Competing in the playoffs at Madison Square Garden is always part of the line of questioning for opponents as they prepare to take the stage inside the World’s Most Famous Arena.
For the Florida Panthers, who played postseason hockey against the Rangers in Manhattan for the first time since 1997 Wednesday night, the storied Garden is the fairytale backdrop for their quest to advance to the finals for a second straight year before ultimately capturing the franchise’s first ever Stanley Cup.
“It’s playoff hockey in New York, it’s a dream,” Mathew Tkachuk said Friday night, moments after the Panthers closed out the Bruins in Game 6. “MSG on the road is my favorite rink to play in, just because of the history and everything that has to do with the city of New York. It’s a great city. They love their sports. It’s going to be such a great atmosphere.
“I mean, conference finals at MSG, that’s just so cool. We’re excited to start that on Wednesday.”
It’ll be 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 it’s the home-ice advantage for the entirety of the playoffs that’s the real prize.
Carrying a 4-1 home record in these playoffs into Game 1 Wednesday night, the Rangers wanted to assert their dominance early in this series.
MSG is down to hosting one postseason run, after the Knicks bowed out in seven games in the second round of the NBA playoffs.
So with all the attention on the Rangers, the investment from the crowd is expected to be tenfold.
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“I say this about players sometimes, I think you grow 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 you grow to appreciate that more when you’re in it and you’re living it every day. You see how special it is. You see the passion in the fans, which is unbelievable. The passion in this fan base is incredible. The building. The history that goes behind this team is pretty special. So to be here at this point, it’s a great thing for all of us.”
Panthers defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson, a native of Sweden, said he heard about MSG growing up and all the history that goes with it.
Though he called the environment special and loud, Ekman-Larsson said the most fun part is getting a chance to play a really good team in the Rangers.
The Rangers are now New York City’s last hope to end its 13-year major championship drought before the peak summer heat hits.
“You definitely feel it, well, they let you know,” Laviolette said with a chuckle, when asked if he can feel the hunger for a championship from the Rangers fan base and the city. “They’re pretty quick to let you know that they’re ready. They’re unbelievable. I think about, not only the support here in the city and surrounding the city and MSG and the fans that come to the game, I think about the fan base that’s really all over the world, all over the country. We got to different rinks, we’re going down to Carolina, we’re going to Washington, we’re going to Florida, it’s amazing to me how many fans show up, wearing the Rangers colors at an away building — and loud.
“There was a group right behind the bench in Carolina the other night pounding the glass, pounding the glass, letting us know that they’re there, letting the players know they’re there. They love their team, they love this city and they’re hungry.”
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