30th anniversary of the 1986 NYR Playoff Run!

[Bluenote13]

This week marks the 30th Anniversary of the 1986 NYR's playoff run, one of the best in my lifetime.

The 86 Rangers barely snuck into the playoffs. A very inconsistent team, they went 6-10-4 in their last twenty. The Penguins just missed catching us at the end, we made the playoffs with 78 points. Pierre Larouche, our top goal scorer was sent to the minors that year because of his lazy play and attitude, then he was recalled and was like a different player.

In round one we faced the Flyers, Eastern Conference Champs two years running, finalists the year before, their run down the stretch was 14-4-3.

We beat them in a huge upset.

Next round was Washington, having their best year ever, 2nd in division and their streak at the end of the season was 24-8-3.

Again, we beat them in a huge upset, 6 games.


I think this Anniversary is a good Omen going into this years playoffs

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[Megustaelhockey]

Then came a scrawny kid from Quebec named Patrick Roy...

 

[Bluenote13]

Then came a scrawny kid from Quebec named Patrick Roy...

Yep, that's some timing there, screwed us.

To think, it was almost Hartford Whalers in the Conference finals with us that year. The Whalers hit the post in game 7 overtime, Claude Lemieux came right down and scored for the Habs.

 

[NickyFotiu]

This week marks the 30th Anniversary of the 1986 NYR's playoff run, one of the best in my lifetime.

The 86 Rangers barely snuck into the playoffs. A very inconsistent team, they went 6-10-4 in their last twenty. The Penguins just missed catching us at the end, we made the playoffs with 78 points. Pierre Larouche, our top goal scorer was sent to the minors that year because of his lazy play and attitude, then he was recalled and was like a different player.

In round one we faced the Flyers, Eastern Conference Champs two years running, finalists the year before, their run down the stretch was 14-4-3.

We beat them in a huge upset.

Next round was Washington, having their best year ever, 2nd in division and their streak at the end of the season was 24-8-3.

Again, we beat them in a huge upset, 6 games.


I think this Anniversary is a good Omen going into this years playoffs

I can not believe 30 years have gone by since then. That is shocking.

 

[True Blue]

One forgotten highlight, Bluenote. The McPhee Tocchet fight. One of the best fights in Ranger history, and a reason why George McPhee will always hold a special place in my heart.

 

[Bluenote13]

One forgotten highlight, Bluenote. The McPhee Tocchet fight. One of the best fights in Ranger history, and a reason why George McPhee will always hold a special place in my heart.

Oh absolutely and I didn't forget it I was just hoping someone would mention it so we can talk about it maybe somebody can throw up the video if that doesn't pump you up for the playoffs nothing does.

Tocchet was beating the snot out of everyone that year, McPhee gave him a beatin.

 

[Giacomin]

Great memories of that playoff run!

 

[True Blue]

Tocchet was beating the snot out of everyone that year, McPhee gave him a beatin.

That fight did not quite exercise the years of Broadstreet abuse like the Orr knockout of Fedoruk did, but it remains one of my favorite highlights.

People forget just how good Tocchet was (skilled and tough as nails). Or how relatively small McPhee was.

Pierre Larouche remains one of my all time Ranger favorites.

 

[NickyFotiu]

To be fair to Pierre, the coach had some issues with multiple vets (Beck, Pavelich, Huber, Maloney, Reijo Ruotsalainen, etc) on that team in only one season. Pav and Reijo quit the team. Pierre was sent to the minors before the season even started.

 

[NCRanger]

Beezer had the playoff run of a lifetime. The Flyers series was not a HUGE surprise. It was an upset, but the Rangers beating a superior Flyer team wasn't all that uncommon in the 80's.

The Washington series was pretty unbelievable with the comebacks, and the fact that the Capitals won Games 2 and 3 by huge margins.

Game 1 was 3-1 Washington late in the second period, and I think the Rangers scored a short-handed goal out of nothing, then tied it in the third. Brian MacLellan won it about 3 minutes into OT.

Capitals were winning Game 4 5-2 late in the second. Rangers rallied to tie it 5-5, and Bob Brooke won it quickly in OT.

Rangers dominated Game 5 in Landover on a Friday night. Kind of remember Don Maloney having a huge game.

I was at Game 6. I have never heard a louder arena.

My father always thought that the Ranger crowd got to Pete Peeters in Game 4 and that was the turning point of that series. Ranger crowds used to be merciless on opponent goaltenders. I don't think I've heard a Ranger crowd razz a goaltender in the past 15 or so years.

The Rangers led Game 1 of the Montreal series, 1-0 on a Willie Huber goal.

Will never forget the linesman picking James Patrick in OT of Game 3, when the Rangers were throwing everything they had at Roy. That pick led to a breakaway and goal, and series ender.

 

[Jackson Ranger]

One forgotten highlight, Bluenote. The McPhee Tocchet fight. One of the best fights in Ranger history, and a reason why George McPhee will always hold a special place in my heart.

I was at the game and the Garden was rocking after that fight. Tocchet and the Flyers had owned the Rangers for a long time and that fight and winning the series was the Rangers getting payback.

The Rangers made a lot of late season moves that year to get bigger for the playoffs. One was Brian MacLellan (and Wilf Paiement) who is now the GM of Washington.

 

[NCRanger]

To be fair to Pierre, the coach had some issues with multiple vets (Beck, Pavelich, Huber, Maloney, Reijo Ruotsalainen, etc) on that team in only one season. Pav and Reijo quit the team. Pierre was sent to the minors before the season even started.

