It's been a while since an Islanders-Rangers game has really mattered. Sure, they're always good to get the fans riled up or to break a team out of a slump. But this? This is HUGE.
With the Rangers in freefall, all eyes in the hockey world will be on this game. The Islanders have a huge opportunity tomorrow night, for two reasons. First, they have the opportunity to make life extremely uncomfortable for their biggest rivals. Imagine the ugly scene at MSG - the Islanders are winning big, the game devolves into a series of brawls, and angry mobs of Rangers fans are chanting at 100 decibels for the heads of Tom Renney and Glen Sather. I know these games aren't supposed to be a big deal because the Islanders are in last place, but that's exactly why this would be so huge. Forget about the Islanders-Rangers rivalry for a second - the Rangers, losing at home to the 30th-place team in the NHL? Not pretty. Secondly, and slightly less significantly, the Islanders can take advantage of the spotlight (or as much of a spotlight as the Islanders are going to get going forward) by showcasing the veterans they might want to move in two weeks. For the Islanders, it's a win-win.
For the Rangers? Not so much. Instead, it's pretty much a lose-lose. If the Rangers lose, as detailed above, things will not be very happy in Rangers Country. If the Rangers win, big deal, right? I mean, they only beat the Islanders. A last-place team with an AHL lineup. At home, no less. It's a game the Rangers are supposed to win. So a win doesn't really solve anything, not unless it's followed up by another four or so wins in a row.
This game is huge for just about everybody. The rivalry has always meant a little bit more to Islanders fans, so they're seeing this as their chance to stick it to the Rangers, maybe force some heads to roll, and contribute to what might be a drastic freefall out of the playoffs for the Blueshirts. Rangers fans see this game for what it is - a must-win game, a gut check for their biggest (and best-paid) stars. Maybe they can't get up for the Islanders in light of their recent history with the Devils, but this is certainly two points a playoff team should expect to pick up. It'd be nice to see the Rangers play that way for once.
No matter how you slice it, this is going to be one awesome game. As an Islanders fan, this is all we have left, so let's enjoy. And as for the Rangers, I hope they show enough to give their fans reason to believe a postseason birth is in the cards. Let's face it, the NHL needs the Rangers in the playoffs, and as a fan of hockey in general, I hope they get their act together soon. That said, I wouldn't exactly mind a 5-1 win that completely destroys the Rangers for the rest of the season. Either way, it's gonna be fun. Enjoy!
1) Prucha must play tomorrow. He is good against the Islanders and either Voros or Dawes should sit. i would love a Korpikoski/Callahan/Prucha line.
ReplyDelete2) The Rangers need the 2 points more than anything, to be honest. It's a game they can't lose simply because they need to beat up on weaker opponents in order to make the playoffs - although I think this AHL version of the Isles are playing better than them right now.
Agreed - as much fun as it is to play up the rivalry aspect (and as much fun as it'd be to see the Rangers lose on home ice to the Islanders on this night), the big thing is that these are two points against what is statistically the NHL's worst team. A playoff team finds a way to win this game - only time will tell if the Rangers can do that.
ReplyDeleteHaving said all that, the Isles are 4-4-1 since the All-Star break and always play the Rangers tough, so these two points won't be as easy as everyone thinks. It'll be interesting to see how the Rangers respond to this challenge.
(It's late. I'm going to bed now.)