I'm a Devils fan.
I hate the New York Rangers with all my might. I enjoy seeing them lose. I enjoy seeing their fans upset. I enjoyed beating them last year (I had to put that in here)
That makes what I'm about to do very difficult for me.
Last year, the Devils were down 3 games to none in the Stanley Cup Finals against the unstoppable, and eventual Stanley Cup champions, Los Angeles Kings.
The Devils did not make it all the way to game 7, but the fight they displayed was definitely something we all can learn from.
It's a difficult mountain to climb. Only 3 teams have done it. The '42 Maple Leafs, the '75 Islanders, and the '10 Flyers were the only ones to accomplish the feat, and there's a reason for that. It's just not expected.
At the time, I was typing away, foolishly filling myself with hope. After their game 4 win, the idea was already strong in my head. And that continued especially after winning game 5.
The Rangers just won game 4 and it's already easy to recognise the similarities of the 2 series.
The Devils first 3 losses consisted of 2 overtime games and one game they got blown out.
The Rangers had 2 one goal losses (one of them in OT) and one game they got blown out.
Game 4 for each was an intense battle of nerves where the rookie who has a knack for playoff hockey shows up again to save the day. Henrique with the game winner with 4 minutes to go in the third and Chris Kreider with the overtime winner.
Same. Exact. Storyline. (aside from home ice advantage. We'll get to that later)
So, as a fan who went through this emotional roller coaster, I will give you some tips.
First, I'll give you the small things the Rangers must do to keep it going.
Then I'll give you advice on how to not go criminally insane during this stretch.
So appreciate this, because honest to god, I hope the Bruins win game 5.
But here's what the Rangers gotta do.
Believe, Believe, Believe
I'll write this for the tips for fans later on but this goes for the players too.
Throughout last years finals, the Devils had about 12 players just saying the same things. They believed they can come back and they were confident it could happen. This one magical thing they call "Hope" can do a lot for a hockey team trying to get back into a series. The Rangers are a team that play with emotion. If they get a scent of hope, they can keep on plowing through this series.
Counter Boston's Home Ice
This one might be the one giant problem for the Rangers. They are a weak 1-5 on enemy territory this postseason, their only win coming in the 5-0 game 7 victory vs Washington. With the series (and 2 of the next 3) going back to Boston, the Rangers have to figure out how to win on the road.
First things, first, they gotta silence the crowd. Luckily, the Rangers are the team to do that. With big saves, big hits, and, hopefully, an early goal, they can quiet the Bruins' faithful and take them out of the game.
In any event, the Bruins are a team that's just as emotional as the Rangers and we saw that in their magical win (on home ice) against the Leafs in game 7 in round 1 so the Rangers must do something to slow them down.
The Men For the Job
Last year, Zach Parise was the captain for the New Jersey Devils. Parise is known for his heart and his never-say-die on ice performances. There are few NHLers who give every shift their all like Zach does.
Captain Ryan Callahan is one of them.
Perhaps one of the best captains in the game, Callahan has a huge impact on the Rangers success. The Rangers have the perfect captain for a comeback and he will indubitably lead them on and off the ice.
Callahan is the Epitome of the Rangers
The ideal Rangers hockey team, in most people's opinions, is a team full of overachievers who hustle all night, sacrifice their bodies, are defensively responsible, and embody the Blue-Collar atmosphere that are expected of them.
There are few teams to have ever had a team like that but the Rangers this year (and even moreso, last year) have shown flashes of it.
And it all starts with their coach.
John Tortorella, the man who's had his head called for the chopping block this postseason more than a mayor with a sex scandal, preaches the exact hockey the Rangers need to play til the end of the series. They have to wear down the Bruins young D, pressure Rask, and just be a machine in your own zone.
The Rangers have to do everything they were built to do.
Goaltending is Key
Martin Brodeur was perfect in games 4 and 5 last year when building their comeback. Lundqvist, who, in all honesty, has looked human this postseason, has to play on the Vezina level Ranger fans have been equipped to witnessing. That means that he can't be giving up 5 goals a game and he has to be lights out like he was at the end of the Washington series.
Key Lineup Change
For the Devils, it was starting Petr Sykora in game 4 that paid dividends. For the Rangers, it was sitting $60M, and fourth line, man, Brad Richards. This decision seemed like a matter of time as Richards wasn't producing and wasn't effective on the fourth line. So Tortorella benched him for game 4 and the Rangers scored more than 3 goals in the playoffs for just the fourth time in the playoffs this year.
This might be the move to spark the club to a run.
Keep Your Composure
Just because you're down in the series doesn't mean you become desperate. Remain calm and play like you normally would. No stupid retaliatory penalties, no stupid passes in the neutral zone, no reckless checks that could land you with a long penalty (this one is probably very important). Play hard but not dirty. Take chances but make sure you have men back. The games aren't different. Just play the way you normally would. And. Just. Keep. Your. Cool.
