Poll: Devils or Rangers This Time Around?
With visions of 1994 dancing in metropolitan fans' heads, who do you think will win?
Photos
It isn't always pretty. In fact, it rarely is.
When the two top ice hockey squads in the New York-New Jersey metro area lace them up, it's always a spectacle. But it's never more so than when the matchups come in the playoffs.
Of course, we're talking about the New Jersey Devils and the New York Rangers (sorry Islanders fans, but the '80s are behind us). The two NHL teams begin their best-of-seven Eastern Conference Finals series Monday night (8; NBC Sports Network) for the right to head to the Stanley Cup Finals.
Of course, most fans remember the last time these two faced each other for that right. It was 1994. For Rangers fans, it was the precursor to a fantastic Stanley Cup championship victory over the Vancouver Canucks and the end of the "1940" chants. It was a Game 7, double-overtime victory thanks to "Matteau, Matteau, Matteau!"
For the Devils, it was the spark that drove them to their first championship the very next year, and future victories in 2000 and 2003. It helped launch "Marty" into the rarest of goalie air.
And now, almost 18 years later, Martin Brodeur will once again lead his Devils against the Rangers and quite possibly the game's current top goaltender, Henrik Lundqvist.
And the teams appear to have as much built up tension now as they did then. In fact, their split regular season contests this year were filled with fighting.
We know (OK, we hope) you are more civil when it comes to your friendly gamesmanship with those who root for your rival. But we also know that you want to see your team bury the other and get its chance at hockey immortality.
So, tell us who is going to win, and how. Vote in our poll. Will it be the Rangers in a sweep? The Devils in a nail-biter? Or something else. Then–good naturedly, of course–tell us in the comments why your team is going to win this time around.
Editor's Note: This poll appears on multiple Patch sites in Morris, Somerset and Sussex Counties. The comments you see may not be from people in your town.
Judi
2:47 pm on Monday, May 14, 2012
GO RANGERS !!!!
Carol C.
3:06 pm on Monday, May 14, 2012
Let's go DEVILSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rick Burchfield
3:11 pm on Monday, May 14, 2012
No one has voted for the sweep on either side in the first 50 votes. Very interesting. Looks like fans on both sides expect a long series. At least that's what the totals indicate so far.
Edubb
3:12 pm on Monday, May 14, 2012
This is Devils country...who cares about the Rangers!
Brendan Kuty
6:14 pm on Monday, May 14, 2012
This guy cares about the Rangers. And he especially cares about whether the Blueshirts will be fatigued from two straight seven-game series. What do you guys think?
Nordrom Keni
7:42 pm on Monday, May 14, 2012
Brendan I think that no one cares that you care about the ranger$. If you want an answer to your question, go ask it on a NY site. This is NJ. Devils country.
EMG
9:49 am on Tuesday, May 15, 2012
I care Brendan - Rangers fan here too - and Sox fan. Go figure! Who knew you didn't have to root for the Jersey team?
Elle
12:58 pm on Tuesday, May 15, 2012
I care too! It's sounding like there are a lot of typical Devils fans on here - rude and mostly clueless about hockey.
Jessica
3:30 pm on Monday, May 14, 2012
Let's go Devils!
Jason Koestenblatt
3:47 pm on Monday, May 14, 2012
OK, so the Devils fans are more outspoken so far. But do you really think Marty's old knees are going to hold up for another round of the playoffs? I guess we'll have to wait and see :)
Nordrom Keni
7:44 pm on Monday, May 14, 2012
You should worry about "I have never won anything in the NHL" Lunqvist. Let's see if he can actually do *something* in the NHL playoffs, which would put him maybe in the shadow of Martin Brodeur.
King Of Nada.
Nordrom Keni
7:52 pm on Monday, May 14, 2012
Sorry after further investigation it seems that you are a Christian conservative. You are forgiven for being devoid of reasoning abilities.
Go Motown
4:31 pm on Monday, May 14, 2012
Come on Jason! Perhaps it wasn't just Devils fans that have spoken but smart fans. Don't you worry about Marty's knees, you should be more concerned about the Queens fragile ego.
Go Motown
4:36 pm on Monday, May 14, 2012
Besides, aren't Mets fans Islander fans?
Jason Koestenblatt
6:31 pm on Monday, May 14, 2012
Being a Mets fan has barred me from being an Islanders fan - I can only take so much heartache. I mean, it could be worse - I could be a Tigers and Lions fan, ya know? That would just stink! :)
The Rangers offense ain't pretty, but I'll take that D in this series. It'll go 7, with the Blue Shirts taking the next step toward the Cup.
Tammy
4:39 pm on Monday, May 14, 2012
DEVILS!!!!!!!!
joe lipari
4:56 pm on Monday, May 14, 2012
devils can go back to hell
Nordrom Keni
7:45 pm on Monday, May 14, 2012
ranger$ can go back to being irrelevant in the NHL like they are every year.
joe lipari
4:56 pm on Monday, May 14, 2012
go rangers
Linda Sadlouskos
5:03 pm on Monday, May 14, 2012
Former NY'ers tell us — who's badder?
BeachBum
5:33 pm on Monday, May 14, 2012
Go Rangers!
peanut622
6:01 pm on Monday, May 14, 2012
rangers....noone cares marty knees got us here marty will get us past you guys you cant win this playoff series devils win game 5 with a record of 4-1
Nordrom Keni
7:49 pm on Monday, May 14, 2012
The ranger$ and their fans have always been pretenders. They never win anything, but they think that they are relevant in the NHL. They DID actually win a division title this season (golf clap for the ranger$) so at least they have something to hang in the otherwise empty MSG. But winning a championship every few decades? What a proud tradition LOL.
Brendan Kuty
8:57 pm on Monday, May 14, 2012
Nordrom Keni, what's the correlation between Christian conservatives and hockey acumen?
John Dunphy
8:59 pm on Monday, May 14, 2012
Go Phillies.
IC
7:54 am on Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Devils if you live in NJ. Rangers are for New Yorkers who don't care about winning Stanley Cups. The Devils have won 3 cups in the last 20 years...they are the TRUE Hockey Champions of the metro area.
Rex
9:04 am on Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Nordrom & IC: Rangers have won 4 Stanley cups, devils have won 3. The Rangers, being one of the Original NHL 6 also have History and Tradition on their side. Devils will forever be an "expansion" team.
Michael
11:21 am on Thursday, May 17, 2012
No NHL team in history that has played 14 games in the first 2 rounds of the playoffs has ever won the cup.
Devils in 6.....
Jason Koestenblatt
12:29 pm on Thursday, May 17, 2012
Great stat, Michael.
But that's what it is, right? Just a stat...
Now the series is 1-1, and New Jersey has disrupted the home ice advantage. Anyone changing their minds, based on what's been seen in the first two games, on the outcome of this series?
Brendan Kuty
1:24 pm on Thursday, May 17, 2012
NOPE. I'm sticking with Rangers in four.
Edubb
12:51 pm on Thursday, May 17, 2012
Devils will win 4-2. Rangers will now wait for next season...19 years and counting since they last won cup. Hopefully it wont be another 54 years before they win another cup.
LMAO---Lets go Devils
Kristen
1:31 pm on Monday, May 21, 2012
Rangers 2-1 so far.....LET"S GO RANGERS!!!!!
Edubb
7:15 pm on Monday, May 28, 2012
How about those Devils? I do believe I said Devils in 6....always next year blue shirts.