Stéphane Matteau
| Stéphane Matteau | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 2, 1969 Rouyn-Noranda, QC, CAN |
| Height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) |
| Weight | 220 lb (100 kg; 15 st 10 lb) |
| Position | Left Wing |
| Shot | Left |
| Played for | Calgary Flames Chicago Blackhawks New York Rangers St. Louis Blues San Jose Sharks Florida Panthers |
| NHL Draft | 25th overall, 1987 Calgary Flames |
| Playing career | 1990–2003 |
Stéphane Matteau (born September 2, 1969) is a former National Hockey League player.
As a member of the New York Rangers 1994 Stanley Cup Championship team, Matteau is most remembered for scoring two overtime goals in the Eastern Conference Finals against the New Jersey Devils. His first overtime goal ended Game 3 at 6:13 of the second overtime in New Jersey giving the Rangers a 3–2 victory and a 2–1 series lead. The second goal came at 4:24 of the second overtime of Game 7 at Madison Square Garden. Matteau scored off a wrap around that bounced off a stick on the left side of New Jersey's rookie goaltender Martin Brodeur, a play which has been immortalized by the dramatic play-by-play call of Rangers radio announcer Howie Rose:
| “ | Fetisov for the Devils plays it cross-ice, into the far corner. Matteau swoops in to intercept. Matteau behind the net, swings it in front. HE SCORES! MATTEAU!! MATTEAU!! MATTEAU!! STEPHANE MATTEAU!! AND THE RANGERS HAVE ONE MORE HILL TO CLIMB, BABY! BUT IT'S MOUNT VANCOUVER! THE RANGERS ARE HEADED TO THE FINALS!!! | ” |
Matteau admitted to tapping the Prince of Wales Trophy with his stick's blade before the start of the overtime period, violating a superstition of modern-day NHL players not to touch the Conference trophies before the ultimate prize, the Stanley Cup, has been won. The goal gave the New York Rangers a 2–1 victory and the Wales Trophy as the Eastern Conference champions and they then defeated the Vancouver Canucks in seven games to win the Stanley Cup.
Matteau finished his career in 2002–03 with the Florida Panthers and their minor league affiliate, the San Antonio Rampage, and had a career total 742 penalty minutes, 144 goals and 172 assists for 316 total points in 848 games.
Matteau also was a member of the Rouyn Quebec team that played in the Little League World Series in 1982 along with fellow NHL-er Pierre Turgeon.[1]
Matteau played for head coach Mike Keenan on four separate occasions; with the Blackhawks, Rangers, Blues, and Panthers.
Personal life
Matteau is currently an assistant coach with the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada of the QMJHL.[2]
Matteau's son, Stefan Matteau, who was born in Chicago on February 23, 1994, played in the 2011 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge and is currently playing in the NHL with the New Jersey Devils. Stefan was drafted 29th overall in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft by the Devils. The Devils are the team his father scored his famed goal against in the 1994 Eastern Conference Final.[3]
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1985–86 | Hull Olympiques | QMJHL | 60 | 6 | 8 | 14 | 19 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1986–87 | Hull Olympiques | QMJHL | 69 | 27 | 48 | 75 | 113 | 8 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 8 | ||
| 1987–88 | Hull Olympiques | QMJHL | 57 | 17 | 40 | 57 | 179 | 18 | 5 | 14 | 19 | 94 | ||
| 1988–89 | Hull Olympiques | QMJHL | 59 | 44 | 45 | 89 | 202 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 14 | 30 | ||
| 1988–89 | Salt Lake Golden Eagles | IHL | — | — | — | — | — | 9 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 13 | ||
| 1989–90 | Salt Lake Golden Eagles | IHL | 81 | 23 | 35 | 58 | 130 | 10 | 6 | 3 | 9 | 38 | ||
| 1990–91 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 78 | 15 | 19 | 34 | 93 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 1991–92 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 19 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1991–92 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 20 | 5 | 8 | 13 | 45 | 18 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 24 | ||
| 1992–93 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 79 | 15 | 18 | 33 | 98 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 1993–94 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 65 | 15 | 16 | 31 | 55 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1993–94 | New York Rangers | NHL | 12 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 2 | 23 | 6 | 3 | 9 | 20 | ||
| 1994–95 | New York Rangers | NHL | 41 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 25 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 10 | ||
| 1995–96 | New York Rangers | NHL | 32 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1995–96 | St. Louis Blues | NHL | 46 | 7 | 13 | 20 | 65 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 8 | ||
| 1996–97 | St. Louis Blues | NHL | 74 | 16 | 20 | 36 | 50 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1997–98 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 73 | 15 | 14 | 29 | 60 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 1998–99 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 68 | 8 | 15 | 23 | 73 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | ||
| 1999–00 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 69 | 12 | 12 | 24 | 61 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 8 | ||
| 2000–01 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 80 | 13 | 19 | 32 | 32 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0 | ||
| 2001–02 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 55 | 7 | 4 | 11 | 15 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | ||
| 2002–03 | San Antonio Rampage | AHL | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2002–03 | Florida Panthers | NHL | 52 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 27 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 848 | 144 | 172 | 316 | 742 | 109 | 12 | 22 | 34 | 80 | ||||
External links
- Stéphane Matteau's career statistics at The Internet Hockey Database
- Audio of the series winning goal: