The Devils and Rangers are squaring off in the opening round of the playoffs.
By Patrick Hoffman
In the Stanley Cup playoffs, it is assumed that the home team will always have a greater advantage than their opponent.
This does not appear to be the case in the Rangers/Devils series.
Throughout the New York Rangers 4-1 series opening victory over the New Jersey Devils, the crowd could be heard chanting things such as "Ave-ry, Ave-ry!" or "Hen-rik, Hen-rik!" Oh yeah, did I mention that this game was played in New Jersey?
One would have to figure that in a new arena such as the Prudential Center, thousands upon thousands of Devil fans would flock to the arena to watch their team begin its Stanley Cup playoff march. However, last night, it seemed like more Ranger fans made the trip as there was a sea of blue throughout the arena.
For the Rangers, this is nothing different as they typically get a lot of fan support during games in the tri-state area. However, in the playoffs, it provides a huge boost to the team while taking energy out of the Devils' building.
"It feels good to have that support on the road," Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist told reporters after last night's 4-1 victory in Game 1. "It takes out a little energy out of the building for them. It's great for us. It will play a part. We love our fans and the support they show us. You almost have to look up to realize you are on the road playing."
Sure, Ranger fans can be cocky, loud and obnoxious but one thing they all have in common is that they are passionate about their team and will go to lengths to watch them play, which is why many of them made it a point to get tickets for games being played in Jersey.
If the Rangers come away with a victory tomorrow night in Game 2, one can only imagine how loud Madison Square Garden is going to be for the team's playoff home opener on Sunday night. It may reach a decibel level that can help the Rangers take their game to new heights and give them all the confidence in the world to go all the way.