Libor Hajek took the ice all alone for his rookie lap during warmups Friday night at the Garden.
The tradition may not have helped settle the nerves building inside of the 21-year-old Rangers defenseman ahead of his NHL debut, but the solo skate did let it all sink in.
“It was beautiful,” Hajek said after holding his own in 17:35 of a 4-2 loss to the Canadiens. “The first step on the ice, seeing the people in warmups, the rink, it was the greatest feeling I ever had in my life. … I was waiting for that all my life.