“We’re playing better, playing smarter, not making high-risk plays for no reason,” New York Rangers General Manager Chris Drury said last week. It’s expected for the Rangers to take this cautious approach as their chances to make the playoffs hang in the balance. And now that the squad is in Columbus, ready to take on the Blue Jackets, the tension weighs heavy.
The clash on Blue Jackets turf is a crucial one. So, instead of letting the immense pressure take hold ahead of the match, the Rangers stars got busy playing volleyball. What better way to work up a sweat and not think about hockey than an “impromptu volleyball game”? However, the NYR players probably didn’t guess that they’d earn praise from Columbus’s very own volleyball pros while trying to distract themselves.
The Athletic’s Peter Baugh, who was also at the practice session, caught the New York Rangers enjoying themselves on the court. “(Johnny) Brodzinski, (Carson) Soucy, (Braden) Schneider and (Chris) Kreider vs. (Matt) Rempe, (Zac) Jones, K. Miller and (Artemi)Panarin. Rempe is a menace at the net front,” revealed Baugh. The Columbus Fury players shared Baugh’s opinion of Rempe & Co.
It’s not easy to impress the pros, but the pro NHL stars pulled it off from the first get-go. Peter Baugh explained in another post. “Talked to several @ColumbusFury players who came out to watch. They were particularly impressed with Brodzinski’s jump serve and the fact that the players knew to rotate between points,” noted the hockey writer.
Talked to several @ColumbusFury players who came out to watch. They were particularly impressed with Brodzinski’s jump serve and the fact that the players knew to rotate between points. https://t.co/IjTobyRPsg
— Peter Baugh (@Peter_Baugh) March 14, 2025
In an interesting coincidence, the Columbus Fury finds themselves in an equally tense situation as the New York Rangers and even the Blue Jackets. While the NHL teams are fighting to secure their spot at the playoffs, the Fury isn’t doing too hot in the ongoing PVF season. They currently have a 5-11 record, losing six of their 10 home games on the very court the NYR players played on.
Something needs to give for the Fury to salvage what’s left of the season. With that said, the Columbus Blue Jackets and Rangers find themselves arguably in an even tougher spot.
What makes the Columbus Fury vs. New York Rangers’ game so crucial?
The Blue Jackets and the Rangers will take to the ice on March 15, evenly matched. While the Blue Jackets held the advantage when they faced the Golden Knights, they lost it when the Knights handed them a 4-0 loss. Meanwhile, The Rangers drew level on the standings, beating Minnesota 3-2 in overtime. Now the two teams, tied in 4th with 70 points each, will clash in a stalemate shattering match.
What’s at stake? A playoff wildcard spot. No wonder both teams are feeling the crunch ahead of the game. After all, it could be the game that makes or breaks either team’s season. And both of them have a lot to fight for. The New York Rangers have made it to the Eastern finals for the last three years. In fact, they were among the Stanley Cup favorites at the season’s start.
On the flip side, the Columbus Blue Jackets are fighting to end a four-year postseason drought. Thankfully, the Blue Jackets may not have lost all their advantages against the NYR just yet. The NHL team smashed the Rangers 7-3 during their most recent clash on March 10. Now we’ll have to wait and see whether the Rangers display just as much of a praiseworthy performance in the ice as they did on the volleyball court.
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