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New York Rangers: Processing The Season-Ending Loss

By Jen Yates |

New York Rangers’ Game 7 loss is leaving fans in disbelief and frustration. Coming so close to the Stanley Cup Final for the 2nd year in a row only to fall.

There is a very small part of me that is glad the New York Rangers season ended. At first I thought it was due to the uncomfortable feeling I get watching our boys battle in the playoffs. The stomach aches, irregular heartbeats and high levels of anxiety, it’s a bit of a relief to let that go, right?

New York Rangers
New York Rangers /

New York Rangers

Not really, because those feelings have just been replaced. Anger, frustration, sadness and disbelief are just a few that come to mind. I had no doubt the Rangers would win Game 7. They always do, they wouldn’t let it slip away. Not like this. Would they?

The Rangers didn’t just lose, they were shut-out. At home.

I have to be honest. I was not the best Rangers fan that night. With 3:55 left in the 3rd period I walked away from the game. At the very moment
Henrik Lundqvist was pulled from the game, I too left. I’ve seen this strategy a million times and I just couldn’t watch what was about to unfold.

I simply checked out of hockey for a moment. I shut off my phone and turned the TV off. I was about to process a big loss and I wanted to do it alone this time. In my mind I knew this loss wouldn’t be as painful as last years. I just simply could not watch the pain on Lundqvist’s face or any of the Rangers for that matter. Not yet, I was simply not prepared for it.

This brings me back to why I am a little grateful our season ended when it did. Now that I have had time to process the loss, I am able to reflect on the Rangers regular season and playoffs as a whole.

With Mats Zuccarello not being able to play due to a head injury sustained in the first round. Captain Ryan McDonagh trying to be brave and playing with a secret broken foot. Various rumors that some of the other boys were warding off injuries as well. The Rangers simply were not in a position to play like a team that was ready to win the cup.

Maybe this truly was not our time to win or change the ending.

Maybe we should be thankful we didn’t make it and get swept due to injuries. Wouldn’t the pain of making it all the way to the Stanley Cup Final and then losing be far worse than what we feel right now?

I could be wrong. Maybe if the blue-shirts had rallied a little harder they could have won that game. It’s possible they could have gone further than I am giving them credit for. The adrenaline and shift in momentum could have propelled them into a victory. Anything is possible right?

The thing is, we don’t know what why the ending happened the way it did or how things could have been different. All we know for sure is this simply wasnt our time to win.

Don’t ever doubt that our boys didn’t know what was at stake. That they didn’t try or that they don’t replay in their mind every single mistake they made. The Rangers are just as devastated as we are, they worked hard to get where they were.

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You have to be proud of this Rangers team and the journey they took us on this year. They had a successful season regardless of the outcome. Finishing at the top of the league with 113 points is nothing to shake a finger at. How could you be anything but proud of them.

The Rangers will get their win. I have no doubt. When they do, all of this pain and disappointment we feel right now will all be part of the story we tell after the celebration. We are a resilient fan base and we will happily do it all over again. That’s what we do, We Love Our Rangers.

Next: Will Alain Vigneault Ever Lead The New York Rangers To A Stanley Cup Championship?

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