Why are the Rangers playing tonight?

[chuckd3534]

The Rangers and Penguins are playing the second half of a back to back tonight.

This is the only series that has a back to back and the only series that does not have at least one two day break between games.

Montreal and Boston have two days off between Saturday’s game two in Boston and Tuesday’s game three in Montreal.
The LA Kings/Ducks series has two days off between tonight’s game two and Thursday’s game four.
The Wild/Blackhawks series has two days off between game three on Tuesday and game four on Friday.
It’s believed that with MSG booked on Thurs and Fri with a New York Liberty game on Thursday and a Billy Joel concert on Friday, this was the NHL’s only option.

The Liberty are playing a pre-season game at 11AM on Thursday.
It takes 2.5 hours for the MSG crew to turn a basketball court into a hockey rink.

 

[chuckd3534]

So not even the NFL draft. I do find it funny that a pre-season WNBA game is causing this, but what can you do.

I think they could have played Thursday night if it was the Liberty game at 11 that stopped it. We have played at night with a Knick game at 12, so why not the Liberty at 11. Weird.

 

[Messiah717]

This is why the ice always sucks at the Garden also.

 

[chuckd3534]

Garden is too busy this time of year and sometimes it hurts us. But I still maintain that playing tonight is an advantage for us being home.

 

[Disturbed]

That's a ridiculous excuse and one of many reasons the NHL is a stepchild in the business of sports. But what can you do. Let's get it done tonight

 

[chuckd3534]

I think they were also concerned about the ice condition when they have to rush after a bball game.

 

[NYR31]

yea, these things happen when you have such a multi-purpose arena. Of course, the only sport that suffers is hockey b/c it affects the ice condition. I don't think the wooden court for the Knicks get affected in any way, for example.

 

[chuckd3534]

They should have shipped the pre-season WNBA game out. I mean come on. How many people attend a pre-season WNBA game at 11 on a Thursday? Maybe 500???