Speculation: Rangers might open playoffs on the road

[RangerBoy]

Because of Knicks games that can’t be moved in a condensed NBA season, a contract for a concert series which Madison Square Garden cannot break, and pressure from NBC Sports to alternate Rangers games and Flyers-Penguins games in the first round of the playoffs, word is starting to leak out of a potentially drastic step.

The Rangers are considering giving the OK to the NHL to start their first-round series with two games on the road, despite earning the home-ice advantage. The league and the Rangers are negotiating a scenario in which the Rangers would play the first two games on the road, then come home for three consecutive Garden games, go on the road for a Game 6 if necessary, and have home ice again for Game 7.

The league has spoken to one of the teams fighting for the No. 8 spot and of course has gotten the OK from that team, though it’s not clear if that was Washington, Buffalo, Ottawa or Florida.

http://rangers.lohudblogs.com/2012/0...l-for-rangers/

Bettman better remember the Rangers when the CBA comes up in the summer.

I hope this isn't a April Fools joke.

[CaliDubiZib]

Someone is asking for a ***** slap

[zestystrat]

Posted 4/1 so I'm thinking April fools joke for the boneheads.

[UAGoalieGuy]

It better be an April fools joke. I highly doubt the management at MSG would schedule a concert series around the NHL playoffs.

[SupersonicMonkey*]

This can't be real.

[Guess What]

deff an april fools thing. But, IF this is real; it'll feel like a baseball series.

[beastly115]

April fools.

[nyrmetros]

It's probably an April's fools joke, but if you remember, the Rangers used to be kicked out of the garden all the time because of the circus.

[truebluegoalie]

Yeah and Redden will be 1D with Emminger.

[GAGLine]

If this is true, it wouldn't bother me. We've been good on the road this year. Win at least one of the first two, then 4 of the next 5 are at home.

[incident]

It's got to be an April Fools joke, albeit a fairly well thought through one.

MSG is heavily booked around the start of the playoffs, but there's still a couple of empty dates, presumably set aside for the Rangers: Thu 12th and Sat 14th.

[Ih8theislanders]

Needs to be an April fools joke. I'd be furious, schedule finally falls in my favor and this **** happens?

[Maineice11]

well that would be different...if it happens, i would be happy IF that means the games will be wednesday, friday, etc. reason being i am taking an 8 hour state/national land surveying exam on Friday and really do not want to miss the first game on thursday because i need to sleep thursday night and want to pass this because of how expensive this exam has been!!!

[FATCHAMALA11]

I will tear off Spike Lee's head to feel better..

[Jabroni1994]

April Fools, probably.

A team works for the higher seeds for home ice advantage for the entire season. I doubt they can just alter that.

[blooblood]

if this is true, just another reason for rangers fans to hate the knicks

[nyr2k2]

April Fools.

[Tawnos]

The home ice advantage wouldn't exactly be in peril, as the title of the article claims. They would still be playing 4 of the 7 possible games on the road and 3 of the first 5. The order would just be switched around.

That being said, this better be a joke. I'm going to be in NY without plans from the 9-12. I have unbreakable plans on the 13th and 14th and I fly home the 15th. So they better not do this, because I'm planning on going to game 1.