New York Rangers Find Themselves in Primetime

In an interesting and very rare occurrence, the New York Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers find themselves in Primetime Television on Saturday night.

It’s obvious that the NHL has always been the Rodney Dangerfield of New York City Sports. In fact, it’s that way across the entire nation.

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The sport simply gets no respect.

New York has so much to offer. It has the Giants and Jets participating in the biggest sports machine in the world, the NFL.

It has the dreadful Knicks and Nets hooping it up, representing the City’s Game.

And of course, it has the Yankees and Mets which represent the actual type of sports town New York is. New Yorkers are unafraid to claim and admit that their city is a baseball town first and foremost.

It’s always been that way and will remain that way until the end of time.

It’s interesting. Perhaps the two best fanbases in the area are comprised of the people who call the Rangers and Islanders their own. Many say the two groups of New York fans who rarely waiver

Feb 24, 2015; New York, NY, USA; New York Rangers right wing Kevin Hayes (13) celebrates scoring a goal with right wing Mats Zuccarello (36), center Derick Brassard (16), defenseman Ryan McDonagh (27) and defenseman Dan Girardi (5) against the Calgary Flames during the third period at Madison Square Garden. The Rangers defeated the Flames 1-0. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports

and are as true as can be are the Giants and Rangers fans.

Despite whats going on with the franchise, they seem to have less “flavor of the month” in them than anybody.

At least for one night, NBC has shown the Dangerfield of sports much deserved respect.

Tonight, New York, and the entire country for that matter, will find something very usual on the television: a primetime regular season hockey game on Network TV.

The New York Rangers will travel to Philadelphia to take on the Flyers in a very important game for each as they jockey for positioning in the Metropolitan Division.

. 95. Final. . 68

Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA
8 pm ET, NBC
Rangers (38-16-6), 2nd place in Metropolitan Division, 82 pts
Flyers (26-25-11), 5th place in Metropolitan Division, 63 pts

The game itself not only represents one of the all-time rivalries the league has to offer, but it brings the Flyers to the table who are fighting for their playoff lives. The Rangers are locked in a battle with the crosstown Islanders for Metropolitan supremacy.

It is as solid a game as the league could promote in this very rare primetime spot, the first time a regular-season, indoor NHL game will be shown on NBC since the network acquired NHL rights in 2006. It’s also speculated that this could be the first of its kind in broadcast history, via Newsday.

Saturday night once boasted a very powerful lineup as many Americans sat by the television to watch. Now the night is nothing more than a TV wasteland.

For Gary Bettman and the NHL though, the opportunity to slide into the slot is welcomed with open arms.

While hockey will never rank up there with the big boys of the country (NFL, NBA, MLB), having the Islanders and Rangers battle down the stretch and potentially meet in the playoffs can only do great things for the sport.

This spring has the potential to be 1994 all over again, times 10 with the Islanders also in the mix.

Next: How close are the Rangers to a title?

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New York Rangers Find Themselves In The Most Primetime Of Spots

By Robby Sabo | Feb 28, 2015

In an interesting and very rare occurrence, the New York Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers find themselves in Primetime Television on Saturday night.

More from Empire Writes Back