Rangers drawing championship motivation from Knicks long-awaited title

Seven Rangers players were at the Garden on Tuesday, taking in the scene as the Knicks received rings and raised a banner for their championship, and for his group, head coach Mike Sullivan said, an event like that can be inspiring.Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Mollie Walker about the inside buzz on the Rangers.

Vladislav Gavrikov, Sean Durzi, Alexis Lafrenière, Will Cuylle, Noah Laba, Gabe Perreault and Eeli Tolvanen were all in attendance and appeared on the video board at one point, with some wearing or holding commemorative shirts given to fans in attendance.And, just as the Knicks’ run to their first title since 1973 showcased in the spring, the ceremony served as another reminder of how a team can captivate New York City’s attention — and how the Blueshirts could produce a similar scene should they eventually snap a championship drought of their own that dates back to 1994. “It’s inspiring when the group has achieved the ultimate success in their respective sport,” Sullivan said Wednesday after the Blueshirts practiced ahead of their game Thursday in Toronto, “and I think when it’s close to you — these guys, we have lunch with the Knicks a lot, so there’s some familiarity.” The Rangers and Knicks both use the cafeteria at the MSG Training Center in Tarrytown, meaning that if their schedules overlap when both are home, they could see each other.

Gavrikov told The Post that he got goosebumps watching highlights at the Garden — of the Game 4 comeback, of the Knicks clinching the series in Game 5 — and said the parade that followed was “probably one of the best experiences for them.” Knicks players, executives and coaches were all presented with 22-carat rings that featured miniature replicas of the Garden exterior and the court itself while they lifted the banner for the title and had Jalen Brunson address the crowd before falling to the 76ers. Gavrikov said se...