The Stanley Cup playoffs are such a structured playoff that there are 16 teams in the opening round, eight in the quarter finals, four in the semi-finals, and two in the finals. That anyone is left breathing by the time the final rolls around is a testament to youth, physical endurance, and lots of air travel.
It is possible a team can go 7 games in each round, thereby playing 28 games in postseason in addition to the 82 in the regular season. That's 35%, over one-third if you need help with the math. No wonder it's called ESPN. Entertainment...Sports...
It is also a testament to the fans who can afford to attend the home games of their team as they advance through the rounds. The prices keep going up like a helium balloon that some kid let go. I don't remember the cost, but by the time the Rangers reached the 1972 finals and I was in attendance, I had probably spent some good money for the two seats I had as a season ticket holder. And in 1972 there were only eight teams that were bracketed for the Cup playoffs. Now there are 16! teams.
I wonder if my memory will hold onto the Rangers beating the Penguins after being behind 3-1 in the series, winning three straight games and capping it off with a win at home in overtime? And that Folly Floater that but them ahead late in Game Six!
Right now, any advancement in the playoffs has me thinking that I might have to ask my neighbor who is an Islander fan, if I can rent their flag-pole and let the Ranger flag flap in the breeze like she did the Islander flag when the Islanders reached last year's semi-finals.
She's a single mom who grew up with the Islanders when they pulled off their Stanley Cup streak of four, so naturally she's an Islander fan. Last year she'd prop a television on her patio and curse rather vigorously at the telecasts. My wife got the biggest kick out of it.
After the first two games against the Carolina Hurricanes I'm thinking I may not be asking her for her flag-pole rental. You can lose any first game, but you can't lose the second game, not when you have power plays galore and still can't score.
I went to sleep after last night's second period convinced the Rangers were going to get blanked, and they did. Right now, this series reminds me of the finals in 1972 when the Ranger lost the first two in Boston but roared back in the third game at he Garden, which is still memorable to me, as much for the win as for the fact that my father came to the Saturday night game.
Boston's Derek Sanderson, a great penalty killer who would later become a Ranger, was a fight instigator of the first degree. He took some runs at the Ranger goalie Giacomin, and the place went NUTS! In that era, there was no third-man-in penalty, and benches could clear. And with Sanderson acting up, they did. It was gloves, stick and players everywhere. My father was worried they'd never get the game started again.
They did, and the Rangers won, but then lost the next game at home to fall behind 3-1 in games and limped into Boston for the 5th game, which to everyone's surprise they did win, shooting the puck high against an aging Jacques Plante in goal if I remember correctly. But they didn't win the 6th game back at MSG. So, we all got the see the cup being paraded around Garden ice, but in Boston's hands. It is VERY shiny. Sucked.
I wonder if Sam Rosen, the New York Ranger announcer will get to call any more Ranger games this year due to contracts with ESPN. In 1994 Sam intoned the never to be forgotten, "the waiting is over" when the Rangers finally disposed of the Vancouver Canucks in Game 7 at the Garden in the final.
That was an astounding 28 years ago, and shows you just how hard it is to get to the finals again. Both my daughters were still in school and living at home. Now they are both married and over 40. The Rangers were last in the finals in 2014 and I don't think I remember a damn thing about the series, other than I seem to remember the Rangers lost home games and you can't lose home games and expect to win.
I don't remember Eddie Olczyk was with the Rangers then. Every time I see Enzo handicapping horses on NBC racing telecasts I always think of him with just the Black Hawks.
Will the Rangers prevail and pull it out against the Hurricanes? Will I get closer to asking the neighbor if I can fly a Ranger flag from their flag-pole? Come to think of, I'd have to buy the flag first. I have my own flag-pole, but it's one of those that juts out from the side of the house. Hers is a real tall, hoist the flag up the pole, pole, standing front and center in the front yard, usually flying Old Glory.
Please. Let's go Rangers.
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