NHL Once Again Hosts Outdoor Hockey Game in 2024 Stadium Series
John Divuolo
Staff Writer
Last week on February 17th and February 18th, we got to witness one of the most entertaining series in the national hockey league. MetLife Stadium hosted the outdoor games for the Devils and the Flyers, as well as the Rangers and the Islanders. The history behind the stadium series makes the atmosphere so much more intense and exciting when watching. The last time the Devils and the Rangers had an outdoor game was in 2014, both held at Yankee Stadium. This time around, we got to see the Devils win six to three against the Flyers, and the Rangers win six to five against the Islanders.
The weather was brutal, sitting at about 20 degrees but for the fans, it was an opportunity that they could not miss. Fans dressed for the occasion by wearing heavy jackets, bringing blankets, and wearing snow pants. MetLife being an open stadium made the windchill even worse, but the fans were not fazed. They entered the stadium prepared and ready to watch the Devils and the Rangers play against their division rivals and it was a close, but fantastic turnout for not only the people watching but also for the hockey league itself. For the Devils, the scoring started hot with a fast break from team captain Nico Hischer. He scored just 32 seconds into the game. The Devil’s offense was buzzing all night, with Tyler Toffoli scoring a goal and Nathan Bastion scoring two. The Flyers also were putting up goals with Owen Tippett scoring two of his own. At the end of the game though, the Devils came out on top and made their statement on the home field. In the Ranger’s Islanders game, the islanders were showing dominance all through the first period. They were up to a score of three to one with goals from Brock Nelson, Bo Horvat, and Mathew Barzal. The islanders were on fire to start the game and going into the second period, the Rangers would have to adjust to the Islander’s offense. While the Islanders were able to score another goal in the second, the Rangers were beginning to make their statement scoring three goals. The score was then four to three Islanders, and it all came down to the third period. The Islanders and the Rangers exchanged goals late in the third and this left the Islanders with a one-goal lead. And with only one minute and thirty seconds left, Mika Zibanejad gets a slap shot off and ties the game. Heading into overtime Artemi Panarin only needed ten seconds to end it, winning the game for the Rangers on an assist on the last goal.
The stadium series was an all-around success for both home teams, as over 70,000 fans showed up for each team, and MetLife was close to sold out on both days. The National Hockey League should certainly investigate more of these types of games, as it will generate large amounts of revenue for the teams, players, and the league itself.
Contact John at john.divuolo@student.shu.edu