The New York Rangers decided to arrive in New York style at MetLife Stadium ahead of their Stadium Series game against the New York Islanders on Sunday afternoon.
The Rangers arrived in East Rutherford, New Jersey, accompanied by members of the FDNY and NYPD while wearing jerseys for each first responders’ hockey clubs.
Each player walking into the arena was next to either an NYPD officer or FDNY firefighter after traveling to the game on firetrucks and in police cars.
The NHL’s annual Stadium Series found its way to MetLife Stadium for the second straight day after the New Jersey Devils and Philadelphia Flyers played on Saturday night, with the home Jersey team taking the 6-3 victory.
Of course, this game counts like any other regular-season contest, but each team is trying to soak everything in during this once-in-a-lifetime experience.
“I think everybody wants to soak it in and make sure that you’re really relishing the moment, how awesome of an experience it is to play in an outdoor game,” Rangers center Vincent Trocheck said before the game. “But once you get on the ice, it’s all business, and it’s all just another game in the regular season.”
The Rangers are no strangers to Stadium Series games, having played the Devils and Islanders at Yankee Stadium in 2014.
They also played in the NHL’s Winter Classic against the Flyers in 2012 and against the Buffalo Sabres in 2018 at Citi Field, winning both games.
For this season, the Rangers lead the Metropolitan Division and entered Sunday with a six-game win streak. On the other bench, the Islanders are five points behind the Detroit Red Wings for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, making this game vital for both teams.