All About Momentum
This is something the Devils did routinely last season. They won the Flyers series with 4 straight wins. They won the Rangeers series (hehe) with 3 straight wins. And it seemed like they were trying to do the same in the fourth round.
It's all about building off your wins. Take the win, and take the momentum into the next game and kind of get into a groove where you just keep moving. This one is important and you can usually feel it as the series goes on.
The Boston Bruins (and Tuukka Rask) Have Blown It Before
Maybe the most important thing for the Rangers to remember is that this has happened before. Teams have come from behind before. It's possible and it's happened.
Also, it happened to a Bruins team very, very similar to this one.
The Bruins were just sad to watch as that series went on the Rangers MUST look at this as motivation. Some people think they should just focus on THIS series but, as I said earlier, they need belief and hope to do this, and where can they get more hope from the fact that this has been done.
Also, the Bruins just almost collapsed in round one versus Toronto.
This is a Bruins team, and a Bruins goaltender, who have a history of mega collapses and the Rangers need to take advantage.
1 Game at a Time
This is perhaps one the most cliche' lines in sports and it means "don't get ahead of yourself." Don't think that you have to win 4 straight games. Think of it as winning this one game on home ice. Once that's done, go look at the next game. And so on.
If you look ahead and get all down on your chances, you're not giving yourself the chance to make the comeback. This was the Devils motto for games 4-6 and it almost worked. Almost.
MY ADVICE FOR RANGER FANS
As the fan, you have a specific job.
Your job here is to sit and somehow contain yourself as your team plays through some of the most pressurized hockey you'll experience. When things don't go right, you think it's over. Then they'll score and you'll build up hope.
Hope is all you have, but hope is your worst nightmare.
I'll say it again.
Hope is all you have, but hope is your worst nightmare. Because even if you CONVINCED yourself the season's over, the Rangers will make a good passing play or make a big hit, and you'll be sucked right back into it.
There's no right way to deal with this agonizing struggle.
Just sit through it. In two months, you'll look back and laugh off how drawn you were to it.
And if you win, you get to say believed in them until the end.
But if you lose, just stand and applaud your team. A great season and mighty-fine playoff run.
And whatever you do, WHATEVER YOU DO, don't become a bitter fan who rants on the internet.
Those guys are the worst.
I hate the New York Rangers with all my might. I enjoy seeing them lose. I enjoy seeing their fans upset. I enjoyed beating them last year (I had to put that in here)
That makes what I'm about to do very difficult for me.
Last year, the Devils were down 3 games to none in the Stanley Cup Finals against the unstoppable, and eventual Stanley Cup champions, Los Angeles Kings.
The Devils did not make it all the way to game 7, but the fight they displayed was definitely something we all can learn from.
It's a difficult mountain to climb. Only 3 teams have done it. The '42 Maple Leafs, the '75 Islanders, and the '10 Flyers were the only ones to accomplish the feat, and there's a reason for that. It's just not expected.
At the time, I was typing away, foolishly filling myself with hope. After their game 4 win, the idea was already strong in my head. And that continued especially after winning game 5.
The Rangers just won game 4 and it's already easy to recognise the similarities of the 2 series.
The Devils first 3 losses consisted of 2 overtime games and one game they got blown out.
The Rangers had 2 one goal losses (one of them in OT) and one game they got blown out.
Game 4 for each was an intense battle of nerves where the rookie who has a knack for playoff hockey shows up again to save the day. Henrique with the game winner with 4 minutes to go in the third and Chris Kreider with the overtime winner.
Same. Exact. Storyline. (aside from home ice advantage. We'll get to that later)
So, as a fan who went through this emotional roller coaster, I will give you some tips.
First, I'll give you the small things the Rangers must do to keep it going.
Then I'll give you advice on how to not go criminally insane during this stretch.
So appreciate this, because honest to god, I hope the Bruins win game 5.
But here's what the Rangers gotta do.
Believe, Believe, Believe
I'll write this for the tips for fans later on but this goes for the players too.
Throughout last years finals, the Devils had about 12 players just saying the same things. They believed they can come back and they were confident it could happen. This one magical thing they call "Hope" can do a lot for a hockey team trying to get back into a series. The Rangers are a team that play with emotion. If they get a scent of hope, they can keep on plowing through this series.
Counter Boston's Home Ice
This one might be the one giant problem for the Rangers. They are a weak 1-5 on enemy territory this postseason, their only win coming in the 5-0 game 7 victory vs Washington. With the series (and 2 of the next 3) going back to Boston, the Rangers have to figure out how to win on the road.
