Highbridge News: Rangers Defeat Devils, 7-3, at Yankee Stadium

Highbridge News: Rangers Defeat Devils, 7-3, at Yankee Stadium: Rangers Defeat Devils, 7-3, at Yankee Stadium By Howard Goldin BRONX, NEW YORK, JANUARY 27-  A below freezing temperature of 24.9 ...

Rangers Defeat Devils, 7-3, at Yankee Stadium

Rangers Defeat Devils, 7-3, at Yankee Stadium

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, JANUARY 27- A below freezing temperature of 24.9 degrees did not dissuade a sell-out crowd of 50,105 from purchasing tickets to the first outdoor hockey game in New York City. 

Neither the cold nor the snow showers that fell on Yankee Stadium later in the game interfered with the contest or lessened the excitement of the fans in the stands. Strangely the game was delayed for more than one hour by weather conditions, the glare of the sun. 

The winning goaltender Henrik Lundquist of the Rangers told reporters after the game, “I was out there when the sun was still out and it was kind of hard.”

After an enthusiastic and entertaining version of a half-dozen of the hit recordings of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons performed by cast members of the Tony winning musical Jersey Boys, the dramatic introduction of the New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils began. Members of both teams walked to the ice to the musical accompaniment of the NYPD and FDNY Pipes and Drums. 

The first goal was scored by Patrik Elias of the Devils at 5:36 of the first period. The score was tied on a goal by Dominic Moore 3.5 minutes later. The goals kept coming. New Jersey scored the next two goals, a second by Elias and one by Travis Zajac, to take a 3-1 advantage. Jaromir Jagr assisted on both of the latter goals. His two assists raised his career total to 1,035, which passed the total of Mario Lemiux and his career points to 1,732, seventh in NHL history. The 41-year-old, future member of the Hockey Hall of Fame is the leading scorer of the Devils this year with 44 points.

The happy moments of the contest for the Devils passed quickly as the Rangers scored the final six goals of the game. After a late first period goal by Marc Staal, the game was knotted at 2:48 of period 2 on the first of two consecutive goals by Mats Zuccarello. A fifth Ranger goal was scored by Carl Hagelin. 

Rick Nash scored his 18^th goal of the season 29 seconds prior to the end of the second period. Nash extended his goal scoring streak to five games. He has scored in his last 11 games. The left winger is only two goals short of reaching a streak of 10 straight seasons of scoring at least 20 goals. 

Ranger coach Alain Vigneault commented upon Nash’s recent success, “He’s going to the net a little more. He’s an elite player and we need him to play like that now.”

The only goal of the third period was by Derek Stepan of the Rangers on a penalty shot, the first such score in an outdoor NHL game.

Devils coach DeBoer attributed the change in his team’s fortune in the second period to a mistake in plan, “We had a good first period. We started to open it up in the second and that’s not our game.” 

Lundquist was disappointed in his and the team’s start, “It was not a good start. My first thought was am I going to finish this game.” As the game progressed the goalie saw he and his team adapt, “I recovered and as a team we recovered after that start. The way we responded was just great to see. We took advantage of some mistakes they made. It felt like we had so many guys step up.”

Three Stars were awarded to: 1. Mats Zuccarello (2 goals), 2. Patrik Elias (2 goals) and 3. Anton Stralman (2 assists).

For the losing coach to make the following statement exhibits how great this rare hockey event was, “Other than the outcome, it was one of the best hockey experiences we’ve had.”

On Wednesday night, January 29, Yankee Stadium will host a game between the Rangers and the New York Islanders. 

Highbridge News: Future Hockey Hall of Fame Legends Brodeur and Jag...

Highbridge News: Future Hockey Hall of Fame Legends Brodeur and Jag...: Future Hockey Hall of Fame Legends Brodeur and Jagr Speak in the Bronx (Facebook Photo) By Howard Goldin BRONX, NEW YORK, JANU...

Future Hockey Hall of Fame Legends Brodeur and Jagr Speak in the Bronx

Future Hockey Hall of Fame Legends Brodeur and Jagr Speak in the Bronx

(Facebook Photo)

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, JANUARY 27- The players of the New York Rangers and the New Jersey Devils had their practice sessions on the recently constructed ice rink on the field of Yankee Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Although the result of the regular season game on Sunday is important to both teams in the tightly contested Metropolitan Division of the NHL, the seriousness of the practice was tempered by the pleasure of the presence of so many family members on the ice with the players of each team.

After the Devils’ practice concluded, two special players, Jaromir Jagr and Martin Brodeur, were invited to the Interview room in the Yankee Stadium basement for a mass press interview. Although each was born in a different part of the world, Jagr in Kladno, Czechoslovakia, then a part of the Communist world, and Brodeur in Montreal Canada, they have much in common. 

Each was born in 1972, Broduer less than three months later; each is a left-hander; each was drafted in the first round of the NHL Entry Draft of 1990, Jagr the 5^th overall selection and Brodeur the 20^{th ;} each has earned an Olympic Gold Medal with his native country’s team; each has been an integral member of a Stanley Cup champion and each will be elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame shortly after his legendary NHL career concludes.

The two greats were good humored, patient and open to all questions from the journalists in the room. Jagr humorously spoke of the huge size of the locker room, “There’s a lot of great dressing rooms, but I’ve never seen nothing like that, so big you can’t hold a team meeting; if you make a mistake, the coach can’t find you in 15 minutes. “When he first entered the Yankee clubhouse, he jokingly asked for a GPS.

