It's easy to forget that the team even exists in the city sometimes due to all the fuss over our baseball teams (well deserved though) and even the attention we give the crappy ass Knicks, which is why I never think of getting tickets to see them play. I can't claim to be a hockey guru but I do like hockey inspired films like Miracle and Mighty Ducks and catch the Olympic games, but I hardly follow the NHL--not that having a strike made it any easier. I went to the game last night though and had a great time. I've only been twice before, both times they were Rangers matches.
I'm always amazed how Madison Square Garden can go from the spacious basketball arena to the oblong hockey rink. I especially like that even way up in the cheap seats, where I was, you can feel the chill of the ice. The seats were so high up they made the tix that I had for U2, which was also at MSG, look like I was sitting on the stage. Despite the many many steps we had to climb to reach our seats, they were actually pretty good. It was easier to see all the action and to track the puck, even when it was slapped into the stands and hit a Playboy Playmate of the Year. I saw it too, although I didn't know that she was a Playboy bunny at the time not until I read the news today. I just saw security guards hurrying over to the blonde below. Oh and NASCAR racer Jeff Gordon was in attendence as well, the jumbo-tron pointed him out.
Besides that, the game itself was really action packed too. The Rangers were down by two in the second period, the score was 2 to 4 Buffalo Sabers (who I didn't even know existed) then the Rangers scored two goals to tie the game. The crowd went from yelling things like "It's not like you're on ice skates" and "do something!" to cheering like mad. I love that about NY fans, how easily we jeer our own team and then cheer them on minutes later. So the tied score brought us into overtime and then to an exciting shootout, where the Rangers finally declared victory.
I also got to see the Ranger player Jagr (not to be confused with the shot) tie two of the team's records for the most goals (52) and points (109) scored during one season. Not sure what the difference between points and goals are though. Too bad he didn't beat the record instead of tieing it so I could witnessed that. Ah well.
Another fun feature of the Rangers' games is the song that they play when ever they score a goal. Everyone gets up and chants GOAL! But it's dragged out like GO-O-EL. It's hard to write and not sing. In fact i'm singing it in my head right now. Oh and on another side note, I'm not a big fan of the new Ranger uniforms with the liberty figure on it and miss the classic symbol they had before.
Jagr, Rangers slash Sabres
NY Daily News
In an awesome display of talent and will, Jaromir Jagr erased a two-goal deficit, tied the club's two most prestigious single-season records and got the Rangers into position to win a shootout in a 5-4 triumph last night. FULL STORY
More news: Historic night ends with 5-4 comeback victory