Zach's post about the Bruins' faithful going nuts after winning in overtime inspired me.
There is nothing like a sold-out crowd screaming in unison at a playoff game. Just as the players step their games up for the post-season, the fans give just a little more of themselves. Quite frankly, given the price of playoff tickets these days, they should. The playoffs are exciting enough on their own... but throw that crowd in there, and... WOW.
If you saw last night's Rangers-Devils game, you saw the camera shaking after each Ranger goal. That's how intense it was last night. That was an intensity (and advantage) the Devils didn't have in their two home games. A good crowd can put a team over the top. Look at the Calgary Flames last night. They were down three goals just four minutes into the game. It looked bleak. Suddenly, Patrick Marleau got drilled twice, the crowd picked back up, and the Flames ended up pulling off a remarkable comeback. Does that happen on the road? No way. Does it happen without a sea of red-clad Flames fans giving their all? Doubtful.
That's the power of the crowd.
I've been to four playoff games in my life, and in two of the four, the crowd was just as memorable as the game. At Game 7 of the 2006 NLCS, I feared for my life as the upper deck shook up and down after Endy Chavez robbed Scott Rolen of a home run. Between innings, the replay of the catch was shown four times. After each instance, the crowd grew louder in disbelief. Did that really just happen? It sure did, and Chavez received two curtain calls for his efforts. But, believe it or not, it's still not my most fond playoff memory.
The 2002 playoffs were a lot of things for the Islanders, but more than anything, it was cathartic. The home team won each of the seven games in the Isles' bloodbath against the Maple Leafs, and Game 6 was just off the charts in terms of fan participation. Just before the game started, the scoreboard played a highlight video set to "Going The Distance" from the Rocky soundtrack. After the video ended, the screen went black for a few seconds. Then, the board displayed a simple, but powerful message: "Let's win this one... for Kenny and Michael." The Coliseum shook like it hadn't in years, and the ensuing blowout win (and multiple fights) let Islander fans vent eight years worth of frustration on an overmatched Leafs team.
You're seeing something similar this year at the Garden. Ranger fans haven't forgotten that the Devils swept them out of the playoffs two years ago. Add that to the physical play we've seen, and you know the crowd is just going to be louder in Game 4. And if the series gets to Game 6, it'll be louder still. Good playoff hockey is good playoff hockey, but a hot crowd just puts it over the top.
Want proof? Watch a Stanley Cup celebration when the road team is awarded the Cup. It's great to watch... but it could be better. Now, watch a team win the Cup at home, and revel in the mayhem that ensues. I wish every Cup could be won at home for this reason alone.
But it's more than just the Cup. It's the crowd going crazy, waving their rally towels as the home team takes the ice. It's the chants of "We Want The Cup!". It's a big goal, followed by an eruption of applause so loud that the announcers don't even try to talk over it. It's everything sports should be, yet so often isn't. You see scenes like these in basketball and baseball, but in hockey, it's different. Why? It just is. Maybe it's because everyone cares more. Maybe it's because hockey is so geared towards winning the Stanley Cup at the expense of everything else. I don't know, and honestly, I don't care.
Here's one thing I do know. That scene from one paragraph ago? That's something I still daydream about constantly. Even though I'm 26 and my great dream of making the NHL was dashed forever ago, I still dream about playing in front of a sold-out crowd, Gary Thorne calling my game-winning goal, and hoisting the Stanley Cup in front of 20,000 screaming fans. Without the fans, that dream dies fairly quickly. But they're there, probably because they've envisioned that scene a million times in their heads as well.
That's the power of the crowd.
There is nothing like a sold-out crowd screaming in unison at a playoff game. Just as the players step their games up for the post-season, the fans give just a little more of themselves. Quite frankly, given the price of playoff tickets these days, they should. The playoffs are exciting enough on their own... but throw that crowd in there, and... WOW.
