David Quinn taking non-call in stride
David Quinn went from excited to crestfallen in a matter of hours. That’s what a disappointing loss in your NHL debut as head coach of the Rangers can do.
Quinn hardly could suppress his enthusiasm leading up to Thursday night’s Garden match against the Predators, but when the season opener ended in a 3-2 defeat, he didn’t have much of that enthusiasm remaining.
“Obviously, leading up to the game, there was an awful lot of excitement,” Quinn said with his tie pulled down and his collar open. “But once the puck drops, really you’re just coaching. You’re so caught up in your responsibilities as a coach, that you’re just paying attention to what you’re supposed to be doing.”
Quinn limited some of his young players early in the game, playing 19-year-old rookie Filip Chytil four shifts for 3:09 in a scoreless first period. But as the game went on and his team got better, the ice time started to even out.
He also didn’t have much to say about the high stick that wasn’t called on Kevin Fiala early in the third period that immediately preceded the go-ahead goal by P.K. Subban.
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“We all thought it should have been a penalty,” Quinn said. “The refs saw it differently. It happens to every team. You just have to keep on playing. Can’t let that type of situation effect you.”
John Amirante , the longtime Garden national anthem singer who died April 17 at the age of 83, was honored with a pregame ceremony. During the anthem, Amirante’s widow was joined on the ice by their two daughters, along with a grandson and his girlfriend.
The empty microphone at the end of the carpet was hit with a spotlight, and then a recording of Amirante singing the anthem played overhead while there was video of him singing played on the scoreboard. It was followed by a huge ovation.
Defenseman Tony DeAngelo was a healthy scratch, and he was joined by fellow blueliner Fredrik Claesson and physical winger Cody McLeod.
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Just because it was the season opener and the home opener didn’t stop the Rangers from giving rookie Brett Howden the ceremonial first lap alone before warm-ups in his NHL debut. Howden had a handful of good shifts in 10:32 of ice time.
Quinn said center Boo Nieves remained in concussion protocol, where he has been since suffering the injury in the Sept. 17 preseason opener.
The Rangers had an optional morning skate at the Garden, which was the way Quinn planned it after a very difficult three-week training camp.
“We practiced a lot,” Quinn said. “They didn’t need to hear me [Thursday morning]. They heard enough of me for three weeks.”