There are always arenas that NHL players absolutely want to and love playing in, besides obviously their home rink. When players are from certain NHL cities, like Clayton Keller and St. Louis, that’s always a spot that’s circled on their calendars.
There are those big-name arenas that are also very popular among players. Belle Centre in Montreal, Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, and TD Garden in Boston are some of the buildings that are widely talked about in the NHL.
However, there’s one arena that every NHL player dreams of playing in, and that is Madison Square Garden in New York City. Once every season, the Utah Mammoth get to visit the most famous arena in the world. On Monday night, they’ll make their annual visit, this time with an important two points on the line.
Excitement Yet Determination Monday Night for the World’s Most Famous Arena
Built in 1968 in the heart of New York City, Madison Square Garden is the home of the New York Rangers. In the Rangers’ time calling the arena home, they’ve hung up 11 different team banners in the rafters. Included in the collection are the three Eastern Conference championship banners, marking the three Stanley Cup Finals the building has hosted. Of course, the Rangers famously won in 1994.
The Rangers have gone on numerous playoff runs in the building, especially in the past decade. Ian Cole has been a part of three different playoff series against the Rangers, one with the Carolina Hurricanes and two as a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins. He’s seen how loud the building has gotten. At this point in his career, he knows what it’s like playing in the arena, and while honored to play in New York, it’s just another game for him.
“It is a very famous arena,” Cole said. “We’re here in New York, and, big city, it is what it is. Ultimately, the game’s still the same. We need to concentrate on how we play. We need to figure out how to play our best game and do it more consistently.”
For head coach André Tourigny, it’s business at the Garden as well, as he tries to guide the Mammoth back to a .500 record. He’s all time 1-3-0 at Madison Square Garden, with his one win coming with Utah last season in a thrilling 6-5 overtime winner thanks to Clayton Keller. That win started his team’s season off with a 3-0-0 record. Tourigny is hoping for another win on Monday night.
OH MY!
— Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) October 13, 2024
CLAYTON KELLER WINS IT IN OT! pic.twitter.com/VbVInbnHe1
“For me, we play the Rangers, and it’s a big game for us,” Tourigny said. “We need it. We need two points. It’s a business trip.”
It makes sense why the Mammoth are so focused on getting a win on Monday. They’re coming off a crushing 4-1 loss to the New Jersey Devils. With the Mammoth currently 1-1-0 on their New York road trip, a win on Monday would send the team back home with a .500 record, two big wins against the New York Islanders and Rangers, and begin a seven-game homestand on a good note.
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Still, playing at Madison Square Garden is something not everyone can boast about. The younger players on the Mammoth are aware of what’s at stake against the Rangers, but they’re still excited to play at the arena. Dylan Guenther has played twice in New York City, and he’s hyped for his third game on Monday night.
“It’s unreal,” Guenther said. “I’ve only played two games here. My first game, I played like nine minutes. It’s fun. I think coming to New York is fun. It’s a big city. There’s a lot to do here. You’re here for a week. I’ve enjoyed the past week. We’ve had some fun. It’s important that we end it on a good note.”
It makes sense why Guenther’s excited. He’s had a good history of producing in New York against the two city-based teams (Islanders and Rangers). He’s got five goals in the past three games against the two teams, including one against the Rangers last season and a hat trick against the Islanders on Thursday.
Overall, the chance to play at Madison Square Garden will always be one that all hockey players look forward to. It’s arguably the NHL’s biggest stage in the United States, and it’s against one of the Original Six franchises in the league. Spending a week in New York to ramp up to the game is also a fantastic bonus.
However, especially when a big game is on the line, the pressure can really be amped up. As the Mammoth fight for a playoff spot and a .500 record, their minds are dialed into winning. Although doing it at a rink like Madison Square Garden makes the stakes higher and makes the winning more fun.
“It’s a historic spot, sweet arena,” Nick DeSimone said. “Everybody will tell you that. It’s really cool to play here and whatnot. At the end of the day, we’re all professionals, and we need to worry about what’s important in our game, our team game, and that’s really the biggest part.”
They say New York is where dreams come true. The Mammoth are hoping their dreams of winning under the bright lights and going home with a 2-1-0 record in the new year live up to that saying.
The Mammoth will play the Rangers Monday night as they conclude their New York road trip. The Rangers are coming off a 5-1 win over the Florida Panthers in the 2026 Winter Classic. Meanwhile, the Mammoth are coming off a 4-1 loss to the Devils.
