Rangers Last Stand

So. A season. A year. Your hopes and dreams as a fan of an original six team.

The proud tradition of this franchise - and the building they play in. The team that showed us so much this year. Pride. Integrity. Courage - because it takes courage to play hockey the Rangers way - blocking shots with your body.

And the quest for the cup.

It all comes down to one last game.

The regular season is a distant memory. The Atlantic Conference championship bought us a game seven home game that we have to win on the road to even get a chance to play.

We root for this hockey team. We sing the goal song with pride and pleasure. We yell "Henrik" when our star player makes a key save.

We are Ranger fans. We devote hours of our lives to them - aligning our feelings with theirs - tying our sense of who we are with our sense of who they are.

The regular season - as it often is in hockey - is a distant memory. Just a few weeks ago we were battling with the Canucks for the top point totals in the NHL - and getting chased by a Penguin team that looked absolutely unstoppable.

Now the Canucks are gone - and so are the Penguins. Early April casualties of that war of attrition that ends with the Cup Finals in June. And our Rangers are still here. Still breathing. But just barely. They trail 3-2 in a 7 game series with game 6 in Ottawa against a team that has had our number all year and is brimming with confidence - ready to take down the top seed.

The Cup sits 14 wins away - but that doesn't matter now either.

We have skill - but the NHL playoffs isn't all about talent. It's about matchups - strategy - grit - and a certain about luck.

And it all comes down to tonight.

Come on guy. This is a momentum series. We can turn this around. And it starts with a single goal. Rise up boys. Rise up and take it to these Senators - take it to an Ottawa team that tanked at season's end because they wanted to play you. Rise up against the team that injured Brian Boyle. Rise up for Ranger Pride!

Do not go quietly into that playoff night. Rage against the fading of the light! Fight them, boys, fight them. Take it to the Senators. You are the New York Rangers.

You can do this. Make us proud.

LET'S GO Rangers!!!!!
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T