Stanley Cup Finals 1994

Lore & Background

The 1994 Finals are etched in Canucks lore as the 'almost' moment when a team of scrappy underdogs nearly toppled the storied New York Rangers. Led by the electrifying Pavel Bure, who scored 16 goals in the playoffs — a franchise record that still stands — and the heroic goaltending of Kirk McLean, whose glove hand seemed to defy physics, the Canucks pushed the Rangers to the brink. The series featured iconic moments: McLean's 'Save of the Century' in Game 1, a sprawling desperation stop on Steve Larmer that kept the series alive, and Bure's overtime winner in Game 4, a blur of speed and precision that silenced Madison Square Garden. For Vancouver fans, this series remains a bittersweet memory of a team that captured the city's heart with their relentless spirit, despite falling short of hockey's ultimate prize.

In Their Own Story

The roar of the Pacific Coliseum was a living thing, a beast that fed on every save, every rush. In Game 4, with the series tied, Pavel Bure took a pass and flew down the right wing, his skates whispering against the ice. The Rangers' defense parted like a nervous crowd. He cut to the net, and the puck slid past Mike Richter. The building exploded—a sound that seemed to shake the very foundation of the city. For a moment, Vancouver believed. The dream was real, and the Cup was just two wins away. But in Game 7, at the Garden, the dream turned to dust as Brian Leetch's stick deflected the final shot into the boards, and the Rangers' 54-year curse lifted while Vancouver's began.

Reader's Guide

The 1994 Stanley Cup Finals: The Canucks faced the New York Rangers in a best-of-seven series. The series was tied 3–3 after six games, with the Canucks forcing Game 7 on the road. In Game 7 at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers took a 3–0 lead, but the Canucks fought back to 3–2. With the net empty and seconds left, a final shot from Vancouver was blocked by Brian Leetch's stick, sealing the Rangers' 4–1 victory. The defining moment: Kirk McLean's sprawling, desperation save in Game 1, known as 'The Save,' which kept the Canucks in the series and became a symbol of their never-say-die attitude. For Canucks fans, that save is still replayed in dreams, a frozen moment of what might have been.

Did You Know?

• Kirk McLean's 'Save of the Century' in Game 1 involved a diving glove stop on a shot by the Rangers' Steve Larmer, not Adam Graves.
• Pavel Bure's 16 playoff goals in 1994 remain a Canucks franchise record for a single postseason.
• The 1994 Finals were not the first Stanley Cup Final series to go to Game 7 since 1991; the 1993 Finals also went to Game 7.
• The series was the first time the Canucks had ever forced a Game 7 in the Stanley Cup Finals.