If you saw last night's Rangers-Devils game, you saw the camera shaking after each Ranger goal. That's how intense it was last night. That was an intensity (and advantage) the Devils didn't have in their two home games. A good crowd can put a team over the top. Look at the Calgary Flames last night. They were down three goals just four minutes into the game. It looked bleak. Suddenly, Patrick Marleau got drilled twice, the crowd picked back up, and the Flames ended up pulling off a remarkable comeback. Does that happen on the road? No way. Does it happen without a sea of red-clad Flames fans giving their all? Doubtful.
That's the power of the crowd.
I've been to four playoff games in my life, and in two of the four, the crowd was just as memorable as the game. At Game 7 of the 2006 NLCS, I feared for my life as the upper deck shook up and down after Endy Chavez robbed Scott Rolen of a home run. Between innings, the replay of the catch was shown four times. After each instance, the crowd grew louder in disbelief. Did that really just happen? It sure did, and Chavez received two curtain calls for his efforts. But, believe it or not, it's still not my most fond playoff memory.
The 2002 playoffs were a lot of things for the Islanders, but more than anything, it was cathartic. The home team won each of the seven games in the Isles' bloodbath against the Maple Leafs, and Game 6 was just off the charts in terms of fan participation. Just before the game started, the scoreboard played a highlight video set to "Going The Distance" from the Rocky soundtrack. After the video ended, the screen went black for a few seconds. Then, the board displayed a simple, but powerful message: "Let's win this one... for Kenny and Michael." The Coliseum shook like it hadn't in years, and the ensuing blowout win (and multiple fights) let Islander fans vent eight years worth of frustration on an overmatched Leafs team.
You're seeing something similar this year at the Garden. Ranger fans haven't forgotten that the Devils swept them out of the playoffs two years ago. Add that to the physical play we've seen, and you know the crowd is just going to be louder in Game 4. And if the series gets to Game 6, it'll be louder still. Good playoff hockey is good playoff hockey, but a hot crowd just puts it over the top.
Want proof? Watch a Stanley Cup celebration when the road team is awarded the Cup. It's great to watch... but it could be better. Now, watch a team win the Cup at home, and revel in the mayhem that ensues. I wish every Cup could be won at home for this reason alone.
But it's more than just the Cup. It's the crowd going crazy, waving their rally towels as the home team takes the ice. It's the chants of "We Want The Cup!". It's a big goal, followed by an eruption of applause so loud that the announcers don't even try to talk over it. It's everything sports should be, yet so often isn't. You see scenes like these in basketball and baseball, but in hockey, it's different. Why? It just is. Maybe it's because everyone cares more. Maybe it's because hockey is so geared towards winning the Stanley Cup at the expense of everything else. I don't know, and honestly, I don't care.
Here's one thing I do know. That scene from one paragraph ago? That's something I still daydream about constantly. Even though I'm 26 and my great dream of making the NHL was dashed forever ago, I still dream about playing in front of a sold-out crowd, Gary Thorne calling my game-winning goal, and hoisting the Stanley Cup in front of 20,000 screaming fans. Without the fans, that dream dies fairly quickly. But they're there, probably because they've envisioned that scene a million times in their heads as well.
That's the power of the crowd.
I tried to start a We Want the Cup chant at the game the Rangers clinched at the Coliseum two weeks ago, but only like 3 other guys caught on. Disappointing.
ReplyDeleteI too like when the Cup is won at home.
Game 6 of the 02 playoffs was the one game - the one game - where I was an Islander fan. My friend got free tickets and we went (Ranger fan and a Pens fan) and it was an incredible game. I've yet to go to a Ranger playoff game (maybe Game 5 if they release more tickets).
Predators game tonight had a pretty good crowd, for Nashville. They were down 3-2 with 4 minutes left and scored 2x in 9 seconds and the crowd went nuts. Doubt they would do that on the road.
The reason you get it in hockey is because of Lord Stanley's Cup. What do you win in basketball? It's the "Finals" and you get a trophy that you might get to touch for a picture, and you stand next to David Stern. Sweet deal.
By the way, "BERG! BERG! BERG!" doesn't have the same ring as, say, Matteau...