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This weekend brings a pair of Game 1's at The Garden and a lot of adult beverages for this anxious fan.
The Rangers and Knicks played 82 games over 6 months and now the playoffs are finally here. Things kick off Saturday evening with the Knicks hosting the Philadelphia 76ers. Then the Rangers will take to the Garden ice on Sunday afternoon to begin their first round series against the Washington Capitals. Let's jump into it!
New York Rangers
The Games
Saturday, April 13th | Win 3-2 (SO) vs. Islanders
This was an ugly, sluggish Saturday afternoon game against a stingy Islanders team. They did a pretty good job shutting us down for most of it. After we took the 1-0 lead on a shorthanded goal, they buried two greasy ones to take the lead. It looked like they were going to hang on for the win, but Panarin found a way to bury one late in the third period, right off of a face off, for a huge game-tying goal. Igor made a glorious glove save in overtime and the Rangers found a way to get it done in the shootout.
Monday, April 15th | Win 4-0 vs. Senators
In what I hope is a harbinger of things to come, the Rangers were absolutely dominant in a hugely important game. A win would lock up the President's Trophy and a favorable round one playoff matchup. And they certainly met the moment. It was really fun watching this team cook all game long (granted, against a pretty bad Senators team). After Panarin struck for his 49th goal of the season, the Rangers spent the better part of the third period trying to set him up for 50. Unfortunately, it didn't happen, but still a great win and a great regular season. On to the playoffs!
The Playoff Preview
What I'm Feeling Good About
The Rangers won the President's Trophy for the best regular season record. They also set a franchise record for wins in a season. They have a legit MVP candidate in Artemi Panarin who put up an astounding 120 points. They have a hot goalie in Igor Shesterkin, who has been back to his Vezina-winning form during the second half of the season. They are extremely deep, with four lines capable of controlling play. It's going to be really hard to match up against them in a playoff series, especially where they will have home ice (and the last change) in a majority of the games. There was even a huge surprise this week when Filip Chytil returned to practice, medically-cleared after what was believed to be a very serious, potentially career-ending, head injury. Adding Chytil as an option makes an already deep team even deeper. Vibes are good.
The Capitals are bad. They had a -37 goal differential in the regular season. That's the worst goal differential for a playoff team in the salary cap era. They have an aging core, not much offense, and are prone to getting blown out if they get behind early. The Rangers should be able to work them.
What I'm Biting My Nails About
The two areas of concern for the Rangers continue to be their 5-on-5 production, particularly from the Zibanejad line, as well as their defense against the rush. I don't anticipate them giving too many odd man rushes up against a slow, less explosive team like the Capitals. But if they fall behind early in a game, the 5-on-5 anemia could be a problem. The Caps play a low-event, stifling style of hockey that could frustrate a talented team like the Rangers.
Tom Wilson is always a threat to goon things up and make things interesting. Ovechkin is Ovechkin. And then there's goaltender Charlie Lindgren, who has been hot as of late. He'll be fired up to go up against his younger brother Ryan. Ultimately, though, Washington doesn't really scare me. Hopefully I don't regret saying that.
My Prediction
Rangers in five.
The Play of the Week
Shesterkin was locked in against the Islanders in overtime.
New York Knicks
The Games
Friday, April 12th | Win 111-107 vs. Nets
Big surprise, Brunson led the charge once again with 30 points and 11 assists, helping the Knicks clinch home-court advantage in (at least) the first round with a 111-107 victory over the Nets. OG Anunoby came alive in the third quarter, completely turning the game around with his 15 points and defensive hustle. The winning rally set the Knicks up for a chance at claiming the second seed in the Eastern Conference with one more game to go.
Sunday, April 14th | Win 120-119 (OT) vs. Bulls
The Knicks clinched the No. 2 seed in the East with a nail-biting 120-119 overtime win against the Bulls. Brunson was on fire as usual, posting 40 points, including crucial buckets in crunch time in order to force OT. DiVincenzo was right there with him, putting up 25 points in an afternoon thriller at the Garden. As the game headed into overtime, the tension was palpable, with DeRozan missing a critical short jumper in the final seconds that could have flipped the outcome. On to the playoffs!
The Playoff Preview
What I'm Feeling Good About
The Knicks overcame an insane slew of injuries and won 6 of their last 7 to play their way into the second seed in the Eastern Conference. Getting home court advantage into the second round could prove to be huge for them if they want to make a serious run. There's not enough time to spell out all of the great things Jalen Brunson did this season. But he's just been the heart and soul of the team all year. This graphic does a nice job summarizing the incredible season he had:
The supporting cast has also been good. DiVincenzo and Anunoby should provide a spark when it's needed. Tom Thibodeau's gritty style should translate well to the playoff environment, where defense tightens up and the game slows down. That should benefit the Knicks who basically want to play that way all year.
The Sixers having a shaky Embiid and getting booed at home in the play-in game that they barely won is a pretty positive sign as well.
What I'm Biting My Nails About
I honestly watched zero Sixers game this year, so I'm not really sure. I really don't understand why Philadelphia is favored in a 2-versus-7 matchup. That seems insane. I guess the bookmakers are figuring that Embiid will be healthy for the series and could give the Knicks trouble, especially if Mitchell Robinson is not at full-strength at center for New York.
The biggest issue for the Knicks is their reliance on Brunson. They will go as far as Jalen can take them, so if the Sixers can figure out a way to make life difficult for him, it could be a long series. I think the resilient, hard-working Knicks team will pull it out though.
My Prediction
Knicks in six.
The Play of the Week
Brunson with the And 1 late in the fourth quarter against the Bulls.
Garden Memory
This interview with former Capitals head coach Bruce Boudreau was making the rounds on social media this week. It caught my eye for a few reasons. First of all, how awesome does Bruce Boudreau look? He looks like the old guy from Up if that guy was also moonlighting as a porn producer. Second of all, I was at this game. It sucked. I was hoping our fans would shut up and stop poking the bear. I went into a blacked out depression shortly after Jason Chimera scored the 2OT winner. I don't think I've ever been sadder leaving the Garden.
Sphere Watch
Taylor Swift hosted a friends and family album release party on Thursday night to unveil The Tortured Poet's Department. Nearly 18 hours after taking the stage, she is still working her way through the 3152-track marathon. Travis Kelce brought a fluffy airplane neck pillow for napping through the Joe Alwyn songs. After a dreamless 11-hour slumber, he was shaken awake by a jacked up Post Malone. The two of them proceeded to shotgun Four Lokos and body slam each other through tables while Matty Healy pontificated about climate change and lulled the remaining audience members to sleep. Healy, Malone, and Kelce then proceeded to play an epic game of Yahtzee which unfortunately never concluded because Jackson Mahomes accidentally knocked the table over while doing a TikTok dance to track 2715. The Madison Square Garden company anticipates the concert will end next Tuesday at which point Bono will be 102 years old and U2 will resume their residency.