Tuesday's resumption of the NHL's New York derby has an enticing setup: Both the New York Islanders and New York Rangers are good at the same time. The Islanders lead the Metropolitan Division with 57 points (second in the West er East, fifth in the NHL overall), while the Rangers are also in the thick of contention with 52 points.
Good time, then, for the cable behemoth that holds the broadcast rights to both teams' games to shine the spotlight on the rivalry's biggest current star.
The MSG "Beginnings" series will profile Islanders captain John Tavares, with the episode premiering after Tuesday's game on both MSG and MSG+. See Tavares discuss how it all began, hear it in the words of his family back home, and enjoy some priceless shots of him playing the way so many careers did: In a mock "rink" set up in the family basement.
"People always ask me what I would’ve been if I wasn’t a hockey player and I say I really don't know because I never thought about anything else. [Growing up] I couldn’t sleep at night because I just couldn’t wait for the games to come. There’s nothing better than being on the ice."
If you've missed the teasers during recent Isles game broadcasts, you can watch a 30-second clip above. The full episode is scheduled for Tuesday after the game at 10 p.m. EST on MSG+ and 10:30 p.m. on MSG.