The 41 year-old was asked if he believed the frigid weather would affect him. He had mixed feelings contrasting New York’s weather to Moscow, where he played in Red Square and in Los Angeles, where the Kings and Ducks were competing that night, “This is like summer compared to Moscow. If I had to choose to play here or L.A., I would choose L.A. [he laughed]. It would probably be a lot better for my body to play in different conditions.”

He was asked to express his feelings regarding playing in Yankee Stadium, “When Czechoslovakia was Communist I didn’t even know about the NHL. Since I came here [24 years ago], I follow baseball, basketball and American football. It’s very special just to play here. I took pictures, Babe Ruth.”

The experienced professional was very concerned about how the result affect the goal of reaching the playoffs, “Any points and any victory can make a big difference. We have to play better than we did yesterday. We have to make sure we get some points tomorrow.”

Brodeur shortly followed Jagr to the Interview Room. After the Devils’ practice, Devils coach Peter DeBoer announced Brodeur would start in goal on Sunday. The veteran goalie reacted, “I’m happy to play a game; it’s been more than a week.” [Brodeur last played on January 18]. The veteran said, “They felt it meant a lot to me. For me, it’s the last one [rivalry game outdoors].”

The Canadian understands the importance of the Yankees and Yankee Stadium, “After 21 years in the New York area, I know what the Yankees mean here and to the world of sport. It’s a good feeling to be in this building. To be in the first game here is very exciting. It’s an unbelievable setting.”

Brodeur recalled childhood experiences when speaking of playing hockey outdoors, “When I grew up in Montreal, for us, we took it for granted. I did it every day; it’s great memories.” He felt he was overdressed even for the cold, ‘I had too much, gloves, ski mask two tee shirts; it wasn’t bad.”

Like his teammate, Jagr, he also spoke of the importance of the game, “It’s a big event, but at the end of the day, it’s just hockey. The points are important.” 

Of the idea of this series and the game in California, he opined, “It’s a great idea to have these rivalry games outdoors.”

Hopefully, those in attendance will realize they are watching two of the legends in NHL history, Jagr and Brodeur.

Tags: NHL, Jaromir Jagr, Martin Brodeur, Yankee Stadium

Highbridge News: Fans Slap Happy that Hockey Comes to Yankee Stadiu...

Highbridge News: Fans Slap Happy that Hockey Comes to Yankee Stadiu...: Fans Slap Happy that Hockey Comes to Yankee Stadium By Howard Goldin BRONX, NEW YORK, JANUARY 24- Preparations are currently unde...

Fans Slap Happy that Hockey Comes to Yankee Stadium

Fans Slap Happy that Hockey Comes to Yankee Stadium

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, JANUARY 24- Preparations are currently underway for the construction of a hockey rink on the field of Yankee Stadium that will serve as the “playing field” for all three local NHL franchises, New York Rangers, New York islanders and New Jersey Devils. 

Each of the three rivals will have an opportunity to play an outdoor NHL game at the legendary baseball stadium. A Saturday matinee beginning at 12:30 pm on January 26 will feature the Rangers and Devils in a regular season contest. Three days later at 7:30 p.m., the Rangers will return to the ice to face the Islanders. Both games will be hard fought contests as they will count in the regular season standings, and thus, have a direct effect of the teams qualifying for the playoffs.

The intricate and time consuming work of setting up a hockey rink on the Yankee stadium grass is being supervised by Michael Craig, the NHL’s senior manager of facilities, who remarked with awe of his surroundings, “Yankee Stadium is a bit of a fairy tale. I’m from a small town in Western Canada, so to be standing here in New York at Yankee Stadium is pretty special.”

Craig was not the only NHL employee thrilled to be at Yankee Stadium. Matt Moulson of the Islanders, who was at the August 8 Yankee Stadium press conference during which the games were publicly announced, expressed his excitement, “I grew up in Toronto but I go to a lot of games at Yankee Stadium. When the Yankees aren’t playing the [Toronto] Blue Jays, I cheer for the Yankees. Every time you come here it’s exciting. We’ll be a little part of the history of Yankee Stadium.”

A veteran of the Devils since the 2006-7 season, Travis Sajac, spoke of his joy in making his first visit to Yankee Stadium, “I’ve been with the Devils for eight years and never been to Yankee Stadium. I’m kind of excited about that. You hear all about it and I love following the Yankees, but I’ve never been to a game.”

There will probably be several thousand hockey fans attending the games that have never been inside the showplace on 161st Street before and will also feel the thrill of bring inside the world renowned sports venue. 

To add to the excitement of the debut of NHL hockey at Yankee Stadium, the 161st Business Improvement District (BID) has scheduled Winterfest, an exciting day of related activities, from 10 a.m.- 4 p.m., on 161st Street. Placards posted in the neighborhood announce an ice statute of Yankee hero Mariano Rivera, free autographs, games and food. 

The statue was commissioned by the BID, in the words of its executive director, Dr. Cary Goodman, “to honor the pitcher, celebrate the renaming of River Ave. in his name and enhance the beauty of the district.” 

The other fun and interactive events were scheduled because, according to Goodman, “We want the neighborhood to be part of this historic event.”

Those attendees who never viewed hockey in person previously will be seeing it played at a very high level and outdoors, the manner in which youngsters in Canada first experience learning the game. 

The Coors Light NHL Stadium Series, in the Bronx, televised nationally one week before the starts of the Winter Olympic Games, will also enhance the interest of people in the borough and the entire country in the sport that will be played in February in Sochi.

Highbridge News: You Call This Freezing?

Highbridge News: You Call This Freezing?: You Call This Freezing?   Photo by: Julie Larsen Maher © Wildlife Conservation Society BRONX, NEW YORK, JANUARY 23- Brown Bears...