Nobody's Watching

Expansion was invented for a series like this.

Not since the Giants, Dodgers and Yankees battled for the Straus Cup of New York baseball have two teams from the largest media market clashed over anything meaningful. Except for the New York Rangers and New York Islanders, that is, who open their third playoff confrontation in seven years at the Nassau Coliseum tomorrow night.

Both previous meetings ended in upsets. In 1975, the Islanders took their first baby steps toward NHL acceptance by knocking off the blueshirts in the quarterfinals. And in 1979, the fired-up Rangers conquered the heavily favored Isles, now a league superpower, in the semis. Tomorrow begins Phase III. or the Subway Series, 60-cent style.

Forgive the Islanders if they are looking past their step-brothers to the winner of the Calgary-Minnesota series and a successful defense of the Stanley Cup. The Rangers have knocked off the second- and fourth-best regular season clubs with some tight checking and a lot of emotion, but nobody really expected them to get this far. And very few expect them to go any farther.

But under the quiet guidance of Craig Patrick, who took over when the turbulent Freddie Shero quit in mid-season, the Rangers have emerged as a surprisingly strong team. With Barry Beck finally playing the kind of hockey he is capable of, and Ron Duguay playing much better than anyone ever dreamed he could, the downtowners will provide a tought barrier to the Isles' second straight Stanley Cup.

The Islanders know that, but they're in a no-win position. As favorites, the best they can do is win, like they are supposed to. The worst they can do is lose succumb to the pressure and fall apart. It's a common phenomenon--the Rangers were called chokers more than once in the early '70s.

On the other hand, the Islanders undoubtedly boast the superior side. In Bryan Trottier and Mike Bossy, they have two superstars of Gretzkyesque magnitude. In Billy Smith (3-1 against the Rangers in playoff competition), they have one of hockey's finest clutch goalies. They are deeper, more experienced, better.

All of this will make for a great series, an NHL showcase. Unfortunately, the NHL has no network television contract to showcase the series--too many Colorado-Washington games took care of that long ago. So, the league will peddle the games to independent stations (like Boston's channel 38), and daring network affiliates that are willing to forfeit a sitcom or two to show this interborough fracas.

Aln't That a Shame

Which is a shame. People all over the nation should have a chance to see this kind of hockey. The sport failed on television because of too many Sunday afternoon games, too many Kansas City Scouts games, too many Peter Pucks. Who wants to watch Peter Puck on a Sunday afternoon in May?

This series, by contrast, is perfect for mass consumption. The Rangers will try to shut down Bossy and Trottier with close checking, a skill underestimated by the Battle-of-the-Network-Stars generation. And Bossy himself, along with Gretzky, the league's flashiest scorer, can capture the attention of the most jaded, expansion-soaked fan.

I suppose it's just a fantasy that people in New Orleans and Seattle and Phoenix would someday watch NHL hockey. I suppose bad experiences like the Birmingham. Bulls and Houston Aeros have soured those areas for hockey for a long time. But this series would go over just as big as, say, NASL soccer or the WCT, Genuine sports action will sell to the quality fan, whatever the sport, just as expansion fluff will turn off the most ardent rooter.

This is quality stuff. It's a shame more people can't see it.