Ranking the Top Moments of 2014 for the New York Rangers

The year 2014 was a great one for the New York Rangers. The Broadway Blueshirts made history by making it to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in 20 years, and despite coming up short, it was a season full of amazing moments and memories.

Along the way, the Rangers were down and out, but they found a way to come back and surprise the doubters. Alain Vigneault made a huge impact during his first season behind the bench, and he took the team to new heights that he will try to live up to in future seasons.

The year 2014 from January to the present has featured a ton of action, and here are the "elite eight" moments of the past year.

8. Dan Carcillo Trolls the Fans of Philadelphia

April 22, 2014

The New York Rangers added noted pest Dan Carcillo during the 2013-14 season. His tenure as a Blueshirt was short-lived, but, boy, was it memorable. "Car Bomb" erupted a number of times during his stint on Broadway, but his biggest impact came against his former team during the playoffs.

The Rangers were in the midst of Game 3 against the Flyers, and Carcillo scored a backbreaking goal to put the game out of reach. He then celebrated in front of the Philly faithful, and it was just a very funny and memorable moment for all.

7. Rangers Rout Devils in Stadium Series Game

January 26, 2014

On January 26, hockey came to Yankee Stadium II, the House that George Steinbrenner built. The game was one of the first of the newly created NHL Stadium Series, a concept that was a spinoff of the NHL's Winter Classic.

Early on it looked like it would be a historic moment the Rangers would want to forget, but everything changed after the ice was resurfaced for the second period. Although the Rangers trailed early 3-1 against their cross-river rivals, they went on to score six unanswered goals during the 7-3 win over the New Jersey Devils.

The Rangers went on to complete the Yankee Stadium sweep against the New York Islanders, but the first game is more memorable because of the comeback made by the Blueshirts.

6. Rick Nash Records First Hat Trick of Rangers Career

December 23, 2014

The majority of the New York Ranger moments from 2014 took place during the 2013-14 season, but this moment took place this season.

Rick Nash has been a clutch player for the Rangers during the regular season, and he has scored 70 goals in 143 games with the Blueshirts. On December 23 versus the Washington Capitals, Nash picked up goals 21, 22 and 23, and it was his first hat trick as a Ranger.

He was awarded the hat trick on Christmas Eve, as his third goal was originally credited to Martin St. Louis. Nash has been the Rangers' best player in 2014-15, and the hat trick was a great moment for him and the team.

5. Henrik Lundqvist Makes History for New York Rangers

March 19, 2014 and March 22, 2014 

Henrik Lundqvist made history for the Rangers on multiple occasions in 2014, and it makes sense to pool his two major accomplishments together. Lundqvist picked up win No. 302 during a crazy game vs. the Ottawa Senators and shut out No. 50 against the New Jersey Devils.

There is no question that Lundqvist will go down as the greatest goaltender in Rangers history once his career is over, but reaching these two milestones will only further cement his chances of having his No. 30 hang from the Garden rafters once he hangs up his skates for good.

4. New York Rangers Complete Comeback vs. Penguins

May 13, 2014

The New York Rangers successfully completed their comeback vs. the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Eastern Conference semifinals and advanced to the Eastern Conference Final for the second time in three years.

The Blueshirts initially trailed 3-1 but won three games in a row to send the Penguins packing. The game was tied at 1 in the second period, and Brad Richards scored the series-clinching goal after a nice setup by longtime teammate Martin St. Louis.

The Penguins were deflated after the goal, and the result of this game led to the firing of general manager Ray Shero and head coach Dan Bylsma.

3. Martin St. Louis Records Overtime Winner vs. Montreal Canadiens in Game 4

May 25, 2014

Martin St. Louis was one of the Rangers' best players during the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and he really turned it on as a player during the Blueshirts series vs. Montreal. St. Louis was still reeling from the loss of his mother, but he scored one of the most memorable goals in recent memory in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Final this past spring.

The Rangers were in a pivotal Game 4, and a loss would have resulted in a 2-2 series tie that could have given the Canadiens a chance to get back into the series at the Bell Centre. A win would put the aforementioned Habs on the brink, and that is exactly what St. Louis did.

Marty practices the same shot over and over during practice and warm-ups, and when he skated down to his spot, I knew the game was over before the puck hit the back of the net. St. Louis scored on this shot 99 out of 100 times, and he still would have scored even if Carey Price had been in net instead of Dustin Tokarski.

The Rangers went on to lose Game 5 in Montreal, and things would have been even more interesting had the Blueshirts lost in Game 4.

2. New York Rangers Rally Around Martin St. Louis, Extend Series vs. Penguins

May 9, 2014 

The New York Rangers were in familiar territory when they squared off against the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Eastern Conference semifinals. After jumping out to a hot start, the Blueshirts dropped three games in a row and were on the brink of elimination.

Just when the Rangers were at their lowest of lows, life knocked the team down another rung. Martin St. Louis, a future Hall of Famer and the Blueshirts' big acquisition in 2014, lost his mother, France, unexpectedly. Mrs. St. Louis passed away on a Thursday, and after meeting his father in Laval, Marty decided he would play in the Rangers' must-win Game 5 vs. the Penguins.

It wasn't his best game of the season—he played under 17 minutes— but his fortitude and presence invigorated the Rangers and ultimately proved to be a catalyst for the team's amazing turnaround. 

1. New York Rangers Defeat Montreal Canadiens in Game 6 of ECF

May 29, 2014

The game itself was a very boring 1-0 affair, and it took until the waning moments of the third period of Game 6 for a goal to be scored, and that was all the Rangers needed to advance to their first Stanley Cup Final since 1994.

Henrik Lundqvist was spectacular, and his herculean effort is best remembered by an amazing save made on sniper Thomas Vanek when the Montreal Canadiens were pressing the Rangers hard. The defining moment of the game was obviously the only goal, and Dominic Moore once again played the role of playoff hero by finding twine at 18:07 of the second period.

As painful as it was to watch the Rangers lose to the Los Angeles Kings in the Final, this moment was something that can't be described with enough words. There were so many different storylines that culminated with this victory, and many wonder how much better this story could have been had Lady Luck adorned a Blueshirt in June.