Overtime is the Best Time

I hadn’t been to the Garden in months- and now I’ve been there three times in two weeks. I find myself wanting to advise the other poor souls in attendance: “you want Tower A” or “Gate 71 is one level up”. Last night the Philadelphia Flyers visited. There were a ton of Flyer fans in the building. Our collective joy filled the Garden at the thrilling win.

The Flyers came back from two down late and then won in overtime. When the Rangers look back on this season, their loss last night will surely rank as among the most disgusting. It was a crusher- as Larry Brooks writes today in a charming piece enititled "Give-Away Night at the Garden":

Not to overstate the importance of the 52nd game of the season, but the Rangers took a shot to the solar plexus that left them doubled over in pain last night.

Because on the verge of taking a giant step forward in front of an electric Garden crowd that roared throughout a terrific hockey game punctuated by a succession of physical confrontations, superior goaltending and outstanding officiating, the Blueshirts stumbled and fell on their faces in losing a 3-2 OT match to the Flyers that they'd led by two midway through the third, and by one into the final 98 seconds of regulation.

I must grudgingly admit the Rangers are no longer a mess. The Flyers deserve credit- down two goals with less than nine minutes to play, having not scored in the last seven periods- they could have gotten on the bus. But Philadelphia was lucky too.

The Rangers can score and looked orderly in their own end at even strength. Lundqvist is quietly becoming a real asset in the nets. Consequently, the Flyers got nothing going five-on-five all night. Their first goal was on the PP, the second a deflection that found the right spot- and the overtime marker was one of those typical goals you get in OT (a unmolested shot in lots of open ice) that you never see in regulation.

But it was a joy to watch and listen to the shocked Rangers’ faithful leave the great arena. You think they'd be used to losing to the Flyers in bitter fashion by now.

Of other note, Hatcher is now the Captain. It is disappointing. Normally I think all this stuff about the consecrated “C” is a lot of nonsense. But Keith Primeau did bring something to the role. He carried weight in that locker room- and led by example. He’d play to score, hit people, play defense, sit down, play more- whatever Hitchcock needed him to do. Hatcher is a respected player- so if they want an on-ice Captain, fine. But it seems the end of a pretty good era by a pretty good player.