Where were you on May 25, 1997? Need a hint? OK then; how about this? That was the last time the Rangers played a playoff game.
It was in Philadelphia for Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals, and the Rangers were beaten 4-2 to lose the series.
Almost nine years later, here they are again, proving once and for all that good things do come to those who wait … and wait … and wait … and wait … and, well, you get the idea.
Shortly after 3:00 this afternoon, the waiting will be over – what’s nine years when measured against 54, anyway? – and while the Rangers are focused on what it will take to beat the Devils at the Meadowlands in Game 1 of their opening round Battle of the Hudson, the Blueshirts’ eyes are on the ultimate prize.
“We talked in September about how the Stanley Cup was our objective, and we’ll identify that very quickly as our ultimate objective in our meeting,” coach Tom Renney said yesterday. “At the same time, we must stay in the moment.
“This is a whole new dynamic for this group.”
There are many Rangers who have extensive individual playoff experience, and Henrik Lundqvist, the most significant one who doesn’t have any, has an Olympic gold medal he earned for Sweden just two months ago.
“I think there’s bigger pressure on the international level from your own country and facing all the best players in the world,” Jaromir Jagr said when asked about Lundqvist’s lack of NHL playoff experience. “I think the Olympics are tougher for goalies.
“I have a lot of confidence in the way [Lundqvist] plays. Goaltending is one thing I don’t worry about; it’s the least concern in my mind.”
If there’s a concern, it’s that the group is a collective playoff infant, and in diapers measured against a foe that has two players remaining from its 1995 Cup championship team, eight from its 2000 title team, and a full dozen from the 2003 Cup winners.
“The Devils are going to test us in every way possible, but most of all, mentally,” said 2000 Cup winner Petr Sykora. “I believe they are the top team in the East, but let’s not sell ourselves short, because we have a very deep and very good team, too.
“We can’t get distracted by anything from the outside. We have to be patient from the first minute of the series to the last.”
Every Ranger skated yesterday, and all the wounded other than Martin Rucinsky are expected to be in the lineup for the opener. That means Steve Rucchin, sidelined since the April 4 playoff-clincher with a broken bone in his right foot. That means everyone (except Rucinsky) who missed Thursday’s practice with the flu, even if they’re not quite feeling themselves – or claiming not to, that is.
Yes, you, Jags.
“I feel a lot better, but I still don’t feel very good; hopefully I will be better [today],” Jagr said after practice. “The way I feel right now, [expected shadow Jay Pandolfo] might have a day off.”
Someone pointed out to Jagr that the stick he was using didn’t have his own name on it. Jagr then noticed that the stick had “No. 88” stenciled into the shaft.
“No wonder I couldn’t score,” said No. 68, who can be forgiven for not knowing that Eric Lindros, No. 88 himself, led the playoffs in scoring in … 1997.
