The Battle of the Hudson is on. Newark and Manhattan are tied at one game apiece in the Eastern Conference finals.
Two nights ago, the Madison Square Garden crowd chanted "Marty, Marty". Buried in those two words was an attitude that Martin Brodeur was washed up, and could not beat King Henrik.
After all, on paper Lundquist has the upper hand, 0.937 vs 0.921 Sv%. Which means that over 100 goals, or about 25 games, Brodeur would let in 1.6 more goals. Big difference, eh?
Well, on Monday night, Lundquist pitched a no hitter, and the Rangers defeated the Devils 3-0 (although one of those goals was scored on an empty net). So, goalie to goalie, Henrik was +2.
Two nights later, the tables turned. MB30 did not need a shutout (he already has one this playoff season, and of course is the all time leader in playoff shutouts, with 24 under his belt, compared to Patrick Roy with a paltry 23, and King Henrik with only five). But the Devils prevailed 3-2; the series is now tied after two games in New York.
The Rangers have now played 16 post-season games, with a W-L record of 9-7. In comparison, the Devils are 9-5, having played two fewer games (or three, if you count the Rangers' triple OT marathon against the Washington Capitals). The Eastern conference is showing its parity and competitiveness, in comparison to the Western Conference. Los Angele's record right now is 10-1, and if playoff games take a toll on bodies, then the Kings have an edge over everyone at this point.
So what's the deal with 1940? As every Ranger fan knows, that's the year that the Blueshirts defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs, only to wait another 54 years for another Cup, by beating the New Jersey Devils and the Vancouver Canucks.
To Devils fans, the numbers 19-40 have a different meaning. 19 is the age when Marty Brodeur first played and won a playoff game in Madison Square Garden.
And, tonight, 40 is the age at which Marty has again won a playoff game on Ranger home ice.
No other goaltender in history has had this remarkable span of playoff success. Patrick Roy won more games, but only played NHL hockey from the age of 20 to 38. His success came from being part of two dominant teams of the era, the Montreal Canadiens (1985-1995) and the Colorado Avalanche (nee Quebec Nordiques, 1996-2003).
Of course, Marty still has 12 years to go, if he wants to catch the gray panther of hockey, Gordy Howe. Coming back out of retirement, Howe played with his sons on the Hartford Whalers (now the Carolina Hurricanes) until the ripe age of 52. In his last year with the Whale, #9 scored 15 goals. He referred to himself as "poetry in slow motion".
It is inconceivable that any modern player will be able to reach Howe's longevity and number of games. The game is faster and harder now, and with modern shot-blocking, bodies get hurt more and faster. Don't get me started on shot blocking - that's a subject for another post.
Two days from now, there will be chants of "Marty, Marty" at the Prudential Rock in Newark. The meaning will be different, coming from fans who have seen #30 play for over two decades.
Here's a guy who can still come up with playoff shutouts and wins. His team is in the thick of it, again, thanks to a goaltender that New York fans thought was washed up. All they have to do is look at the record, and at tonight's outcome. MB30 is alive and well. 19-40!
Hockey Rules!
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