WATCH: New York Rangers get Liam Neeson to recite iconic line to rev up fans before playoff game against the Devils

By ADITYA KAR

Modified Apr 18, 2023 17:22 GMT

The New York Rangers have beefed up their defense with an elite player. The player's name: Liam Neeson. Neeson recreated the popular scene from his movie, "Taken."

It was a unique take on the dialogue. It hypes up the match and warns their opponent, the New Jersey Devils.

"Listen to me very carefully. I don't know who you are. I don't know what you're looking for, but I can tell you this: you'd better start watching the New York Rangers in the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs. Got it?"

Despite being from Ballymena, Northern Ireland, Liam now lives in a sumptuous house in upstate New York and has become a part of the community. His son, too, is a fan of the team.

This scene was recreated before. While attending the game between the New York Rangers and the Ottawa Senators at Madison Square Garden, a clip of the iconic scene from Taken was shown on the jumbotron before panning to Neeson, recreating the scene in real life to raucous applause.

In 2018, he revealed that what drew him to hockey and his passion for the Rangers was initially his son but also Madison Square Garden. He was fascinated by the atmosphere of MSG.

Hence, it wasn't a surprise that he recreated the scene for the Stanley Cup playoffs. The locals too have accepted him as one of their own. Doing these promotional videos for the team has endeared him more to the fanbase.

New York Rangers vs. New Jersey Devils: Preview of the match

Carolina Hurricanes v New York Rangers

For the first time in eleven years, the "Hudson River Rivalry" is back in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

In the Eastern Conference First Round matchup, the New Jersey Devils and New York Rangers will compete against one another for the eighth time in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Since the Eastern Conference Final in 2012, which the Devils won in six games to advance to the Stanley Cup Final, this will be the first series between the two teams.

Before this season, the Devils and Rangers had never been in the playoffs in the same year. Since its lone appearance in the postseason in 2018, which took place in 2018, New Jersey hasn't returned.

The Devils returned to the playoffs by setting franchise records for victories (52) and points (112) in a single season. Compared to previous season, it was an improvement of 25 victories and 49 points.

Last season, the Rangers made it to Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Final before conceding defeat to the Tampa Bay Lightning after running out of gas.