s Game 5, a 3-2 overtime affair in Montreal.
It came three years after another Game 6 at the Garden between the Blueshirts and Habs — the 1-0 Eastern Conference final clincher in which Dominic Moore scored late in the second period, Henrik Lundqvist stopped all 18 shots that he faced, and balloons fell from the pinwheel ceiling as the Rangers advanced to the Cup finals, which they would lose in five games to Los Angeles.
Game 6 does not connote the magic of Game 7 — no one, after all, calls Washington’s Justin Williams, “Mr. Game 6”— but it does connote a sense of urgency. By definition, one team is on the verge of clinching and the other is on the precipice of elimination.
“I’d say we have every right to be urgent,” Alain Vigneault said following the morning skate, and when the coach used the word, “right,” he most surely also meant, “obligation,” for opportunities lost can turn into series lost.
“It’s a mindset,” said Lundqvist, 7-2 in potential clinchers at the Garden. “You have to keep your focus on doing the things necessary to get you the result, and not on the result itself. You have to match their urgency.
“We’ve been here before.”
Yes, but …
“But that’s the past,” he said. “You have to stay in the moment.”
But Game 6 produces moments.
Game 6 is Lundqvist’s helicopter save against Thomas Vanek, when the goaltender twirled across the crease to bat away the Montreal winger’s try from in front to keep the match scoreless in the second period in 2014.
Game 6 is the ball trickling, trickling … behind the bag and getting by Buckner at Shea.
Game 6 is Pete Stemkowski scoring at 1:29 of triple overtime against the Blackhawks at the Garden on April 29, 1971 to send the Rangers to Chicago for Game 7 of the Cup semifinals, where the postseason journey would end for Emile Francis’ team, 4-2.
Game Six is about life and death.
“We have a great chance here,” said Lundqvist, who went into Saturday with a 1.56 GAA and .942 save percentage in his seven potential MSG clinchers. “But we’re going to have to be at our best. That starts with your preparation.”
Game 6 is about opportunity.
Simply ask Bruce Driver.
But wait, you don’t even have to.