The Cold Never Bothered Them Anyway
Photo Credit: Mike Stobe / Getty Images
On Sunday afternoon, Feb. 18, the New York Rangers completed a historic comeback to defeat the New York Islanders, 6-5, in this year’s Stadium Series game. After going down 4-1 in the first half of the game, the Rangers battled back to complete their 18th comeback win of the year, which is tied for the league lead.
Photo Credit: New York Rangers Instagram
Most teams play all 82 of their regular season games indoors. However, a select few teams get the chance to play outside every year in either the Stadium Series or the Winter Classic. This year, the Stadium Series came to MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, where two games were to be played. The New Jersey Devils beat the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday night, but most people anticipated the Rangers and Islanders game to be much more eventful.
There is something almost magical about experiencing outdoor hockey. For one, the crowd is always bigger, where over 79,000 people were in attendance for the New York game. While the game was supposed to be an Islanders home game, it seemed as though the majority of the fans inside the stadium were cheering on the Rangers. Fans were also cheering on the teams as they came into the stadium, as they walked with members of the NYPD and FDNY. The Rangers were even bussed in on the top of New York firetrucks, as they made their way towards the entrance.
As people were lining up at the gate and taking their seats inside the stadium, something cool happened before the game even started. Matt Rempe, a 21-year-old forward who was called up from the minor leagues this week, took his rookie lap in front of one of the largest crowds in NHL history. In fact, this was the first time in league history that a rookie took their first NHL lap in an outdoor game. This was also the sixth anniversary of his father’s passing, so this moment was especially important for him and his family.
There was a bit of a delay from the game’s initial three o’clock starting time due to the sun, but after a short wait, the national anthem was played and both sides were ready for puck drop. As soon as the game started to unfold, it was evident that the outdoor conditions were affecting the goalies more than anyone else. Islanders goaltender, Ilya Sorokin, let in the Rangers first shot on goal, which was scored by Erik Gustafsson. After the first goal was scored, Matt Rempe, who was mentioned earlier, dropped the gloves with Matt Martin. Rempe’s first ever shift on the ice, started with a fight, and Rangers fans couldn’t have been happier.
While Sorokin did have his own problems in net to start off the game, so did Rangers goaltender, Igor Shesterkin. It was soon after the Rangers first score, that Shesterkin let in three goals on nine shots for the Islanders. They even scored two goals in 13 seconds, which in the fastest consecutive goals scored in the history of outdoor games.
The first period was a snooze fest for the Rangers, as that even carried over into the second. Captain, Anders Lee, scored in the first minute of the second period, extending the Islanders lead, 4-1. As the period went on, the Rangers were slowly battling back into the game. They gained momentum going into the third with two goals by Vincent Trocheck, making it a one goal competition.
As a Rangers comeback was in the works, all hope seemed to be gone for the team as the Islanders scored first in the final period, putting them ahead, 5-3. The goal came as Rangers defenseman, Ryan Lindgren, was hit in the face with a stick, putting him down on the ice as play was still going on. Being a man down at this time, the Rangers left Alexander Romanov right in front of the net, leading to an easy tap in.
The two teams battled the entire period, as it looked like the Islanders were going to leave MetLife with a win. However, in the final four minutes of the game, the Rangers got two key power plays, where they pulled Shesterkin, in order to make both of them a six on four. Chris Kreider scored on the first one, while Mika Zibanejad was Sunday’s hero, as he scored the next. The Rangers fans inside of the stadium came alive as the comeback in which they thought wasn’t possible, was happening right before their eyes.
While the Rangers had tied the game, their job was still not done as they had to win in either the five minute overtime, or in a shootout. Rangers star player, Artemi Panarin, was up for the challenge as he scored the overtime winner in only ten seconds. He stole the puck right in front of the net, got his own rebound after his first shot was saved, and then put it in. The crowd the unsure how to react to this, since the net did come loose, but the Rangers seemed to think it went in immediately after they scored, as the bench even came onto the ice to celebrate.
The goal was looked at by the review room in Toronto, when the referee gave the call a few minutes later. It was a good goal; the Rangers completed their own Miracle in the Meadowlands.
Panarin’s goal was the third fastest overtime goal in Rangers history, as he did it in the biggest stage of the regular season. This Stadium Series game also featured the most combined goals in one outdoor game with 11. As the Rangers made history this weekend, the players reflected on what this game meant to them.
“I almost cried before the game. It was hard for me. Honestly I have to say that the atmosphere was electric and it was something that I couldn’t compare to anything else. i had to hold back tears because it was that much of a spectacle.”
“It’s a game that we’ve been looking forward to. The atmosphere was incredible and to win in the way that we did, was incredible.”
New York is now 5-0-0 in the five games that they’ve played in outside. The Rangers came into this game with a six game winning streak, and left it with seven. The 2024 Stadium Series game is going to be one that the players, and fans, remember for the rest of their lives.