The NHL announced a January doubleheader at Yankee Stadium to conclude their “Stadium Series.” The games are as follows:
Rangers at Devils on Jan. 26, 2014
Rangers at Islanders on Jan. 29, 2014
Here’s an excerpt from the press release:
The two games at Yankee Stadium complete the four-game 2014 Coors Light NHL Stadium Series™ scheduled for next season. On Jan. 25, the Anaheim Ducks will play the Los Angeles Kings at Dodger Stadium. On March 1, the Chicago Blackhawks will host the Pittsburgh Penguins at Soldier Field.
“The innovative nature of the Stadium Series affords the opportunity to have all three NHL teams in the New York-New Jersey metropolitan area play, outdoors, at one of the most-celebrated stadiums in the world,” Commissioner Gary Bettman said. “We’ll be able to create a multi-faceted, multi-day experience for our fans, and we thank the teams, Coors Light, the New York Yankees and Yankee Stadium for their support of this memorable NHL event.”
Corey Griffin
We’re on record as saying back in April that these rumored games feel like nothing more than a cash grab for a league that just lost half of its season to the lockout. Plus, while Devils season-ticket holders will get the first crack at seats for the Jan. 26 game, that doesn’t mean they’ll be anywhere close to your regular ticket price. The Devils have managed to keep most of their tickets relatively affordable, but by converting one of your 41 home games to a psuedo-Winter Classic, the NHL is jacking up the cost of that seat by probably at least 30 to 40 percent. Also, I can’t imagine the Rangers are thrilled with being a visiting team for both of these games. There’s a greater chance for injury due to the poor lighting and quality of the ice surface and they don’t get the gate form either event. Not that they need it — but I’m just saying.
Now for the positive, Devils fans will get to watch their team in a signature event, outdoors at Yankee Stadium against the rival Rangers. Also, with the theme of throwback jerseys in outdoor games, there’s a really good chance the Devils will wear some variation of their Christmas sweaters, which is awesome. The thought of that alone is pretty cool. The other great part is the fans that can afford to go will get the chance a really unique event in a different setting or possibly scalp their season ticket for who knows much above face value.
In the end, like most things in the NHL, there’s good and bad sides to this and it just depends on which way you want to look at it. For me, I see a money-hungry league obsessed with piercing the national consciousness ahead of and after the Olympics. I also see a diminished product put on a national stage on a dead sports day (outside of the Pro Bowl), which should draw pretty big ratings. And I guess any sort of business/ratings boon for the NHL is good for the hockey fan in me, right?
#NJDevils – #NYR Yankee Stadium game will be made official by NHL this week. Sunday before Super Bowl. Devils the home team.— Chris Botta (@ChrisBottaNHL) May 15, 2013
That it will be a Devils home game is a huge get for the franchise. Not only will the Devils get all the gate proceeds, but I believe Devils season-ticket holders also get more of the available tickets. We’ll have more reaction when it’s official later in the week.
Even though the Devils’ 2013 season is over, we can still look back at some great moments in New Jersey’s playoff history.
On May 2…
1997- Scott Niedermayer and John MacLean each score goals, and Martin Brodeur makes 21 saves in New Jersey’s 2-0 win over the New York Rangers in game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
2003- Grant Marshall scores at 11:12 of the third overtime, boosting New Jersey to a 3-2, Eastern Conference-semifinal win over the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Marshall’s goal sent the Devils to the Eastern Conference finals and also ended the longest playoff game in Devils history.
Last month, we told you the NHL was planning a series of outdoor games in 2014 to capitalize on the first post-lockout season, the Olympic buildup and the Super Bowl that will be hosted by New York and New Jersey. Today, the news (kind of) became official):
NHL officially announces Blackhawks-Penguins at Soldier Field in Chicago on March 1, 2014 as part of NHL Stadium Series.— Tom Gulitti (@TGfireandice) May 01, 2013
Devils-Rangers (Jan. 26, 2014) and Isles-Rangers (Jan. 29) at Yankee Stadium will be part of that series.— Tom Gulitti (@TGfireandice) May 01, 2013
The NHL will likely release the rest of the schedule, including the Yankee Stadium games, shortly.
