On January 10th, the New York Rangers lost a beloved member of the Blueshirt family, and no, it was not a former player. NYPD detective Steven McDonald, who was shot and paralyzed in July 1986, passed away after suffering a heart attack last Saturday evening. He was one of the Rangers’ biggest and most devoted fans, and there is even an award named for him that the team hands out every year to the player who goes above and beyond the call of duty.
On January 13th, the Rangers returned home after a five-day bye week to face off against the Toronto Maple Leafs, and it would be their first game since McDonald’s passing. The scoreboard over center ice played a beautiful tribute, with current and former Rangers players discussing why McDonald was an inspiration to them. Steven’s widow Patti-Ann and son, police sergeant Conor McDonald, were escorted out by Adam Graves and Mark Messier for the ceremonial puck drop. There was not a single dry eye in Madison Square Garden on Friday night. The Rangers even wore special warm-up jerseys with the name “McDonald” on the back and 104, for Steven’s badge number.
Now, back to the game. Henrik Lundqvist had a bit of a rough first period, giving up two goals early on, showing a 2-0 deficit after one. Chris Kreider gave the fans a little life in the second when he made it 2-1, but with the speed and Toronto’s special teams getting the better end, the Maple Leafs took it by a final score of 4-2.
It was quite the emotional evening at the world’s most famous arena, but as announcer Sam Rosen said, “This is what Steven would have wanted.” Detective McDonald, thank you for your dedication, devotion, and love to not just the Rangers, but New York City. You will be deeply missed, and as you taught us, there are no easy victories, but you are still one of life’s greatest inspirations.
