Rangers can prove they’re a different team by closing out Hurricanes
NY Post
The Rangers have been here before, and that is the scary part.
They held a 2-0 series lead against the Devils a year ago before the stars disappeared, Akira Schmid turned into a modern-day Martin Brodeur and the Rangers were left holding the bag.
They held a 2-0 series lead and a 2-0 Game 3 lead against Tampa two years ago before sheer exhaustion caught up with the Rangers, who scored just one goal at even strength for the rest of the series.
These Rangers have spent the year building themselves up to be different.
They built up credit by winning the Presidents’ Trophy in the regular season, sweeping the first seven games of the playoffs and by the sterling practice habits and culture brought in by Peter Laviolette.
Whether or not they really are different will be answered by whether the Rangers can close out the Hurricanes after a disastrous Game 5 on Monday night sent the series back to Raleigh, N.C., with momentum decisively in favor of the team now down 3-2.
Whenever seasons like the one the Knicks just completed end, I always find myself back outside the visiting locker room at old Mile High Stadium. I always find myself standing with a handful of writers surrounding Bill Parcells maybe half an hour after the Jets lost the AFC Championship game to the Broncos.