The New York Rangers emerged victorious over their cross-town rival Islanders during a thrilling Sunday afternoon matchup at MetLife Stadium. The game showcased a remarkable comeback by the Rangers in the frenzied third period. However, New York radio presenter Evan Roberts took to the airwaves on Monday to criticize fans of the top team in New York.
Roberts passionately exclaimed, “All you overweight Rangers supporters who exited the arena [following the triumph]… cease behaving as though you’re the Yankees. You’ve only secured a single [Stanley] Cup in the past 70 years!”
If you wish, you can view the entirety of his impassioned tirade below. Nevertheless, I recommend accepting my word and skipping it. Roberts was so proud of his viewpoint that he shared the video on his personal account with the accompanying caption, “Congratulations to the Rangers on their February Stanley Cup.”
As an Islanders devotee, Roberts is evidently feeling despondent. I would likely feel the same way if I were subjected to watching the New York Islanders play 82 times per year.
Fortunately for Islanders fans like Roberts, they typically only endure 82 games per season since they frequently fail to qualify for the playoffs.
It’s rather amusing to witness an Islanders supporter berate the Rangers for their solitary Stanley Cup victory in the past 70 years. Yes, that statement is indeed accurate. The New York Rangers last lifted the coveted trophy in 1994.
This achievement remains more recent than the Islanders’ previous Stanley Cup triumph in 1983 by over a decade. Is Roberts suggesting that the Islanders’ four Stanley Cup victories between 1979 and 1983 hold greater significance than the Rangers’ more recent success?
Perhaps he is. However, it is a peculiar assertion coming from Roberts. According to Google, Evan Roberts was born on July 11, 1983. This means that when the Islanders last claimed the Cup on May 17, 1983, Roberts had not yet been born.
This animosity stems from that very fact. The Islanders have not been relevant during Roberts’ lifetime.
Although they reached the Eastern Conference Final in the COVID-impacted 2019-2020 season, it hardly counts. The subsequent season, still marred by the effects of COVID, saw the Islanders once again reach the Stanley Cup semifinals. However, this is an unfair assessment since most arenas did not permit fans.
This situation provided the Islanders with a significant advantage, as they were already accustomed to playing in predominantly empty arenas.
If we disregard the two COVID-affected seasons, the Islanders have not won two playoff series in a single season since 1992-93.
Despite their failure to secure the Stanley Cup, the Rangers have consistently been contenders.
Cheering for the Islanders while witnessing the Rangers dominate New York is undoubtedly challenging, and I sympathize with Roberts.
He is correct in asserting that defeating the Islanders on Sunday does not hold immense significance.
After all, triumphing over the Islanders is second nature to the Rangers. There is no need to excessively celebrate vanquishing an inferior opponent.
According to the Source outkick.com