Ranger rookie ready for playoff experience
Posted Mar 25, 2011 04:42:59 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
You’ll often hear Kitchener Rangers players and coaches talk about the feeling of “walking out of the tunnel” on a Friday night.
The tunnel in question is the one that leads from the Rangers dressing room to the ice. The tunnel that leads the players and coaches into the watchful gaze of about 6500 rabid fans each and every home game.
And in the playoffs? It’s probably safe to say you can turn that energy up to 11.
“I had a lot of trouble sleeping last night, I’ll tell you that,” rookie Eric Ming admitted to us.
Can you blame him? The not-quite-18-year old (his birthday is next Thursday) has seen the ice time usually reserved for a rookie this season. Start on the fourth line and see how you look. If you work hard enough, your reward is more ice time. Maybe even the third line.
As the season progressed, that was the story for Ming.
His effort, while only resulting in three goals through 65 games, saw him rewarded with more ice time. When it came time to sit a healthy forward in the press box, Ming stayed in the line-up. He even got some time on the third line.
“He should see increased production next season,” says associate coach and assistant general manager, Paul Fixter. “Eric has good hockey sense, he competes hard and he wants to do well.”
Now, the playoffs loom and Ming is seeking the wisdom of teammates who have been here before.
“The biggest thing they talk about is the atmosphere and the expectation from the fans. And that just comes with playing in a passionate city like this,” Ming says candidly. “I don’t really know what it’s going to be like until I get there, so they can give you all the advice you want but it won’t compare to what it actually feels like to walk out that tunnel.”
Ming says the toughest thing will be keeping his emotions in check in front of a packed house and under playoff pressure.
Part of his plan to manage those emotions will be to simply accept the role the coaching staff gives him and work hard to execute it on the ice.
“I just want to go out and do whatever I can to help the team win,” Ming asserts. “If that means fighting, blocking shots, I don’t care. I just really want to do everything and anything I can to help these guys out.”
The Rangers open the playoffs at home tonight, the 8th consecutive playoff appearance in which they’ve started on home ice. It also marks the 5th time since 2003 they’ll face the Plymouth Whalers in the playoffs.
Our pregame starts at 7 PM on 570 News.
