How Rangers' schedule reversal could have benefits down the road
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If you think that this year’s schedule is an exception to the rule that has applied to the Rangers for nearly six decades, you are correct.
Because other than the 2013-14 season in which the Garden was undergoing its extensive reconstruction; the 1994-95 and 2012-13 seasons in which lockouts delayed the start of the season until January; and the 2020-21 season in which the pandemic postponed the opener also until January, the Rangers’ two games at the Garden this October represents the fewest since 1966-67, when they played two at the old building on 49th and 50th between Eighth and Ninth.
The ’66-67 season (which ended with Red Berenson hitting the post) opened on Oct. 19. The year prior, when the season opened on Oct. 24, the Rangers played one home game in October. One out of three, in fact.
Teams across the NHL generally don’t like to put in home dates for October. It’s tougher to sell tickets for October games in numerous markets.
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