What was the most heartbreaking end to our season of the Henrik era? (06-17)

[SeanAveryTheGreatOne]

There are a lot of positive vibes right now as we lead the ECF, and everyone knows that's bad juju, so I want to reverse-jinx us a bit by revisiting the heartbreak of the last two decades.


I hate to say it, but as a Lundqvist fanboy, I actually think about this question a lot, and there are a lot of valid choices (TBL Conference Final loss with our strongestt eam ever, losing the last spot in the last game in a shootout to the Flyers who then went to the Finals, etc.)

For me, it's actually the 2017 loss to the Senators.

1. It was a good 102-point season after a brutal exit the year before
2. We knew it was the last shot the King had at a ring with NYR
3. The stars aligned. Despite coming in fourth in the division, we got the best playoff bracket possible, avoiding the sharktank filled with the Penguins, Capitals, and BJs and got to play in the Atlantic where we were arguably the best team
4. We lost to a Sens team that was much worse than the Habs we beat
5. The Pens were very beatable in that Conference final

What do you think? Apologies if this thread has been made before. I didn't see it in search r esults.

Click to read more...

 

[Rangerfan4life90]

2014 Cup finals. Ultimately, we came that far just to lose out. Have to vote for that one.

 

[cwede]

'12, '14, '15 all sucked because NYR teams were good
'10, '17 were bad, but they got what they'd earned
The other seasons don't stay with me as much

 

[jniklast]

I think from the type of "ending" 07 was the worst despite it being only game 5: 7.7 seconds away from a good shot at the ECF, beating the "scary good"™ Sabres. First time after the dark ages that the team had done some damage in the playoffs. We'd probably lose to Ottawa (and certainly to the Ducks) had we advanced, but to me that was the most "heartbreaking", due to the sudden nature.

2014 was more of a gradual heartbreak wasting those two goal leads and losing in OT, but overall it obviously hurt more, because it was the SCF.

 

[LokiDog]

It’s hard not to go with the Cup loss to LA, but for me, the conference finals loss to NJ sticks out more. The net mouth scramble and such a crappy goal to win it. That was our year.

 

[Crease]

Devils in the ECF for me.

The loss to the Kings felt inevitable all series, so not as painful.

 

[Leonardo87]

2012 ECF loss against the Devils for me.

 

[McRanger92]

'12 sucked because it was the first "real" chance at a Cup, but playing that Tortorella style when he only trusted 4.5 defenseman throughout the playoffs. They also couldn't buy a goal due to Gaborik's shoulder injury. The loss being to NJ makes it tougher to swallow.

'14 for obvious reasons was crushing, they felt like a team of destiny but they didn't know how to finish off games in the Cup Final. Cant expect to win when you blow leads in 3 of 4 losses. This one obviously hurt the most.

'15 was their best team but the injures finally caught up to them. McD/Staal/Girardi/Yandle were all injured to various degrees, Zucc was done and Marty was pretty much useless. Im not sure they wouldve even beaten Chicago in the Final.

'17 was nowhere near their best team, but it was low key the easiest road they wouldve had. Vigneault cost them the series against Ottawa with his idiotic player usage. OTT took PIT to a Game 7 OT before losing, Hank wouldve had that series over in 6 if AV wasnt so married to turtling and playing the corpses of Girardi and Staal to protect leads

 

[Jabroni]

2014 Cup Final for sure, but I'd like to put an Honorable Mention to 2007 vs. the Sabres. That team had some good firepower: Jagr, Nylander, Straka, Shanahan. Also had the onboarding of Sean Avery and Ryan Callahan. Prucha still had a solid season. Roszival had some nice one-timers still going from the blue line.

If it wasn't for the 7.7 second Chris Drury tying goal, they go up 3-2 in that series and I think that team gets to the Conference Finals. The game 6 at MSG was a crazy back and forth game and I thought they could've won that as well. It was also my second year as a fan so seeing them win the first round and go toe to toe with the Sabres was fun but the loss sticks with me.

 

[Blue Blooded]

I think 14 and 15 are pretty close in the moment they happened. SCF is of course much higher stakes, but it's still G5 vs G7 and we had destroyed Tampa in G6 so G7 was such a letdown. Though considering how close the games were in the SCF it was frustrating, but it was somehow more of the same.

But in hindsight I think 2013 almost was the biggest missed opportunity. I still maintain that post-deadline it was probably the best NYR team of that era. However so were our rivals' and we were destroyed by injuries in the playoffs despite putting together an insanely deep team at the deadline. The loss against Boston was just disappointing though, not heartbreaking, and the Caps series already saw our dominant 5v5 play from the regular season evaporate so you had a bad feeling already going into it.

 

[Idlerlee]

2015 for me. That year felt so right, and then heartbreak at the most unfortunate injury. The LA SC final was always a uphill struggle and it never felt like we were that close the entire series

 

[SeanAveryTheGreatOne]

2014 Cup Final for sure, but I'd like to put an Honorable Mention to 2007 vs. the Sabres. That team had some good firepower: Jagr, Nylander, Straka, Shanahan. Also had the onboarding of Sean Avery and Ryan Callahan. Prucha still had a solid season. Roszival had some nice one-timers still going from the blue line.

