RANGERS OVER WIN CAPS MEMORABLE OUTDOOR WEEKEND AT METLIFE STADIUM
It was perfect weather for outdoor hockey at MetLife Stadium on Sunday afternoon as the sun descended, the temperature dropped, and the wind gusts picked up.
Artemi Panarin, a forward for the New York Rangers and a native of Russia, described the components of summer in Russia.
The Rangers ended an exciting weekend with a dramatic 6-5 victory over the New York Islanders thanks to a goal by Panarin 10 seconds into overtime.
Max Weinberg, a New Jersey native and drummer for Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, stated, We adore hockey. The Weinberg family’s norm is to sit outside in the cold.
The local New Jersey Devils defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 6-3 on Saturday night, demonstrating the extreme cold that was experienced this weekend. On Sunday, the temperature at the start of play was 39 degrees and continued to drop
The ice was good.
Mika Zibanejad of the Rangers, whose power play goal with 1:29 remaining sent the game into overtime, stated, They did a good job with everything.It transports you back to your childhood and your favorite outdoor playtimes. There was a tiny bounce to the puck. The game became slightly more challenging as it progressed.
The Meadowlands football stadium, which is home to the New York Jets and New York Giants, was jam-packed with fans who eagerly fought against the weather.
Before the celebrations started, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman—who currently oversees 41 outdoor games—said, To think about the reality that we’re going to have 140,000 for two games here is really remarkable.
In actuality, 150,018 fans attended, compared to 79,690 on Sunday and 70,328 on Saturday, due to a pregame Jonas Brothers concert that took place on a platform at the west end of the stadium, which reduced the number of available seats. It prevented the sale of three enormous sections of lower bowl seats.
For the first time since moving to Newark in 2007, the Devils made a triumphant return to the Meadowlands. For twenty-five years, they performed at a nearby venue that was once the I-Zod Arena but is currently vacant.
The NHL used the weekend as a platform for two announcements, and it was a success.
The next Stadium Series matchup between the hometown Blue Jackets and the Detroit Red Wings will take place at Ohio Stadium, the football stadium on the Ohio State campus in Columbus, on March 1, 2025, according to a statement made by Bettman on Saturday. Previously, the league announced that the Blackhawks and St. Louis Blues would square off in the Winter Classic on New Year’s Day at Chicago’s Wrigley Field.
Great defenseman Denis Potvin of the Islanders revealed on Sunday that the 2026 All-Star Game will take place at the Islanders’ home, UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, which opened two years ago.
But all of that is anticipatory. This event is the thing at the moment.
The game was fantastic. After the game on Saturday, Devils coach Lindy Ruff remarked, What a night. Everything was completed so expertly. Here were 70,000 fans. It’s thirty degrees when your bus pulls up, and the 40,000 people in the parking lot are most likely drinking Diet Coke. Our club gave all of the fans that showed up a fantastic game as a thank you.
Rangers supporters endured the bad weather on Sunday despite their team losing against the Islanders 4-1 and 5-2 before mounting an incredible comeback from behind 5-3 with three goals in the final 4:18.
Panarin, Zibanejad, and Chris Kreider—three of their main players—stepped up to score the goals that fashioned the comeback.
Our big players really delivered on those crucial occasions, stated Peter Laviolette, the coach of the Rangers. It was an insane game. It was fantastic.
Under two late Rangers power opportunities, Laviolette was equally astute, withdrawing goalkeeper Igor Shesterkin to give his club a two-man advantage under trying circumstances. Both times they scored, tying the score at 5-5.
We were behind by two goals with, I believe, six minutes remaining, according to Laviolette. If the calculations don’t work out, we’re basically done.
Ilya Sorokin of the Islanders was defeated by Panarin’s goal right off the faceoff to start the five-minute, three-on-three overtime, but it was reviewed when defenseman Noah Dobson shoved the net off one of its stanchions. The objective was maintained.
When Panarin viewed the surroundings, he claimed to have tears in his eyes. As they got off the bus and headed into the dressing rooms, three of the four teams planned their arrival.
The New York Fire and Police Departments supported the Rangers. The Flyers jogged like Rocky while wearing grey sweatshirts. To represent the Sopranos, the Devils wore dark running pants and white t-shirts without sleeves.
Via a Russian translation, Panarin remarked, I have to admit it was electric, and there’s nothing I could compare it with. It was such a sight that I had to fight back the tears. It received that surge of passion and that electric feeling from the crowd. That is something I will always remember.
