PHILADELPHIA — Into the Valley of Death ride the Black-and-Blueshirts.
This is where it all ended last season for the Rangers, kept out of the playoffs for the first time since the lockout with their April 11, 2-1, season-finale shootout defeat to the Flyers.
And this is where the Rangers stood by and did nothing on Jan. 21 when Daniel Carcillo rained punches on Marian Gaborik in what may not have been quite as stark an example of the historical distinctions between franchises as the Dave Schultz-Dale Rolfe fiasco on May 5, 1974, but did just fine in illustrating the road team’s deficiencies in 2009-10.
But that was then. Now, the Rangers arrive here for tonight’s match featuring a dramatically different character with which to compete against the only team in the NHL that has maintained a singular identity in the face of league-induced conformity, and bully to the Flyers for being able to do so.
“When you go into Philadelphia, you know you’re going to be challenged physically, and all I can say is that we’re going to be ready for it,” Brandon Dubinsky told The Post. “We’re going to focus on our game, but our mentality is that they’re not going to bully us or push us around.
“I know there are questions lingering from what happened last year with Gabby, but we have a much clearer picture now of what’s expected of us in those kinds of situations. We will not allow our teammates to be taken advantage of.
“If anyone takes liberties, we will take a penalty if necessary to protect one another,” said Dubinsky, who before last night was tied for third in the NHL with seven goals. “Those are good penalties, and we’ll kill them off if we have to, but if there’s anything that we need to take care of, we’ll get in there and do it.
“We’re ready to answer if they want to play that way.”
If?
Dubinsky isn’t simply talking the talk. The 6-4-1 Rangers have walked that walk. The most obvious evidence was presented in Boston on Oct. 23, when Sean Avery was charged with an instigator penalty upon starting a fight in immediate response to Marc Stuart’s head-high hit against Ruslan Fedotenko, and then was praised for his actions by head coach John Tortorella.
“We’ve won a lot of big games in Philly since I’ve been a Ranger, and the feeling in those games is different than the games we’ve lost,” said Avery, who was injured and did not play in last season’s finale. “To be honest, I get excited about playing there.”
Derek Boogaard, a scratch in Monday’s 3-2 Garden victory over the Blackhawks, will be reinstated. It will be a shock if he doesn’t trade punches with former Ranger Jody Shelley. It will be a shock to the system if that is the only bout.
“I think it’s a great building to play in, and if players aren’t excited about it, what are they going to be excited for?” Tortorella asked rhetorically. “We’re going to be ready, and we’re going to play while continuing to work on our identity, which is the way we have to play in Philly.”
That’s as Black-and-Blueshirts who have each other’s backs.