Blueshirts looking forward to MSG advantage in playoffs

Home-ice advantage is always important for a playoff-bound NHL team, such as the Rangers. It means just a bit more this year, coming off two seasons of playing in front of either empty or halfempty arenas for a majority of their games.

By beating the Islanders 6-3 on Thursday night, the Rangers earned the right to compete at Madison Square Garden for four games (Games 1, 2, 5 and 7) of their first-round playoff series. It will be the 27th time in franchise history the Rangers will open a playoff matchup on home ice and the first time since the 2015 Eastern Conference

finals against the Lightning.

“I think it matters a lot,” Kevin Rooney said. “Last year, coming here with being new to the team, I heard a lot about playing at MSG. You don’t really get to experience it with only 2,500 fans. And this year, it’s just been remarkable. The support they’ve given us. I can even think off the top of my head a couple of road games, in Phoenix, they’re amazing, travel so well.

“Just to get to play in front of them to start the playoffs is amazing and we’re looking forward to playing at home because we feel real comfortable there.”

The Rangers have won 10 of their past 12 best-of-seven playoff series that have started on home ice, dating to the 1994 conference quarterfinals against the Islanders. The Rangers will play their final road game of the regular season Saturday in Boston before they finish up with three games at the Garden against the Hurricanes, Canadiens and Capitals.

While the Rangers’ home record of 26-8-4 is strong, their 25-13-2 showing on the road is just as convincing.

“You want home ice for the playoffs,” Ryan Reaves said. “It’s obviously an advantage, especially here. It doesn’t really matter who you’re playing because you’ve got to go through the best teams in this division anyways. It’s always nice to have that home ice, start at home. If it goes to Game 7, to be able to be at home, for sure. We’re going to keep trying to climb.”

Asked how much home-ice advantage truly matters, head coach Gerard Gallant said it does for Game 7, but otherwise not so much.

“Well if you win your first two games, it matters,” Gallant said with a smile. “I think it matters, personally, in Game 7. That’s for me. The first six games you get back-and-forth, back-and-forth, but for Game 7, I think it’s an advantage to your team. Play the games no matter where you’re at.

“Sometimes you have to win big games on the road, which we’ve done this season. And we’ve had a pretty good home record. I think you earn your home ice.”

Gallant said Kaapo Kakko is on pace to return by the playoffs and that he hopes the Finnish winger could get back in the lineup sometime over the final four regular-season games.

“He skated today,” Gallant said. “I think he did pretty well. We’re just going to take it day-to-day. I fully expect [him to return for the playoffs]. That hasn’t changed in my mind. We’ll see how he gets along. I still think he’s going to play games next week, but I’m not trying to put pressure on somebody.”