Islanders and Rangers: keep your enemies close
June 7, 2013
The New York Rangers and the New York Islanders have one of the most intense rivalries in sports — or do they? Six meetings a season and less than thirty miles between Madison Square Garden and the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum have fostered a bitter hatred between the two New York teams. However, each team experienced their ups and downs, causing the so-called “Battle of New York” to change over the years.
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the upstart Islanders had a leg up on the older, more established Rangers. One famous incident included Islanders defenseman Denis Potvin, who checked Rangers forward Ulf Nilsson, breaking Nilsson’s ankle. From that moment on, Rangers fans rained down chants of “Potvin sucks,” and a tradition was born. To this day, no matter the opponent, Rangers fans are happy to break into a round of these chants. Contrary to the Rangers fans’ assertions, Potvin did not suck. He helped the Islanders to four straight Stanley Cup victories between 1980 and 1983 and beat the Rangers in four straight playoff series.
By the time the 1990s rolled around, the sun had set on the glory days of the Islanders and attention shifted to their cross-town rival. The Rangers eliminated the Islanders from the playoffs in 1990, but the Islanders fans clung to their chants of “1940,” a reference to the last time the Rangers had won the Stanley Cup. That chant was silenced forever in 1994 when the Rangers swept the Islanders on their way to their fourth Stanley Cup championship.
Since then, the rivalry between the once bitter enemies had cooled off. The Islanders failed to make the playoffs thirteen of the last seventeen seasons while the Rangers endured a playoff drought from 1998 to 2004. While Rangers fans took delight in tormenting the Islanders about their unsuccessful draft picks, poor performance, and drop in game attendance, the “Battle of New York” had lost its meaning with the Islanders in the basement of the Atlantic Division.
This year, the rivalry has been resurrected by the unexpected similarities between the teams. The Rangers didn’t achieve the heights they had last year as they did not secure a playoff spot until the second to last game of the regular season. While they eventually gained the sixth seed, the Rangers didn’t achieve the high expectations that had been set after their deep playoff run last year. The Islanders were also a surprise, but a much more pleasant one. They returned to the postseason for the first time since 2007 and breathed new life into an old rivalry. Games between the Rangers and Islanders became relevant again as the two teams jockeyed for playoff position as the regular season came to a close.
In this year’s Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, the Islanders faced the top seeded Pittsburgh Penguins while the Rangers took on the Washington Capitals for the fourth time in five years. The Rangers dropped the first two games of the series, but ultimately eliminated the Capitals in seven games by winning four of the last five games. In the second round of the playoffs, the Rangers will play the Boston Bruins, another Original Six team.
The Islanders’ return to the playoffs wasn’t what many fans had hoped for. For example, the Islanders fell to the Penguins in six games.
Still, it is not all doom and gloom for the team from Long Island, as both the Islanders and their fans consider this year a success. As the Islanders left the Coliseum ice, they were serenaded by “Let’s go Islanders” chants from the home crowd. The future looks bright for the team, led by league MVP nominee John Tavares. One can be certain that the Islanders are the road to recovery.
The Rangers didn’t fare much better than their cross town rivals. After eliminating the Washington Capitals in seven games, the Rangers barely avoided a sweep before being eliminated by the Boston Bruins. While this is not the season that Rangers fans were hoping for, they can see promise for the future. Trade deadline acquisition Derick Brassard exploded for twelve points in the first twelve playoff games of his career while rookie Chris Kreider scored an overtime game winning goal.
While the Rangers and Islanders didn’t meet in the playoffs this year, the two New York teams are set on a collision course and will no doubt meet in the coming seasons. Goals will be scored, punches will be thrown, and saves—as well as history—will be made. The “Battle of New York” will once again be fought on — and off — the ice.