Rangers looking for MSG crowd as a Game 5 boost to clinch the series
The New York Rangers celebrate their double overtime victory against the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 2 at Madison Square Garden on May 7, 2024. Credit: Jim McIsaac
GREENBURGH — The comparisons to 1994 have been all over the internet this spring, with the Rangers and Knicks once again turning The World’s Most Famous Arena into the center of the North American sports universe.
And as they prepared to play Game 5 of their second-round playoff series Monday against the Carolina Hurricanes at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers were certainly hoping to have one more ’94 comparison go their way.
The ’94 Rangers won their first seven playoff games before finally losing in Game 4 of the second round. Then they beat Washington in Game 5 at the Garden to win that series and advance to the Eastern Conference final. The 2024 Rangers won their first seven playoff games before losing in Game 4 of the second round. They enter Game 5 hoping for a win over Carolina that would send them on to the Eastern Conference final.
“It's kind of funny seeing the stuff that's similar, but at the end of the day, it's a completely different year, and you try not to read into it too much,’’ defenseman Braden Schneider said at the morning skate. “You can't jinx anything. It's obviously cool, but I think we're playing some of our best hockey, and it's funny how it works.’’
As disappointed as they were to lose Game 4 in Raleigh, North Carolina, on Saturday night, the Rangers are looking at Game 5 as a chance to win the series on home ice, in front of their fans. And it is something they were relishing.
“It's a great opportunity,’’ said Mika Zibanejad, who leads the team in scoring with 13 points, and who has recorded a point in all eight of the Rangers’ playoff games entering Monday. “We went to Carolina, and they were two tough games, and [we] come out of there with a chance to win the series at home. We're focusing on just one win. That's all it is.’’
And all the Rangers viewed playing in the Garden as being a real advantage for them in trying to close out the series.
“I mean when you've got 18,008 diehard fans supporting you, it feels like you’ve got an army behind you,’’ Chris Kreider said. “I think you can imagine what that probably feels like, what that does to your energy levels and your adrenaline.’’
“Well, you get that juice from the building right away,’’ coach Peter Laviolette said. “They're even noticeable down in Carolina. They've been noticeable on the road in almost every city we go, our fan base. But to get back in our building and get that real energy from the fans is important. You get the last [line] change. I think that's important too, with regard to matchups or where you might want to go with it."
The last line change was something Laviolette was able to take advantage of in Games 1 and 2 of the series, but not in Games 3 and 4.
In Game 4, the Rangers’ best line of Artemi Panarin, Vincent Trocheck and Alexis Lafreniere had trouble with the Hurricanes’ top line of Jake Guentzel, Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov. In Game 2, Laviolette was able to make an in-game adjustment and match the Kreider-Zibanejad-Jake Roslovic line against that group, and that seemed to work well for the Rangers.
Blake Wheeler cleared for contact
Forward Blake Wheeler, who has been practicing with the team in a red, non-contact jersey after making his way back from a lower leg injury he’d suffered in February, took part in the morning skate in a regular white jersey, meaning he was cleared for full contact in practices.
“It's really good,’’ Laviolette said of Wheeler’s change in status. “That's a long road [back from injury] and it's sometimes a lonely road, too. We're going about our business, and he's off in a different room doing his thing at different times. … You saw his enthusiasm the other night there on the OT goal [when Wheeler excitedly banged on the outside of the glass, from down at ice level, after Panarin’s goal won Game 3], like he just wanted to back on the inside, and be a part of that. It's nice to have him out there and available and good to go.’’
Colin Stephenson covers the Rangers for Newsday. He has spent more than two decades covering the NHL and just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.