Preview: Rangers aim for five straight

Tonight in St. Pete, the Rangers try to ride another hot streak when they battle John Tortorella's former team the Lightning. Who knows what to expect? The Bolts are the oddest team this season where you literally don't know what you'll get. They're hot and cold. Boasting one of the league's premier finishers in Steven Stamkos along with sidekicks Martin St. Louis and Vinny Lecavalier, Tampa Bay can explode.

What it'll come down to is discipline from the Blueshirts, who have been handling business methodically. Even Sidney Crosby and the rest of the dangerous Pens fell short in the game of the week at MSG with our team holding on for a well earned 4-3 win. The Rangers are playing well. I won't go overboard because I don't know how good we are just yet. It's too early to put us in the league's elite. Quite honestly, I hate that word. Rankings don't mean anything. What matters is that they're there at the end of the season, hopefully not scrambling for a spot.

Ever since the organization recalled John Mitchell and rookie Carl Hagelin, the Rangers have been a different team. With four lines Tortorella has faith in, everyone's playing. Hagelin has been unbelievable, notching a point in his first four games. His speed, playmaking and hockey sense are proof that sometimes, a late pick (sixth round folks) who stays all four years at college can develop properly and potentially turn into a steal. Mitchell deserves a ton of credit too. Not much was expected from the former Leaf, who also was on the same line in Connecticut with Hags. We acquired him last deadline for a seventh round pick. Mitchell always was a decent enough skater who could be reliable defensively and shoot the puck. In a fourth line role, he's perfect, meshing with Hagelin and rejuvenated Brian Boyle to give us an effective energy line that gets things done. No wonder crazy guy Andre Deveaux was waived.

While the chemistry has been superb for the unlikely trio, Tortorella also deserves credit for shifting Brandon Dubinsky back to center where he's teamed with Brandon Prust and Sean Avery to form another gritty line that can forecheck and draw penalties. Sure. It's not what's expected from our four million player who's stuck on one goal despite unselfish teammates trying to get him No.2 the other night in a 5-3 win at Carolina. Dubi is working hard and had a nice set up on Ryan McDonagh's goal. It has to turn around for him soon. He deserves a break. Maybe that happens tonight.

The other two lines have been money. The GAS line continues to be impressive with Marian Gaborik flat out dominating. His speed and compete has been a 180 from last year. I admit I had doubts. But Gabby has been terrific. Some of the plays he's making are outrageous like the one end to end where he went through the Pens PK and then dished for Ryan Callahan to tie Tuesday's big clash. Unbelievable. Gabby is doing everything right, also hustling defensively and making his teammates better. It's a luxury for Tort to be able to separate Gaborik and Brad Richards, who has been everything you'd want in Year One. He makes amazing reads and the right decisions when it comes to shooting the puck as his nine goals attest. Many of them money like the rifle he ripped past Marc-Andre Fleury on an odd-man rush. Richy has been cohesive with Captain Cally and the much overlooked Ruslan Fedotenko, who's such a nuts and bolts player. No wonder the Bolts' Cup hero won another championship with the Pens. The man always works.

The D continues to be led by Dan Girardi, who should make the All-Star team on merit. He has stepped up tremendously in the absence of Marc Staal. McDonagh continues to flourish. Thank you again Bob Gainey. What did Slats have on him? Mike Sauer and Mike Del Zotto have been solid with MDZ contributing offensively while Sauer Power rarely is out of position. Jeff Woywitka continues to be a revelation with Steve Eminger. And of course King Henrik has been splendid.

This team is clicking on all cylinders making one ponder if Joe Thornton's "soft" label was the turning point. I don't put much stock in bulletin material. But you can't ignore the response. Maybe our season really did begin when they ticked off Thornton in the first win at MSG. Ever since, they've been excellent. