Chris Kreider's natural hat trick to propel the the Rangers to the conference finals was awfully similar to what Mark Messier did back in 1994.
Chris Kreider's natural hat trick to propel the the Rangers to the conference finals was awfully similar to what Mark Messier did back in 1994.
Chris Kreider went from a New York Rangers’ great player to a legend after a historic Game 6 series clinching performance against the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday night.
In 1994, the Rangers were down 3-2 in their conference finals series against the New Jersey Devils. Rangers captain at the time and legendary forward Mark Messier guaranteed New York would win the game to fight off elimination.
It was known as the “Guarantee Game.”
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=do3fICIYCR0[/embed]
Despite the Devils taking a commanding 2-0 lead early on in the contest, the Rangers fought back. Messier scored a natural hat trick in the third period, which led the Rangers past the Devils and gave them the momentum they needed to win the Stanley Cup that year.
Fast forward 30 years later to May 16, 2024, where the Rangers were down 3-1 to the Hurricanes after 40 minutes of play.
For context, New York held a 3-0 series lead, but Carolina managed to win two consecutive games and were on the verge of a third.
During the second intermission Kreider said “I think I’m gonna get one.”
The 33-year-old forward stuck to his word and did a lot more than just get one goal. Awfully similar to the way Messier did it, Kreider scored a natural hat trick in the third period, propelling the Rangers to the conference finals.
He was a man on a mission in that final period. His determination to win and clutch genes are nothing new to his team.
“He took over the game,” Jacob Trouba said of Kreider. “A lot of guys in here call him ‘the Horse,’ and that’s what he is, and he took off in that period and took it over.”
It’s only fitting that Kreider was the one to accomplish this incredible feat. He’s been with the Rangers his entire NHL career since it all started in 2012.
Kreider bleeds blue and red. He is the perfect embodiment of what it means to represent the Rangers.
“That is just a monster third period,” coach Peter Laviolette said. “I mean, he put it on his back. He really delivered.”
There is still some business for New York to take care of before they can complete their quest of winning the Stanley Cup, but just like the team in 1994, this year’s version of the Rangers seems to have what it takes to go all the way to the promised land.