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A Plea To Rangers Fans At Madison Square Garden These Playoffs

By Patrick Comia

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With home ice advantage through the playoffs, fans at Madison Square Garden need to create a ‘uncomfortable’ environment for the opposition

Dear fellow Rangers fans,

So, the Rangers are in the playoffs. But, they are not just in it. They are favored to lift the Stanley Cup, when it is all said and done.

Metropolitan Division Champions? Check.

Eastern Conference Champions? Check.

President’s Trophy for best overall team in the regular season? Check.

Home-ice advantage through all four rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs? Check.

With that last perk, comes great responsibility. No, I am not talking like Uncle Ben in the Spiderman movies (though I am partial to the Toby McGuire-starred movies).

No, I am talking about having the most important advantage afforded to a hockey team. In my opinion, home-ice advantage is crucial. You have a leg up on your competition with the home-town fans on your side. Fans have a reason to become “homers” to other fanbases.

But, the advantage has to be used in the right way. It’s that time of the season where it really counts. It’s either put up or shut up.

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This season, the Rangers have been yelled at, scoffed at, ridiculed, called “lucky”, laughed at, and called every “french” word in the English language. Whether it was the slow start to the season, players not looking like themselves, or looking confused and disorganized, the other non-Ranger fanbases took every advantage to kick the team when they were down.

Now, the shoe is on the other foot.

It’s that time of the season to make life miserable for visiting teams.

New York Rangers
New York Rangers /

New York Rangers

DO’s

BE LOUD– There’s nothing like being loud, to the point you can’t hear the person next to you. It will also be difficult for the opposing team. Boo the other team when they touch the ice, especially if it’s their name is Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, or Marc-Andre Fleury. There’s nothing quite like a fragile psyche. If players can be thrown off their game, we have done our job!

BE PROUD– We are Rangers fans. This is our house, opponents are visiting. For 60 minutes, they are ours. Fans of the other team should not feel welcome to the game. Not encouraging to curse, disrespect, or have things thrown their way. But, they should not even be able to be heard during the game or on any broadcast.

SEA OF BLUE– Show unity for the team and break out whatever Rangers gear you have at home and wear it to the game. Show your pride. Make visiting fans stick out like a sore thumb and outnumber them. Make them feel it was a bad idea to wear the wrong team’s colors today.

DON’Ts

NO HORN– Please, whatever you do, no horns. You know, those blaring, annoying fog horns you hear at arenas such as Consol Energy Center (Pittsburgh Penguins) and Verizon Center (Washington Capitals). Don’t follow in their footsteps. There are other ways to rally the people. The horn is just plain ridiculous and over-used.

THE WHISTLE CHANTS– Ok, ok, this is a tradition, a staple that only Rangers fans can love. That’s the whistle chants. You know, someone in the crowd whistles that tune followed by “POTVIN SUCKS”. It’s great, it gets fans united and it pokes fun at the Islander defenseman, especially if he is in the building. But, it may be time to switch it up. Instead of “POTVIN SUCKS”, could we say “PENGUINS SUCK” or use another team that is relevant to the game? Or, replace Potvin with another person on the team, say Crosby? Oh yes! That would be grand! Every other team’s home fans got a “YOU SUCK’ chant for the Rangers, why not Madison Square Garden? That would be perfect!

So, if you are lucky enough to attend one of the Rangers games these playoffs, keep these things in mind. Let everyone know that the biggest stage is in New York, and nowhere else. Opponents should not love playing in Madison Square Garden, they should loathe it.

LETS GO RANGERS!

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