Islanders Gear Up for Showdown with Rangers in the Bx.

Islanders Gear Up for Showdown with Rangers in the Bx.

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, JANUARY 29- The New York Islanders made their first visit to Yankee Stadium on Tuesday afternoon for a practice session on the ice and to experience the aura of Yankee Stadium. 

The words of the players were similar both towards the seriousness of the Wednesday night contest against the Rangers, the opportunity to play outdoors as they did as youngsters and of the awe-inspiring atmosphere of Yankee Stadium. This article will document only the views of captain John Tavares and assistants Kyle Osposo and Andrew McDonald as they are representative of the others on the team.

All here reminisced of playing outdoors when they were children. Kyle Osposo had the opportunity in his hometown of St. Paul, Minnesota. He recalled, “I played outdoors a couple of blocks from my house.” Used to cold weather, he said, “I will wear a turtleneck, nothing else [extra].”

The two Canadians expressed similar memories. John Tavares remembered, “In Ontario, I played a lot outside. Growing up playing outside was a lot of fun.” He felt the memories come back 100 percent while on the Yankee Stadium rink, “Feeling the air and hearing the sound of the puck.”

Andrew McDonald only felt the cold affect his ears and his toes. Of his childhood hockey experience, he stated, “This is where it all started. [We had] random ice patches, not a real rink.”

Being in a historic venue that houses an organization that considers great success a normal expectation every season had meaning to all. The American [Oksposo] seemed most familiar with Yankee attitude, “I have a ton of respect for the Yankees. To have an attitude of winning at all costs is a terrific way to run a business, an organization. When you come out there and it’s Yankee Stadium, it’s pretty cool. It’s awesome.”

McDonald described his feelings coming out on the field and anticipated how special Wednesday night’s game will be for the players, “You can feel the history of the Yankees team when you walk out of the dugout and see the Stadium. The Yankees are the most recognizable team in the world. I’m really looking forward to it [the game on Wednesday], being in the elements surrounded by 50,000 people. The ice will seem a little small compared to [the size of] the Stadium. It’s a very special experience. The fans will really enjoy it. The players will really enjoy it.” 

Tavares, a fan of the Toronto Blue Jays, was nonetheless impressed by the facilities in the Stadium, “They did a great job here. It’s unique. It’s going to be fun.” The team captain had a great experience at Tuesday’s practice, “It was really a great day. My family was here with me.” The players skated on the ice with family and friends after the practice concluded.

The importance of the result of every game to the islanders is huge. They are in last place in the Metropolitan Division, nine points behind the second place Rangers. A victory in each forthcoming contest is a necessity for them to qualify for the playoffs. Every player, the coach and all of their fans recognize this truth.

McDonald commented, “These are important two points. We’re going to be prepared,”

Tavares optimistically remarked, “There’s still a lot of hockey to be played. We know we have to play a lot better.”

Osposo spoke of the uniqueness of each contest, “Once the puck drops, it’s another game.”

The second highly anticipated and final outdoor game in New York City will be played before a sold out crowd of 50,000 fans on Wednesday night. It will be another great day in NHL and New York sports history.

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.