Mike’s Most Anticipated Rangers Games for the Upcoming Season
By Mike Vecchio
With the new NHL realignment, each team will play every other team in the league at least twice: once at home, and once on the road. This always makes for exciting match-ups, and might even feature a preview of a Stanley Cup Final series. By making it to the finals last season, the New York Rangers will come into the new season with high expectations, but “expert” analysts expect them to fall short of the finals this year; just like they did last year. The task won’t come easy, as the Rangers will have to face teams that have gotten better over the off-season, as well as the teams who were top contenders last year. So, here are my three most anticipated games to look forward to for the 2014-2015 season:
Game 1: Saturday, October 11th, 2014: Rangers @ Blue Jackets
This game will be a good test for Rick Nash early in the season. After only playing three games before being knocked out for two months by a concussion last season, Nash should look to return with a jump in his step. In his first game back in Columbus since the trade, Columbus’ “fifth line” booed Nash from start to finish. This seemed to ignite a fire in Nash. He didn’t score, but he did snap 11 shots on goal and even dropped the mitts with Matt Calvert to provide a spark for his team. It was a Nash that the Rangers had lacked throughout the bulk of the season, and they will need him back this year, especially after a dismal playoffs from the big left winger. Without Nash producing at the max for the Rangers this season, they will have trouble scoring goals. Nash is one of the most talented players in the NHL, and he needs to start showing it again.
Game 2: Saturday, October 25th, 2014: Rangers @ Canadiens
It is the first time that the Rangers return to the Bell Centre since they defeated the Canadiens in six games to reach the Stanley Cup Final. In game 1, Chris Kreider lost his balance on a breakaway and injured Montreal goaltender Carey Price was out for the rest of the series, and it was a huge blow to the Canadiens cup chances. Now, with Price fully healthy and ready to go, it will be interesting to see how the Canadiens respond when the Rangers visit. Do they go after Lundqvist, or do they play a normal game? It’s too early to tell, but it will be an interesting game once the puck drops. Plus, with Brandon Prust breaking Derek Stepan‘s jaw in game 3, fans could also see some retaliation from the Rangers. However, Alain Vigneault likes to stay away from the dirty play, so don’t count on it. Nevertheless, it will be a very fun Saturday night in Montreal.
Game 3: Tuesday, March 24th, 2015: Kings @ Rangers
I’m sure that this is the game the Ranger fans will most be looking forward to, hence it being last on my list. The Rangers and Kings put on a tremendous show last season for all hockey fans in the Stanley Cup Final. As usual, the Rangers were featured as the underdog against a Kings team who had won the greatest trophy in sports just two years ago. The Rangers gave the Kings everything they could handle, but the Kings prevailed in five games to take home the cup. Now, with a clean slate and a fresh start, the Rangers will look to be one of the top teams in the east this year. By the end of March, both teams should be at the top of the respective divisions and looking to secure a playoff spot. This will be a huge test and will feature two of the best goaltenders in the NHL, Henrik Lundqvist and Jonathan Quick. With those two at their best, this could very easily be one of the best games of the year. Who knows, we could even see these two in the cup final again, but it’s too early to start making predictions. This should be a great game between two good teams, and the Garden Faithful should be rocking the building down.
So, let me know what you guys think of my selected games. Will any of you be attending these games? Leave your comments below!