Hockey has gained a massive amount of support from not only the American public but more specifically students at Massapequa High School. While the Rangers have built their reputation as a powerhouse team, many people have noticed hockey as an interesting sport and have jumped on the bandwagon.
“Before the Rangers started achieving, I was not nearly as interested in hockey as I was in other sports,” Nolan Fitzpatrick of Massapequa High said. “However, now that they have shown their dominance and had such a successful season, I have noticed that not only I have become a bigger fanatic, but a large majority of the school has taken a deep interest in them.”
Nolan and the rest of Massapequa alike have certainly taken quite the liking to the Rangers, and apparently the NHL as a whole because of the success that the local team had. “It’s great to see them thrive and to see hockey develop as a popular sport here in Massapequa.”
Specifically, New York residents basked in pride, for their own National Hockey League Team had destroyed the competition in not only the regular season, but the first and second round of the playoffs too. The Rangers finished first in the Eastern Conference, making New Yorkers proud of their hockey team. This was made possible by the critically acclaimed goalie on the Rangers: Henrik Lundqvist, from Sweden. However, while the Rangers have a powerhouse of a team, they lacked one critical player for some time: Brandon Dubinsky. He was injured during one of the last games of the regular season, while playing against the Ottawa Senators. Dubinsky is a heavily valued player and is also one of the alternate captains of the Rangers. Luckily, Dubinsky came back to the Rangers in game five against the New Jersey Devils in the Eastern Conference Finals.
A playoff-round matchup that captured the interests of viewers was the rivalry between the Washington Capitals and the New York Rangers. Last season, the Rangers and Capitals played each other in the first round; the Rangers suffered a grueling defeat. This season brought a notable upset when the Rangers knocked out the Capitals in game seven of the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs – a well deserved comeback by the Rangers. Similar to this surprising elimination, the Vancouver Canucks – who were first seeded in the West – were eliminated in the first round by the L.A. Kings.
The Rangers and Devils competed for the Eastern Conference slot in the Stanley Cup, and unfortunately, the Rangers suffered a heartbreaking defeat. The Los Angeles Kings and the Phoenix Coyotes competed for the Western Conference slot and the Kings came out victorious. The Rangers may have fell short of the Cup this year, but their substantial success makes fans hopeful next season will be their season to fully shine and finally grab the top prize again.
The Stanley Cup will be played between the King and the Devils. All in all, it will surely be a great Stanley Cup, as both teams are heavily competitive and apt for championship hockey.