Guest Post: Remembering the NY Rangers pregame experience

This piece about the NY Rangers pregame experience was written by Nick Fischetti (@NFischetti24). I thought it was very well written and a great look at what we’ve lost as a part of the COVID-19 pandemic. We are all hoping for a return to normalcy soon. When that happens, don’t forget to support your local bars and restaurants that suffered greatly through this. Be sure to follow Nick on Twitter, using the link above.

Tall-boy beer in a brown bag, train ticket punched for the last time, the feeling of excitement in your stomach, and finally hearing, “The next station is, Penn Station.”  Wherever you come from, you have waited to hear those words all day.  Then you step off the train into steamy, sticky, smelly Penn Station.  The first move is to get a slice at Rose’s Pizza and a 40 ounce beer.  You arrived early enough to hit a pre game bar with your friends or meet those who were already in the city.  

Whether it’s Tir Na Nog, Flying Puck, American Whiskey, Stout, Cafe 31, Jack Doyle’s, or any other, you walk in and see New York Rangers jerseys everywhere.  There are Rangers flags and pictures of players all over the bar.  The place is loud, the people are excited, and everyone is discussing this being ‘the year.’ 

As soon as the drinks start flowing you leave the bar.  You leave with plenty of time before the puck drops because catching the end of warm ups and the introduction is absolutely essential.  Long lines of Ranger jerseys flow in the streets towards Madison Square Garden.  Some weirdo is hanging outside the doors saying “Anybody need tickets? Got two tickets here.”  As you walk into The Garden on the ground level you hear crazy fans from multiple angles screaming, “LET’S GO RANGERS!”  

You go through security and you walk past the team store on the ground floor without going in because everything in there is disgustingly overpriced.  You look around, excitement is everywhere as you approach the gate and butterflies float through your stomach.  That silly noise that the ticket scanner makes generates a smirk and you breathe a sigh of relief because your ticket, once again, isn’t fake.  As you get to your level the sights, the smell, the sounds, it all makes you feel excited like a little kid again.  

Somewhere along the journey you lost all financial principles because the first thing you do is go to the bar and buy a $14 beer.  Then, you walk through hundreds of people without bumping into anyone to get to your section.

You walk to your seats and as warm ups ends and the lights in the arena dim. You talk to the people sitting around you about special games you’ve been to and remember.  You talk about players on the team you love watching every game.  You talk about former legends and players you’ve adored.  You also talk about all the things that need to go right for THIS team to bring the cup back to New York.  Then you see the clock on that tremendous new screen start to get closer to zero.

The fans start to scream, and the video promo begins.  Liam Neeson narrates the video about how passionate the city and fans are.  The arena is so intense and finally it cuts.  Music plays loud, lights flash, the tunnel shows on the big screen and you hear Joe Tolleson in his deep, distinct voice, “Here they are, the New York Rangers.”  

We miss you, we cannot wait to get back.  

Special shout out to all the bars and restaurants near Madison Square Garden that didn’t make it through this tough time.  Thank you for the memories and you will be missed.