First things, first, they gotta silence the crowd. Luckily, the Rangers are the team to do that. With big saves, big hits, and, hopefully, an early goal, they can quiet the Bruins' faithful and take them out of the game.
In any event, the Bruins are a team that's just as emotional as the Rangers and we saw that in their magical win (on home ice) against the Leafs in game 7 in round 1 so the Rangers must do something to slow them down.
The Men For the Job
Last year, Zach Parise was the captain for the New Jersey Devils. Parise is known for his heart and his never-say-die on ice performances. There are few NHLers who give every shift their all like Zach does.
Captain Ryan Callahan is one of them.
Perhaps one of the best captains in the game, Callahan has a huge impact on the Rangers success. The Rangers have the perfect captain for a comeback and he will indubitably lead them on and off the ice.
Callahan is the Epitome of the Rangers
The ideal Rangers hockey team, in most people's opinions, is a team full of overachievers who hustle all night, sacrifice their bodies, are defensively responsible, and embody the Blue-Collar atmosphere that are expected of them.
There are few teams to have ever had a team like that but the Rangers this year (and even moreso, last year) have shown flashes of it.
And it all starts with their coach.
John Tortorella, the man who's had his head called for the chopping block this postseason more than a mayor with a sex scandal, preaches the exact hockey the Rangers need to play til the end of the series. They have to wear down the Bruins young D, pressure Rask, and just be a machine in your own zone.
The Rangers have to do everything they were built to do.
Goaltending is Key
Martin Brodeur was perfect in games 4 and 5 last year when building their comeback. Lundqvist, who, in all honesty, has looked human this postseason, has to play on the Vezina level Ranger fans have been equipped to witnessing. That means that he can't be giving up 5 goals a game and he has to be lights out like he was at the end of the Washington series.
Key Lineup Change
For the Devils, it was starting Petr Sykora in game 4 that paid dividends. For the Rangers, it was sitting $60M, and fourth line, man, Brad Richards. This decision seemed like a matter of time as Richards wasn't producing and wasn't effective on the fourth line. So Tortorella benched him for game 4 and the Rangers scored more than 3 goals in the playoffs for just the fourth time in the playoffs this year.
This might be the move to spark the club to a run.
Keep Your Composure
Just because you're down in the series doesn't mean you become desperate. Remain calm and play like you normally would. No stupid retaliatory penalties, no stupid passes in the neutral zone, no reckless checks that could land you with a long penalty (this one is probably very important). Play hard but not dirty. Take chances but make sure you have men back. The games aren't different. Just play the way you normally would. And. Just. Keep. Your. Cool.
All About Momentum
This is something the Devils did routinely last season. They won the Flyers series with 4 straight wins. They won the Rangeers series (hehe) with 3 straight wins. And it seemed like they were trying to do the same in the fourth round.
It's all about building off your wins. Take the win, and take the momentum into the next game and kind of get into a groove where you just keep moving. This one is important and you can usually feel it as the series goes on.
The Boston Bruins (and Tuukka Rask) Have Blown It Before
Maybe the most important thing for the Rangers to remember is that this has happened before. Teams have come from behind before. It's possible and it's happened.
Also, it happened to a Bruins team very, very similar to this one.
The Bruins were just sad to watch as that series went on the Rangers MUST look at this as motivation. Some people think they should just focus on THIS series but, as I said earlier, they need belief and hope to do this, and where can they get more hope from the fact that this has been done.
Also, the Bruins just almost collapsed in round one versus Toronto.
This is a Bruins team, and a Bruins goaltender, who have a history of mega collapses and the Rangers need to take advantage.
1 Game at a Time
This is perhaps one the most cliche' lines in sports and it means "don't get ahead of yourself." Don't think that you have to win 4 straight games. Think of it as winning this one game on home ice. Once that's done, go look at the next game. And so on.
If you look ahead and get all down on your chances, you're not giving yourself the chance to make the comeback. This was the Devils motto for games 4-6 and it almost worked. Almost.
MY ADVICE FOR RANGER FANS
As the fan, you have a specific job.
Your job here is to sit and somehow contain yourself as your team plays through some of the most pressurized hockey you'll experience. When things don't go right, you think it's over. Then they'll score and you'll build up hope.
Hope is all you have, but hope is your worst nightmare.
I'll say it again.
Hope is all you have, but hope is your worst nightmare. Because even if you CONVINCED yourself the season's over, the Rangers will make a good passing play or make a big hit, and you'll be sucked right back into it.
There's no right way to deal with this agonizing struggle.
Just sit through it. In two months, you'll look back and laugh off how drawn you were to it.
And if you win, you get to say believed in them until the end.
But if you lose, just stand and applaud your team. A great season and mighty-fine playoff run.
And whatever you do, WHATEVER YOU DO, don't become a bitter fan who rants on the internet.
Those guys are the worst.
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