It was an emotional ceremony on a night when the hockey meant nothing.
Amid many tears, on the ice and in the stands, Rangers winger Mats Zuccarello was given the Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award for the second straight year and the third time in the past four years before his team’s regular-season finale, a 3-2 win over the Penguins on Sunday night at the Garden.
The award is voted on by the fans and was named after the beloved former NYPD detective, who died in January. Following a video tribute with powerful testimonials from previous winners, McDonald’s widow Patti Ann and her son Conor — now an NYPD detective himself, clad in dress blues — took part in a deep embrace with Zuccarello.