So, one of the things I like most about New York hockey is the intensity of the Islanders-Rangers rivalry. With the Rangers in bad shape, down 0-3 to the Penguins, I talked to former Islander J.P. Parise about the ’75 team that came back from the same 3-game deficit. Now, I know a lot of you were trying to avoid the Rangers playoff run, but I thought a former Islander weighing in might be interesting. At the very least, you’ll get the chance to engage your Ranger-fan friends in a “lively” discussion about this simple question: Can they do it?
Here’s what J.P. had to say-
On their match-up against Pittsburgh-
“We were the underdogs and then when we went to face Pittsburgh they had some really good players on their team. All the sudden we found ourselves in deep trouble down three [games].At practice we had a meeting on the ice, and our coach, Al Arbour said, ‘If anyone doesn’t think we can beat this team, get off the ice.’ We had to go one shift at a time and it took a tremendous amount of patience. It was just shift after shift, win your shift, win your shift. Even if they would score, nothing would faze us. We persevered and we pulled it through.”
On this Pittsburgh team-
“This is a good team. It’s a fine blend of really quality veterans and really good kids, and their goaltender is starting to mature. On the other hand, don’t think for a minute the Rangers don’t have the firepower to attempt to do that. Jagr was dominating last game. This is not something the Rangers can’t do. They’re very capable of doing that. They’re not gonna get complacent. If you compare the talent, I won’t tell you the Rangers stand second to anybody.”
On what they’ll need to do to win-
“They have to score more goals; they have to do a little better job with their power play.
Renney’s gotta come up with a plan to keep people away from the slot. In this day and age it’s so difficult, because you can’t hold people. They have to be alert, get the right bounces, and have superior goaltending.”
On his memories of coming back from the 3-game deficit-
“We were just a bunch of kids that didn’t know any better. We took great pride in supporting each other. It was incredible. It was like a dream. We did not accept any kind of defeat. We were totally dedicated to the task. The Rangers, that’s what they have to do, and they can.”
On Sidney Crosby vs. the Rangers-
“Sidney’s a pretty good player, but at this time Jagr is playing comparable, so it’s up to the other guys to match the effort of their guys.”
OK so time for you guys to join the debate. Can the Rangers come back? Go ahead, drop the gloves.
PS- trivia points for whoever names the player who assisted Parise on the overtime goal against the Rangers in the first round of the playoffs to set up the Pittsburgh series
Comments (19)
Radio silence suspended--the Flyers looked solid tonight. The Rangers will be done soon thankfully.
In offseason, we need to get a legit fighter, pest and crasher. I think a reasonable offer to a guy like Avery would be wise. As much as I hate him, he'd be a great fit here.
Lets Go Pitt!!
Jude Drouin
Are you guys proud with the garbage you are posting on the rangers blog?I guess I would be bitter too if I knew my team had the fifth worse record in the league,didn't make the playoffs,had no hope for the future,and played in a ancient half filled arena every night.
True we aren't playiong well in the SECOND ROUND of the playoffs.How many years of good draft choices will it take for the islanders to get to where we are now?My prediction is you won't make it to the second round for at least five years.
So enough of the BS.
Nature of the beast, vincea, called Isle/Ranger Rivalry.
Brings out more of the worst, unforthunately, than the best
We've got our Ice Worms, you've got yours.
It'll get better again ......someday.
My guess was Jean Potvin earlier for Katie's trivia question....but all my posts went to the penalty box again.
Guess I insulted the blog brothers today and they put me on double secret probation again.
Drouin dug the puck out of the corner and fed JP in front. JP scored as Park tried too late to hook him.
Both guys came over from the North Stars in separate deals in mid-season. Name the Islanders traded. :)
Ernie Hicke
Doug Rombough
Craig Cameron
Vincea:
Not sure you are even going to come back to read this but a couple of things:
1.) No one cares about you bashing the Islanders, we've heard it all before and you sound silly at this point as your frustration with the Rangers is showing.
2.) None of the posters here troll the Rangers board. The majority of the crappy posts on BOTH boards are by the same person who is only interested in getting you to do exactly what you did (react).
Its not hard to take the legitimate discussions going occuring on both boards and use them to incite some anger.
My advice, just ignore it, it doesn't mean anything in the end. You like your team, you can support em and we'll do the same here. Don't let one guy ruin that.
That was cool hearing from Parise. I remember that happening the exact same way. The coach saying "if anyone here thinks we can't win this series, get off the ice now" and the mantra "one shift at a time"
Herb Brooks's "play your game" refrain in Lake Placid reminded me of that Arbour approach.
And Westfall's lone goal late in game 7 in Pittsburgh in '75 is the most overlooked great Islander moment there is. Because there's still been no other such comeback it really endures.
The above posts were not me...Just a miserable Rags fan that is stewing in his pain !
BWAHAHAHAHAHAH
Who cares?
