A new chapter of the Hudson River rivalry is about to write its final page as the New York Rangers head across the river one last time, for a deciding game seven against the New Jersey Devils.
I don't think anybody expected this series to go the distance after the way it started. The Rangers came out in Games 1 and 2 looking like a team that was ready for a quest to capture the Stanley Cup.
Then, all of a sudden, they looked like the complete opposite of that, over the course of the next three games of the series. The Devils appeared to suck all of the life out of the Rangers and were on the brink of sending them home for Summer.
Under head coach Gerard Gallant, this Rangers group has had to bend at times, but they have rarely broken. It's talked about a lot around the rink how this group has been here before and they certainly have no fear of adversity.
For the third time in the four playoff series that the Rangers have been a part of, they find themselves playing in game seven.
Over the last 10+ years, the Rangers have found ways to have a ton of success in elimination games, but with that being said, the Devils aren't concerned with the past, according to forward, Erika Haula.
It's become evident that the Rangers are somewhat comfortable in what most people find to be uncomfortable situations. The group knows that this will be a challenge, just like any Game 7 is, but they are also looking at this as a fun opportunity.
So, what will be the key for the Rangers to advance to the second round?
In Game 6, New York made it known that they wanted to be the more physical team. Ryan Lindgren spoke about the teams physicality and that in order to rattle the Devils, you have push them around as much as you can.
I wouldn't say the scoreboard truly reflected what Game 6 looked like, but none of that matters anymore. It all comes down to one game and who can be the better team for 60 minutes.
Some might argue that the Rangers are in fact in the driver's seat for this game. New Jersey had all of the momentum in the series heading into Game 6, but the Rangers were able to feed off of their home crowd and get back to their identity.
In their last five Game 7's, the Rangers are 4-1, and they have outscored their opponent's 14-9 in those games. Three out of the five games were in result of the Rangers coming back from down 3-1 in the series and they were trailing in all five series' to force the Game 7. Two of the four wins came in overtime.
If there is one reason why people should be confident in the Rangers tonight, that reason is none other than Igor Shesterkin. He is 2-0 in these games in his career, skating to a .938 save percentage and a 2.41 goals against average. In this series he is boasting a .939 save percentage with a 1.79 goals against average and is leading all goalies with a +7.3 goals saved above expected.
Another player to watch for the Rangers tonight comes as no surprise. Chris Kreider will be playing in his 9th Game 7. He has tallied three goals and an assist in eight of these deciding games throughout his career, but he is currently leading the team with nine points in six games. Kreider has stepped up every time the team has needed someone to do so. His record in Game 7's is 7-1.
This has been one of the most back-and-forth playoff series' that I have seen in a very long time. The momentum has shifted multiple times for both teams.
In a Game 7, anything can happen, but if there's one thing that the Rangers can focus on, it is making sure that they don't give Devils fans anything to cheer about in the early going of the first period.
Taking the crowd out of the game will only play in favor of New York.
These two teams have had many incredible moments throughout the history of the rivalry. Tonight, we will witness what is sure to be a moment that these fan bases debate for years to come.
What a series this has been and I am very excited to see how it ends.
There's nothing better than a Game 7.