Even though the Devils’ 2013 season is over, we can still look back at some great moments in New Jersey’s playoff history.
On April 29…
1994- Claude Lemieux’s power-play goal at 13:49 of the second period proves to be the game-winner in New Jersey’s 2-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres in game 7 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series.
The Devils win the series 4-3, claiming their first playoff series since 1988.
2000- Martin Brodeur stops all 20 shots, and Colin White scores the game’s only goal in the Devils’ 1-0 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs in game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals at Air Canada Centre. New Jersey evens the best-of-seven series at 1 game apiece.
2006- Patrik Elias records a goal and two assists and Brian Gionta’s shorthanded goal proves as the game-winner as the Devils polish off a sweep of the Rangers with a 4-2 win in game 4 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series.
DeBoer on starting Hedberg in Saturday's finale: "Heddy played real well [Thursday] night and is fresh and feels good." #NJDevils— (@NHLDevilsPR) April 26, 2013
Pat Pickens
It’s been a long time since Martin Brodeur sat out a game at Madison Square Garden, but it looks like Sunday will be the battle of the backup goalies.
I think it’s surprising if Brodeur doesn’t start. But if DeBoer wants to do it, it’s his prerogative.
Even though the Devils’ playoff chances are finished for 2013, we can still look back at some great moments in New Jersey’s playoff history.
On April 26…
1997- Martin Brodeur records career playoff shutout No. 5, as the Devils beat the Montreal Canadiens 4-0 in game five, claiming their Eastern Conference quarterfinals series 4-1.
2003- Jamie Langenbrunner scores the game-winning goal at 2:09 of the first overtime, lifting the Devils to a 3-2 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning in game two of their Eastern Conference semifinals series.
2006- Langenbrunner and Patrik Elias each record a goal and an assist, and Brodeur pitches another playoff shutout in New Jersey’s 3-0 win over the New York Rangers in game three of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series at Madison Square Garden.
2012- Adam Henrique scores at 3:09 of the second overtime to lift the Devils to a 3-2 win over the Florida Panthers in game seven of New Jersey’s Eastern Conference quarterfinal series in Sunrise, Fla.
Even though the Devils’ playoff chances are finished for 2013, we can still look back at some great moments in New Jersey’s playoff history.
On April 24…
2003- Martin Brodeur records a playoff shutout, and Jamie Langenbrunner registers a goal and an assist in New Jersey’s win over the Tampa Bay Lighting in game one of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
New Jersey went on to beat Tampa Bay in six games en route to its third Stanley Cup.
2006- John Madden records a hat trick in game two of the Devils’ Eastern Conference quarterfinal series against the New York Rangers– a game the Devils won 4-1.
That game also offered this incredible two-minute stretch that those in attendance won’t soon forget.
The Devils went on to sweep the Rangers but fall to the eventual-Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes in the next round.
2012- Travis Zajac’s goal 5:39 into the first-overtime period lifts the Devils to a season-saving 3-2 victory over the Florida Panthers in game six of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals.
New Jersey went on to win game seven in double overtime and advance to the Stanley Cup Finals before falling to the Los Angeles Kings.
A collection of stories from the Devils’ 4-1 loss to the Rangers, which eliminated New Jersey from playoff contention. (NJ.com) (NorthJersey.com) (NHL.com) (AP)
A lifeless start, a couple of bad penalty calls and suddenly the Devils were frustrated, losing and on their way to playoff elimination. All in all, a sad but fitting end (as far as playoff chances go) to a season that was flawed from the get-go. Some thoughts…
Two things: When you combine a lack or energy with some questionable officiating, you usually get one of two results. Sometimes the team will take on an “us against the world” mentality, snap out of their funk and go on a tear the rest of the game. That didn’t happen today. Instead, the Devils went further into their shell and seemingly quit on the game and essentially their season. Even Martin Brodeur admitted that he felt his teammates gave up when things didn’t go their way. The Devils basically mailed in the first period, negating to forecheck or apply any sort of offensive pressure on the Rangers. It was almost like the Devils came out assuming they were already eliminated from the playoffs. While it was a mathematical eventuality, it’s still disconcerting to hear players after the game talk about how they knew it was just a matter of time. When you hear stuff like that, you can understand why you get a first period like the Devils had today.