Ranger fan frustration has seeped over to our blog ... again.
I don't know what they expect ... I mean ... come on ... really now ... they've dumped their trash on this blog for months now ... and when some Islander fans dust them up on the eve of their elimination on Zipys blog ... they act like they have taken the moral higher ground and say how dare Islander fans invade their blog .... GOOD .... they deserve it .... we put up with the same garbage.... gotta grow a thick skin to be a NY'r
Myself .... I choose not to ... maybe after the Rags are officially done ... I'll invite some to the golf course ... ::tongue in cheek ::
I have to say ... there are some really cool Ranger hockey fans ... and I know it sucks for them ... but I guess for both Ranger and Islander fans we all have to put up with each others' garbage ... in a healthy way it just comes with the rivalry.
Then there are the trolls who haunt both sites .... the same person(s) that doesn't have much of a life that tries to taunt both of us ... some of us are wise to it ... others really let that toll get under their skin. Key to dealing with that is to ignore ... he's only looking for attention.
Regarding who setup JP Parise in 1975 ... well .. I'd have to go back and check my Islander tribute tapes .... and my old VCR is in storage ... so that would take some effort on my part. LOL!!
I was just starting my Little League baseball career in tee ball I think back in April of 75 ... so I couldn't even tell you who JP Parise was back in those days ... so I have no real time recollection of who set up JP.
I didn't start following hockey until I saw the 1976 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck Austria .... that was my introduction to hockey ... along with the Olympic theme song and Jim McKay ... LOL!!
The balance of that 76 season I watched both the Rangers and the Islanders without any clear cut preference ... I rooted for both teams .... it was the 76-77 season that I started to develop more of an affinity for the Islanders over the Rangers ... but I still pulled for both teams against all other opponents ... I was hating the Flyers ... so that was the first NHL team that I hated.
I didn't develop a pure hatred for the Rangers till the 1979 Conference Finals.... and that mostly came from the kids in my school that liked the Rangers.... LOL!!
With all the injuries the Rangers have, I would have to say no, the Rangers will not comeback from a 0-3 deficit. Brendan Shanahan has been a complete no-show, Avery and possibly Drury will be out...no chance for the rags. Jagr cannot and will not do it all.
Don't worry Rangers fans, the Sun will rise tomorrow.
I was hating the Flyers ... so that was the first NHL team that I hated.
I didn't develop a pure hatred for the Rangers till the 1979 Conference Finals.... and that mostly came from the kids in my school that liked the Rangers.... LOL!!
This has been a fun topic for me forever. Over the years I've tried to explain to a few 'outsiders' how the Islanders-Rangers mutual hatred started and why it's so intense. I think when the upstart Islanders got so good so fast, pushed along by the Parise goal, title-starved Ranger fans simply could not handle it and became mad with envy. I had loved the Rangers until there were the Islanders 10 minutes from my house. With 1975, a healthy and natural rivarly became all out venom, I think because Rangers fans got really ugly and nasty when they realized even then that the Islanders were going to win a cup before the Rangers. When the cups starting coming, so did the venom more freely, and fortunately, enough Islander fans reciprocated in kind to sustain the thing all these years. So, as has so often been the case throughout history, this whole beautiful relationship was born of one of our most basic and human traits - jealousy.
Posted by 19 ISLE in NJ 22
I was hating the Flyers ... so that was the first NHL team that I hated.
I didn't develop a pure hatred for the Rangers till the 1979 Conference Finals.... and that mostly came from the kids in my school that liked the Rangers.... LOL!!
i forgot to give '19' attribution for the above
This has been a fun topic for me forever. Over the years I've tried to explain to a few 'outsiders' how the Islanders-Rangers mutual hatred started and why it's so intense. I think when the upstart Islanders got so good so fast, pushed along by the Parise goal, title-starved Ranger fans simply could not handle it and became mad with envy. I had loved the Rangers until there were the Islanders 10 minutes from my house. With 1975, a healthy and natural rivarly became all out venom, I think because Rangers fans got really ugly and nasty when they realized even then that the Islanders were going to win a cup before the Rangers. When the cups starting coming, so did the venom more freely, and fortunately, enough Islander fans reciprocated in kind to sustain the thing all these years. So, as has so often been the case throughout history, this whole beautiful relationship was born of one of our most basic and human traits - jealousy.
The imposter troll is disavowing his own posts under my name--impressive. Avery's injury couldnt happen to a nicer guy. Hes a scumbag, although I wish he were a NYI scumbag.
Pitt for the sweep, Rangers to golf course, Jagr to retirement. Love it.
Vincea is a just a fat kid in need of attention.
above was not me....
Now I have Isles trolls using MY NAME .... Great !!!
I am steady, the biggest rag basher in this part of the state. Jagr is useless, avery's speen will be on ebay soon... like Forsbergs years ago! Ah...go get em Sid and Malkin!