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Eastern Conference Finals
CHARLES L. McGILL, ESQ.
Senior Partner Emeritus, HHM
Memo to the Public Record
October 2, 2001 – Bell Centre, Montreal
A Matter of Law, a Matter of Precision: Rangers Win Game 1
What transpired tonight in Montreal was not luck. It was not “grit,” as so often bandied about in the oversimplified vernacular of post-game chatter. No — what unfolded was a precise, orchestrated exertion of order in a system frequently beset by chaos. The New York Rangers, in a display of cold, professional execution, extracted a 6-5 victory from the hands of a Montreal team that — though inspired — lacked the discipline to close.
It bears stating plainly: Postal Worker Newman, a man whose name suggests humble utility, delivered a performance that belonged not in a mailroom, but in the annals of postseason greatness. Four hits in four at-bats. A triple. A home run. Two runs scored. Nine total bases. He was, in every quantifiable and qualitative sense, the best player on the field.
And yet... the Canadiens lost.
Why? Because professional sport, like the law, punishes imprecision. It punishes lapses — and Montreal reliever A. Fiori’s eighth-inning lapse was glaring. Entrusted with a fragile lead, he surrendered a thunderous, three-run blast to Eli Grubin, a catcher whose average has defied regression, and whose timing was immaculate. One pitch. One error in judgment. One game lost.
“The bar for us is not a particular opponent, it’s ourselves,” said New York manager Manuel Santiago.
A banal platitude, yes — but not incorrect.
The Rangers were measured. Their double-play execution was clinical. They struck out nine Montreal batters and allowed not a single walk after the sixth. These are the marks of a system operating without static — a system unencumbered by distractions.
Contrast that with Montreal’s approach — three double plays grounded into, a critical runner thrown out at home by A. Grubin in the fifth, and no production whatsoever from the bottom third of their lineup. These are not anomalies; they are symptoms.
Key Exhibits
Eli Grubin: 1 hit, 3 RBIs. A single contribution, yes — but as in court, one persuasive argument can win the case.
M. Grubin: Two doubles. One timely RBI. No mistakes.
R. Torres: Another home run, another walk. As consistent as a properly filed motion.
On the Matter of Pitching
Let the record reflect that O. Menendez (NYR) did not impress — his ERA remains a concern — but his defense bailed him out. He is, at best, a competent associate counsel. T. Vera, however, sealed the decision with two innings of command and restraint.
Montreal’s F. Gonzalez pitched adequately — six strikeouts over seven innings — but the burden of a bullpen collapse tarnished his efforts.
Closing Argument
This was a trial of margin. A game decided not by raw talent — though there was plenty on display — but by the thin, precise line between almost and absolute. And in this first proceeding of the Eastern Conference Finals, the Rangers were absolute.
We reconvene tomorrow. The docket is full. Montreal is on notice.
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Charles L. McGill
Senior Counsel, Retired
Hamlin, Hamlin & McGill
"Law, Like Hockey, Requires Balance, Clarity... and Proper Footing"
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