It isn’t often that the NY Rangers and NY Islanders are both playing extremely well in the same season. Today, both teams will meet at Madison Square Garden for what will likely be a great matchup considering how well both teams have been playing.
Comparing each team throughout the season, the Islanders have been a bit more consistent and sit further up in the standings. But over the last two months, the Rangers are surging and asserting themselves as one of the top teams in the league. Winning 13 of their last 14 games, the blue shirts are finally healthy and rolling over teams. We aren’t talking about bottom feeders in the league either, we are talking about high quality opponents. Teams like the LA Kings, San Jose Sharks, and the Anaheim Ducks have been the latest casualties on a west coast road trip that portrayed telling signs for just how good this Ranger squad really is.
The New York Rangers came into this season with big plans, especially since they made it to the Stanley Cup Finals last year against the LA Kings. Hampered by injuries in the early going, the Rangers are finally healthy playing a great two way game that features their great scoring depth and speed. Averaging more than three goals a game, we are starting to take notice of a consistent offense and pressure that continues to force opposing teams into mistakes and ultimately goals for the Rangers.
There’s no science to the Rangers fluidity on the ice. They are simply clicking in all the statistical categories that truly matter. Their power play is finding the back of the net, they are killing off penalties, Henrik Lundqvist is standing on top of his head, and when he’s not playing, Cam Talbot is serving as a reliable backup that can win the team additionally games.
It’ll be fun to see both teams go at it tonight. The rivalry between the two teams proves to be a great one each time they face off. Since both teams are playing so well, you figure there will be a lot of emotions on the ice.