If it wasn't for the 7.7 second Chris Drury tying goal, they go up 3-2 in that series and I think that team gets to the Conference Finals. The game 6 at MSG was a crazy back and forth game and I thought they could've won that as well. It was also my second year as a fan so seeing them win the first round and go toe to toe with the Sabres was fun but the loss sticks with me.

Yes that is a fantastic pick. Really looked like we had a Cinderlla run going until that goal after sweeping the Thrashers.

On the bright side, Drury's ability to end NYR's chances of winning the Cup made him irresistible to Sather, who immediately overpaid him with a long contract. Sorry, had to.

 

[Blue Blooded]

Somehow didn't think it was included in the poll at first since it wasn't in the playoffs, but the 2010 SO loss is an underrated pick.

The team was awful, but the playoff push was so much fun and for it to end like it did and then the Flyers going to the SCF was extremely painful (though we wouldn't have had any chance of getting out of the 1st round even). Never forget Prust-Anisimov-Shelley.

 

[Megustaelhockey]

The worst thing is making it all the way to the end and losing. Every **reasonable** fan wants the team to take at least one step forward every year, but when there are no steps left to take short of winning the cup and you don't do it, that sucks.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

2012.

Had Slats actually focused on improving the team instead of keying in on Nash at that deadline, we would have walked by NJ.... Only to lose to LA in the finals.

2015 was tough too.

 

[McRanger92]

2012.

Had Slats actually focused on improving the team instead of keying in on Nash at that deadline, we would have walked by NJ.... Only to lose to LA in the finals.

2015 was tough too.

Good point on the 2012 deadline. That team was desperate for another top 4 D-man and all we got was John Scott

 

[RosensRug]

2012 and 2014 are a coin flip for me.

That 2012 team could have beaten Ottawa and Washington in less than 7 if the team made a move for a D man at the deadline or if Sauer just wore his chinstrap correctly. I think having a bit more gas in the tank gets them by NJ in the east final than who knows what happens vs LA in the final.

2014 everything just stings more because it was the final. If that same series played out in the second round it would be an incredibly annoying way to lose with all the OTL and blown multi goal leads. But given that it was in the final everything is magnified so much.

 

[SML2]

For me the most heart breaking end was getting knocked out of the bubble. Henrik last game was a loss suffered with no fans in the building, in silence. The man deserved his moment and it was never given.

 

[Rangerfan4life90]

2012 and 2014 are a coin flip for me.

That 2012 team could have beaten Ottawa and Washington in less than 7 if the team made a move for a D man at the deadline or if Sauer just wore his chinstrap correctly. I think having a bit more gas in the tank gets them by NJ in the east final than who knows what happens vs LA in the final.

2014 everything just stings more because it was the final. If that same series played out in the second round it would be an incredibly annoying way to lose with all the OTL and blown multi goal leads. But given that it was in the final everything is magnified so much.

Nobody was beating the Kings in 2012. That team was legit on a mission of any hockey team I've ever seen in the playoffs I think. They completely steamrolled any and every opponent.

 

[HatTrick Swayze]

Voted for Tampa '15 because that felt like the nail in the coffin for that era.

2014 was brutal but I had hope they would be back.

 

[GENESISPuck94]

2014 Cup Final.

LA only ever had a lead in one of the games (game 3). We had the lead in every other game. 3 of the games went to OT. 2 of them 2OT.

We could have won. I don't buy the bullshit "Kings were better" narrative. They had better luck and Vigneault couldn't help himself forcing our guys to turtle with a lead. And that's how I'll always remember Vigneault and why he's one of my least favorite Rangers coaches. Guy had no guts. He forced our team to turtle with leads.

We hit the post several times in OT. We could have won that series.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

2015, game 7. We should have won the cup that year . Injuries did us in.

 

[I Eat Crow]

Has to be 2014-2015 for me.

President's trophy during the regular season in spite of Lundqvist being injured half the year and Talbot holding serve in his absence.

Steamrolling Pittsburgh in round one, followed by yet another come from behind series win in the second round against Washington.

Then proceeding to lose in 7 at home in the conference finals to a Tampa team that was really beatable. Chicago despite their Cup win that year was really beatable and the Rangers would have matched up really well against them, I think.

Going out and getting Yandle for the run and paying a small fortune to acquire him to put this team over the top.

I don't know. That just felt like the year and the Rangers squandered it. The 2013-14 run was amazing and pretty unexpected, and with that, expectations for 2014-2015 were much higher. Despite leading in three of the four losses in that series, I never felt like the Rangers were "in it" against LA. They were just an awful match up for that Rangers team.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

How could this be anything other than the lost SCF?

2nd would be losing to Tampa in game 7 of the ECF.

 

[mas0764]

2014 Cup finals. Ultimately, we came that far just to lose out. Have to vote for that one.

Yeah, and Henrik slinking over when the final goal went in is a lasting image of defeat and despair.

We were close. So close. I know everyone will look back on that series and think we got trounced, but we lost two games in double OT and another in OT.

We could have had that series with just the slightest amount of puck luck.

Losing to Tampa 1-0 the following year was heartbreaking too, but we hadn't made it as far, even though I bet we are favored to win against the Blackhawks had we advanced.

The Devils in 2012 is the only other possible answer but we weren't really ready and the Kings probably beat us that year like they beat the Devils.