The Case for the Rangers

Okay, let me first start by saying because of my Boston roots, I can never 100% get behind or cheer for a team representing the city of New York. Jets? Hate 'em. Yankees? Despise 'em. Giants? Don't even get me started. There's simply too much history and bad memories for me personally to support a team from the Big Apple. However, given the wide open state of the NHL and especially the Eastern Conference, I came to the realization a few days ago that this Conference might once again might be won by the boys in blue.

Let's flash back to last year. The Rangers beat the Flyers in 7 games in the first round, beat Pittsburgh in a very hard fought series in 7, and beat a Carey Price-less Canadiens team in 6 to advance to their first Stanley Cup Final since they won it in '94. They faced a red hot Kings team who eventually won the series in 5 games. But let's look a little closer. The Kings won games 1 & 2 at home in overtime and overcame 2-0 deficits in both games. In Game 3 Jonathan Quick stood on his head and got a shutout. Game 4 the Rangers won to push the series to a 5th game back in Los Angeles. And yet again, the Kings won in overtime, double overtime in fact, with Alec Martinez jumping on a rebound and shot the Stanley Cup winning goal past a devastated Henrik Lundqvist.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4SVih8Rn5Y (Martinez Cup Winner)

My point is, they faced a red hot team, with -let's face it- a much deeper and talented roster, and 3 of their 4 losses came in overtime. They played the Kings extremely well, and with a few different bounces, the entire series changes.

As for this year, I think the Rangers have as good a chance as any team to come out of the Eastern Conference. Rick Nash is back as a super star, and currently second in the NHL in goals with 38. Their goaltending is set with Henrik Lundqvist, barring another injury of course. Ryan McDonagh has stepped up as a captain, and Martin St. Louis has always been clutch in the playoffs. Now, what's to say the Habs & Rangers play again in the Playoffs, only this time Carey Price doesn't get injured, and puts the Canadiens on his back and wins the series? Entirely possible. Or perhaps Marc-André Fleury and the Penguins finally figure out a way to get back to the finals? That could happen too. All I'm saying is, don't count the Rangers out, and if they do once again end up representing the Eastern Conference in the Finals, don't be too surprised.

- Cameron