Red Wings 6 Rangers 0
The very legitimacy of the franchise that represents the NHL’s most important market is now in question. Empty seats and an atmosphere of thinly disguised contempt abound at a building that was filled and electric no more than three years ago.
It’s all caving in on the Rangers now; on the team, on the coaching staff, on the front office. All of the mistakes. All of the miscalculations. All of the coddling of athletes who have come to Broadway for their fortunes and have failed in any meaningful way to repay their benefactors.
In addressing the team at Rye last Wednesday, Dave Checketts is alleged to have said that all of New York was behind them in their bid to earn a playoff position. The MSG president had better look again. New York barely cares about the Rangers. New York barely cares about the team that was the league’s benchmark franchise through most of the 1990s.
New York barely cares about the team that rode triumphantly up the Canyon of Heroes on June 17, 1994, and that while doing so, propelled the NHL through the ceiling of ice that limits the league.
The response the Rangers received from the crowd before, during and after last night’s pathetic 6-0 loss to the Red Wings is a perfect example of the indifference that now flows from a fan base that was once the most rabid in professional sports. A few smatterings of boos, notably reserved for Theo Fleury, Valeri Kamensky and Kevin Hatcher; a few chants calling for the dismissal of John Muckler.
But not much more. Nothing at all when compared to the days when fans at the old Garden would in full throat chant, “Muzz Must Go!” from start to finish while campaigning for the dismissal of coach Muzz Patrick. Nothing at all when compared to the vicious booing aimed at players like Allan Stanley, Harry Howell, Bob Nevin and Rod Seiling.
The passionate fans have been priced out by the Garden. Those who haven’t been priced out have been worn out by the priciest team in the history of the world to miss the playoffs for what will soon officially become three straight years.
When the Rangers are mathematically eliminated, it will mark the first time since the seasons from 1962-63 through 1965-1966 they will have missed three straight seasons. Last night’s loss also ensured a third straight losing record at home, the first time that dubious feat has been achieved here since the seasons from 1957-58 through 1959-60, the third time in the franchise’s 74-year history.
No wonder the fans are worn out.
Last night’s defeat extended the losing streak to a season-high five games. In two days, the Rangers were outscored 14-2 by the Red Wings. In losing their last three — all three since Checketts delivered his motivational speech — the Rangers have been outscored 18-3.
Considering all of the above, considering how deep the customers have to reach into their pockets in order to gain admittance to the Garden, Adam Graves was surely correct when he said of the fans: “If anything, they were rather nice to us.”
Mathieu Schneider returned to the lineup last night after confirming yesterday’s Post report that he had been scratched from Sunday’s loss in Detroit in the aftermath of an incident on Saturday, when he left the practice rink after learning Muckler had planned to bench him for the game. The Rangers had announced that the defenseman had missed the game because of the flu.
“All I want to say is that we had a disagreement,” Schneider said. “We’ve talked it over and have put it behind us. I just want to look ahead.”
Muckler, with whom Schneider has had a difficult relationship for two years, said much the same.
“I wanted to keep it an internal matter,” said the coach. “It will never be brought up again.”
What made last night’s loss so pitiable is that the Rangers actually did try. They did play with some energy. They did create some legitimate scoring chances. They did play with reasonable discipline against a far, far better team. But Chris Osgood came up with a strong night in nets for the Red Wings. Once Detroit scored at 15:03 on just their second or third opportunity, the Blueshirts understandably wilted.
It became 2-0 just 64 seconds later. It became 4-0 by the end of the second. It became something no one in his or her right mind could have wanted to watch. One team of professionals having no chance whatsoever to win, and knowing it.
Four games to go now. Four games to go before the playoffs start for the third straight year without representation from the league’s most important market.
The bigger problem than that is, the market no longer cares.