Ruotsalainen didn't quit.

Pavelich did.

Mike Rogers was another one that was sent to the minors and quit.

 

[JanErixon20]

This week marks the 30th Anniversary of the 1986 NYR's playoff run, one of the best in my lifetime.

The 86 Rangers barely snuck into the playoffs. A very inconsistent team, they went 6-10-4 in their last twenty. The Penguins just missed catching us at the end, we made the playoffs with 78 points. Pierre Larouche, our top goal scorer was sent to the minors that year because of his lazy play and attitude, then he was recalled and was like a different player.

In round one we faced the Flyers, Eastern Conference Champs two years running, finalists the year before, their run down the stretch was 14-4-3.

We beat them in a huge upset.

Next round was Washington, having their best year ever, 2nd in division and their streak at the end of the season was 24-8-3.

Again, we beat them in a huge upset, 6 games.


I think this Anniversary is a good Omen going into this years playoffs

One of my favorite Ranger teams of all time. Bob Brooke was my guy on that team, #13. The game 5 win in Philly was an all-time win for me. Lots of memories of that spring. I remember going to the Isles/Caps game 3 (my buddy was a huge Isles fan and had tickets), Caps sweeping, and then coming home for game 3 of Rangers/Flyers. That's the game Keenan called a timeout and threw the whole team off the bench.

 

[SingnBluesOnBroadway]

What stands out to me, in hindsight, was how young that team was on the whole. Greschner was really the only regular who was over 30 (and he was 30). Larouche turned 30 during the season.

But guys like Tomas Sandtrom, James Patrick, Beezer and Mike Ridley were all under the age of 22. Even Don Maloney, who I always considered to be old, was only 26.

 

[NickyFotiu]

Ruotsalainen didn't quit.

Pavelich did.

Mike Rogers was another one that was sent to the minors and quit.

Reijo did quit. Reijo loved to skate so he did not like the style of play he was forced in to playing in 1985/86. He did not get along with the coach. He also wanted a 1 year contract so he could become a free agent after the 87 season. When we were not willing to give him a one year deal Reijo left to play overseas.

 

[NCRanger]

Reijo did quit. Reijo loved to skate so he did not like the style of play he was forced in to playing in 1985/86. He did not get along with the coach. He also wanted a 1 year contract so he could become a free agent after the 87 season. When we were not willing to give him a one year deal Reijo left to play overseas.

He quit after the season. I thought you were referring to during the season like Pavelich. My bad.

 

[JanErixon20]

Reijo did quit. Reijo loved to skate so he did not like the style of play he was forced in to playing in 1985/86. He did not get along with the coach. He also wanted a 1 year contract so he could become a free agent after the 87 season. When we were not willing to give him a one year deal Reijo left to play overseas.

He was on team in the playoffs, for sure.

 

[NickyFotiu]

He quit after the season. I thought you were referring to during the season like Pavelich. My bad.

I understand. I should have been more clear in my post. Reijo did not like the coach or the style of play but he did last through that 1986 season. He just refused to come back unless it was on a short 1 year deal. We wanted him back but did not want to do only a 1 year deal.

 

[NickyFotiu]

He was on team in the playoffs, for sure.

Yes he played in 1985-86 but decided to play overseas in 87 because we would not give him a 1 year contract. We wanted him to sign a longer contract. He actually came back in 87 to play in the playoffs for the Oilers. I should have been more clear. My memory is not the best.

 

[JanErixon20]

Yes he played in 1985-86 but decided to play overseas in 87 because we would not give him a 1 year contract. We wanted him to sign a longer contract. He actually came back in 87 to play in the playoffs for the Oilers. I should have been more clear. My memory is not the best.

Yeah, I remember him on the Oilers. Won two Cups I believe.

Fast skater with a big shot. Fit right in on that team.

 

[NickyFotiu]

Yeah, I remember him on the Oilers. Won two Cups I believe.

Fast skater with a big shot. Fit right in on that team.

He also had one of the prettiest backhands I have ever seen. He was known for that big point shot but on breakaways he sometimes roofed that backhand just under the crossbar. Pretty cool how somebody Reijo's size got so much velocity on his slap shot. I loved the Beck/Reijo defensive pairing. He sure was a pretty skater.

 

[Mickaleen]

To be fair to Pierre, the coach had some issues with multiple vets (Beck, Pavelich, Huber, Maloney, Reijo Ruotsalainen, etc) on that team in only one season. Pav and Reijo quit the team. Pierre was sent to the minors before the season even started.

Not to hijack, but I had the pleasure of skating with Pav at Miracle on Ice Fantasy Camp last week. Amazing experience.

 

[SingnBluesOnBroadway]

Fast skater with a big shot.

Just not accurate.

 

[NickyFotiu]

Not to hijack, but I had the pleasure of skating with Pav at Miracle on Ice Fantasy Camp last week. Amazing experience.

I'm super jealous. I was a big Pav fan. I know he has had some hard times. How did he seem? Is he doing okay?

 

[Mickaleen]

I'm super jealous. I was a big Pav fan. I know he has had some hard times. How did he seem? Is he doing okay?

Very shy, doesn't talk much, especially about hockey, but he seemed good. Told us he hadn't picked up a stick in 15 years, then went out on the ice and was absolutely mesmerizing. His skating, puckhandling and vision was amazing to see up close.