Rangers Sweep Series

Well, if you are a fan of the New York Rangers, you must be pretty pleased about now. While all the other National Hockey league teams that made the playoffs are still playing, the Rangers get some needed time off. That's because they swept the Atlanta Thrashers in the first round of the playoffs. Now that is something they should be proud of, and they can certainly enjoy their day off while the rest of the teams are still playing. However, the worst thing that can happen is for them to forget just how difficult it is to win the Stanley Cup.

In 1994, the Rangers won the cup in one of the most exciting series ever. After two bruising rounds where they triumphed, the Rangers made it to the Conference Finals against cross town rivals, the New Jersey Devils. The Devils had some of the best players in the league and soon were within one win of sending the Rangers home. That's when Rangers Captain Mark Messier told the press that he personally guaranteed that they would win game six and bring the series back to Madison Square Garden. It is very rare for professional athletes to boldly predict a win. The chance to look foolish if you can't deliver the goods deters most from making such predictions. How would we all remember Joe Namath if the Jets had lost that Super Bowl.

Anyway, Messier tells his team and the world that they will beat the Devils the next day. He then scores three goals by himself to lock up the victory. That's right, three goals in a playoff game. So not only did he have the guts to make the prediction, it is clear that his extra effort made the prediction come true.

Of course, the Rangers were not done. In the final series, they again had to play a game seven. Leading by one goal, they faced a furious onslaught from the Vancouver Canucks. During the last minute, Rangers' fans around the world held their breaths. Yet as the clock went down to zero, the Cup was in the Ranger's hands.

Fellas, if you want to win the Cup again this year, you are going to have to work harder than you ever have in your life. Let's see what happens in Round Two.