The last time the New York Rangers won the President's Trophy, they were knocked out of the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs in the Eastern Conference Final by the Tampa Bay Lightning. Fast forward nearly a decade and the Blueshirts will be looking to rectify the kind of success they had just a year before that, when they marched all the way to the Stanley Cup Final in 2014.
But in the way stands a Florida Panthers team that won the East last season, took the Vegas Golden Knights to five hard-fought games in the SCF, and are eyeing a back-to-back trip to the sport's ultimate series come June. And Rangers head coach Peter Laviolette sees a lot of similarities between the Panthers and another familiar Eastern Conference club.
“Florida's been a top team in the League; they played for the Stanley Cup last year and finished first in the [Atlantic],” Laviolette said on Sunday, according to NHL.com's Mike G. Morreale. “They bring speed, size, skill, and physicality. There are some similarities to the way the Hurricanes play … an aggressive mindset. So, some of that will be similar in preparation, but they're also a little bit different.”
He added: “I think Florida picked up some good confidence and experience last year making that run in the playoffs. They've got a group that's been around and has been there, done that. I think confidence goes with that too. They're big, they're strong, they're physical. But Carolina was a lot like that as well … they played a fast, physical, aggressive game. They're a little bit different in the way that they both play the game, but there’s similarities.”
The Rangers had their hands full with the Hurricanes, winning the first three games — two in overtime — to jump out to a commanding 3-0 series lead. But the Canes would bounce back, winning Game 4 at PNC Arena and Game 5 at Madison Square Garden. And if it weren't for a Chris Kreider third period natural hat trick in Game 6, the series could have went back to New York for a winner-take-all Game 7.
Instead, after a thrilling 5-3 victory, the Rangers are preparing for their second Eastern Conference Final in three seasons. And as it was in 2022, New York will need to beat a Florida-based franchise to advance.
“I think [rest] is a good thing if you can take advantage of it and have good practice days,” Kreider said after the incredible triumph. “This is our first day back [since eliminating Carolina], so we haven't gone over a lot of what they do yet. But [the] last year or two, they’ve got a very good team; lot of strengths — great offense, great defense, great goaltending, so [it’s] going to be a great challenge for us.”
Rangers looking to go back to Stanley Cup Final for 3rd time in 3 decades
The Rangers were unable to beat a Florida team in 2022, jumping out to a 2-0 lead on the Lightning but losing four consecutive games to bow out just a round short of expectations. The Bolts were unable to three-peat, losing to the Colorado Avalanche in six games in the SCF.
Two seasons later, it's another team from Florida, and another team that is fresh off a Stanley Cup Final appearance. It promises to be a terrific series between two teams that haven't met in the playoffs since 1997. That was the only time the two franchises have met, with the Rangers coming out on top in five games. They'll have home-ice advantage for the rematch, 27 years in the making.
And the Rangers haven't won a Stanley Cup since three years before that, when the franchise captured the 1994 Stanley Cup with Mark Messier leading the charge.
Both organizations are desperate to win a title; the Rangers have been waiting for three decades, while the Panthers have never captured a championship. And the next step towards getting the opportunity in 2024 awaits on Wednesday night.
Puck drops for Panthers-Rangers at just past 8:00 p.m. ET from Madison Square Garden.
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