What Mike Richter Remebers About The Rangers' 1994 Stanley Cup Victory

Okay, The Stanley Cup Final Round already is sensational after last night's overtime tilt.  It makes a Rangers fan wonder what it's like to be involved.

Here's what Mike Richter remembers about 1994:

"It meant everything I had imagined what it would be like as a little kid, and when it – winning the Cup – finally happened, it was even better than I had imagined.

"The minute it happened; that was the new standard by which you measured yourself. It was almost like anything but 'that' would never feel right again.

"As an individual playing in a team sport, this is it. This is the pinnacle. This is what you have been dreaming about doing. It is what you have been working for  your entire life. 

"Beyond that, it is what you have been entrusted to do by the organization that signs your paycheck. And it is the expectation of the fans who pay to watch you day in and day out.

"It's a big deal. It makes you appreciate everything so much more too. I thought about all of the great players who had played this game for so long that had never gotten the opportunity to raise the Cup. 

"You just feel so fortunate that you were able to get through the grind of it all and get your name on it. To drink out of that Cup is so sweet. Winning it in New York for those fans who had waited 54 years for the Cup, was indescribable.

"It was insane and wonderful at the same time!"

(Maven says thanks to Ross Bernstein and his wonderful – truly invaluable – book, "Raising Stanley – What It Takes To Claim Hockey's Ultimate Prize."  (This is a perfect time to get a copy.)