ESU Student’s NHL Preview

BY COLLEEN RUPP
SC Contributing Writer

With the preseason underway, Nation Hockey League fans are beginning to get a better idea of what to expect from their favorite team.  At ESU those teams tend to vary with students from New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.

Between the three states there are five NHL teams that tend to be favored—New York Islanders, New York Rangers, New Jersey Devils, Pittsburgh Penguins, and the Philadelphia Flyers.

All five teams have begun the preseason and played at least two games.  Each team has lost at least one game and won at least one game.  The five teams seem to be on a pretty equal playing field to date.

The New York Islanders began their 12 day long preseason with a game on Tuesday, September 17, 2013 against the Calgary Flames.  It was an away game which resulted in a loss.

Since then, they have played two more games.  They lost again to the Flames, and on Thursday, September 19, 2013 won against the Devils.

They meet the Devils once more in the preseason and play a total of eight games, the most out of all five teams.  The Islanders’ regular season beings on Friday October 4, 2013 at 7 PM, against the Devils.

The New York Rangers began their preseason with a loss to the Devils in Newark on Monday, September 16, 2013.  The Rangers will only play six games during their 11 day preseason schedule.  Since the Rangers have only played two games to date, there is not much to report.

They won their second preseason game against the Flyers at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.  The team has four more preseason games, and will not play the Devils or the Flyers until the regular season begins.  The New York Rangers begin their regular 2013-2014 season on Thursday, October 3, 2013 in Phoenix against the Coyotes.

The New Jersey Devils have one of the shorter preseasons in which they play only six games over a ten day period.  They opened the 2013 preseason with a win against the New York Rangers on Monday, September 16, 2013.

They have played a total of two games, winning one and losing the second against the Islanders.  The team plays their third preseason game on Saturday, September 21, 2013 facing off against the Islanders in Brooklyn, New York at 7 PM.  The New Jersey Devils open their 2013-2014 season against the Penguins in Pittsburgh on Thursday, October 3, 2013.

A season opener against the New Jersey Devils is not the only thing the Pittsburgh Penguins have in common with the Devils.

Like the Devils, the Penguins will only play six games during their ten day preseason.  Their preseason opened with a loss against the Blue Jackets in Columbus, on Sunday, September 15, 2013.  The Penguins have lost a total of two games and won one against the Chicago Blackhawks.  They have a chance to win their second game against the Blue Jackets on Saturday, September 21, 2013 which will be played in Newark at 4 PM.

Last but not least, the Philadelphia Flyers began their 12 day preseason on Sunday, September 15, 2013 with a loss against the Maple Leafs.  The Flyers are already half way through their seven game preseason, with four games under their belt.

They have a week long break before their next game on Tuesday, September 24, 2013 against the New Jersey Devils in Philadelphia.

The Flyers will get a chance to face the Maple Leafs again with their regular 2013-2014 season opener in Philadelphia on Wednesday, October 2, 2013 at 7:30 PM.

All five favorite teams will end their preseason by Sunday, September 29, 2013, with the first regular season game being the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday, October 2, 2013.

With the disappointment of the shortened 2012-2013 season, fans cannot wait for the hockey season to officially begin this year.  There is a lot to look forward to, and the rivalries between the five favorite teams are expected to be fierce.

Email Colleen at:
cer1810@live.esu.edu