Rangers Set To Take On Islanders, Devils At Yankee Stadium In 2014
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- There will be professional hockey at Yankee Stadium in 2014.
Two games will be played in the Bronx next season as part of the 2014 Coors Light NHL Stadium Series, the NHL announced on Wednesday.
The Rangers, set to meet the Bruins in the Eastern Conference semifinals beginning on Thursday, will take on the Islanders -- who lost in the first round of the playoffs to the top-seeded Penguins -- at the stadium on Wednesday, January 29, 2014, at 7:30 p.m.
"The New York Islanders are honored to take part in the National Hockey League's outdoor stadium series," Islanders general manager Garth Snow said in a statement. "Our fan base is one of the most passionate in the NHL. The support we consistently receive from our fans was on display during the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and I expect it to be on an even greater scale when we take on the Rangers.
"This is what makes the games against the Rangers one of the best rivalries in the league. I look forward to seeing a strong contingent of the orange and blue in the stands at Yankee Stadium."
But the Devils, the third local-area team, won't be left out. Three days before the Isles and the Rangers take the ice, New Jersey will square off with the Blueshirts at Yankee Stadium. The puck will drop for that contest on Sunday, January 26, 2014, at 12:30 p.m.
"We have long thought that Yankee Stadium would be a great venue for outdoor hockey," New York Yankees chief operating officer Lonn Trost said in a statement. "In addition to being a first-class baseball facility, Yankee Stadium was designed to house unique and memorable events, such as the NHL Stadium Series.
"Hosting two of the NHL's classic rivalries at Yankee Stadium will be a great kickoff for the worldwide sporting events in the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area scheduled in early 2014."
Rangers President and general manager Glen Sather is thrilled that his organization has the opportunity to participate in not one, but both of the games taking place in the Bronx.
"The New York Rangers are honored to participate in these two historic games at Yankee Stadium, bringing hockey into the home of another one of New York's iconic sports franchises," Sather said in a statement. "Playing hockey outdoors takes the game back to its roots and reminds us all why we laced up our skates as youngsters. We are excited to be able to bring that experience and thrill to our fans and the city of New York."
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