The New York Rangers have won their last five home games in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and they have a head football coach to thank.
As they evened up the second-round playoff series with a Game 4 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday night, Giants coach Brian Daboll was among the faithful watching at Madison Square Garden. Many representatives from various New York sports teams have been in attendance during the playoffs these last few weeks, but people are catching on to the real good luck charm.
The Rangers' record when Daboll attends? Five wins, zero losses.
Coincidence? Who's to say?
In addition to Daboll, defensive lineman Leonard Williams and two-time Super Bowl champion Justin Tuck were also in the crowd cheering on the Rangers. Tuck is known for being a regular at Rangers games, and on Tuesday the Giants legend met all-time great Henrik Lundqvist. In fact, Tuck was wearing Lundqvist's jersey when the two New York sports greats embraced at the Garden.
The support the New York sports teams have shown towards each other recently has been tremendous. On top of Daboll, Williams and Tuck, other Giants players have been in the crowd at MSG to root on the Rangers during the playoffs, including Kayvon Thibodeaux, Blake Martinez, Julian Love, Adoree' Jackson, Darnay Holmes and Aaron Robinson.
But the Giants aren't the only New York team rooting on the Rangers. New York Jets linebacker C.J. Mosley and cornerback Sauce Gardner were also in attendance Tuesday night, as well as New York Knicks players Obi Toppin and Miles McBride. In Game 7 of the Rangers' last series against the Pittsburgh Penguins, the New York Mets filled an entire suite, while New York Yankees players Aaron Judge, Anthony Rizzo and DJ LeMahieu were in attendance for a game earlier in the series.
Eli Manning sits down with New York Rangers legendary goalie Henrik Lundqvist on The Eli Manning Show.