Competing in the playoffs at Madison Square Garden is always part of the question for opponents preparing to take to the stage at the world’s most famous arena.
For the Florida Panthers, who played postseason hockey against the Rangers for the first time since 1997 in Manhattan on Wednesday night, the legendary Garden was the perfect place to reach the finals for the second straight year and ultimately win the franchise’s first Stanley Cup. It is a fairytale-like setting for their challenge to do so.
“It would be a dream to play playoff hockey in New York,” Matthew Tkachuk said Friday night, shortly after the Panthers beat the Bruins in Game 6. “MSG is my favorite rink to play on the road because of the history and everything that has to do with New York City. It’s a great city. People love sports. It’s going to be a great atmosphere.”
“So, the conference finals at MSG, it’s pretty awesome. We’re excited to get it started on Wednesday.”
Now it’s up to New Yorkers, and more importantly the Rangers, to turn the Panthers’ dream into a nightmare.
The Presidents Trophy is all well and good, but the real prize is home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs.
The Rangers, who entered Wednesday night’s Game 1 with a 4-1 home record in those playoff games, were looking to assert their dominance early in this series.
MSG hosted just one postseason game after the Knicks were eliminated in seven games in the second round of the NBA playoffs.
Therefore, with all the attention on Rangers, the investment from spectators is expected to increase tenfold.
The Post follows coverage of the Rangers in the NHL playoffs.
“I say this sometimes about my players, but I think the players have come to appreciate Madison Square Garden,” Rangers head coach Peter Laviolette said Wednesday morning. “The history of the New York Rangers. The fan base. I think when you’re in it and you’re living it every day, you start to appreciate it a lot more. You see how special it is. The passion of the fans is incredible. The passion of this fan base is incredible. The building. The history behind this team is pretty special. So to be here at this point in time is just great for all of us.”
Panthers defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson, a native of Sweden, said he’s heard about MSG growing up and all the history that comes with it.
Ekman-Larsson said that while the environment is special and loud, the most fun part is getting the chance to play against a really good team, the Rangers.
The Rangers are now New York City’s last hope of ending its 13-year major league championship drought before the summer heat hits its peak.
“You can definitely feel it. They let you know,” Laviolette said with a laugh when asked if he can sense the Rangers fan base and the city’s hunger to win. “They let you know right away when they’re ready. They’re incredible. I think not only of the support of the fans here in the city and around the city, at MSG, coming to the games, but our fan base across the world, all over the country. We go to different rinks, we go to Carolina, Washington, Florida and it’s amazing the amount of fans that show up in the away buildings wearing Rangers colors and yelling.”
“The other night, there was a group right behind the Carolina bench that kept banging on the glass, letting us know they were there, letting the players know they were there. They. He loves his team, he loves his city, and he’s hungry.”
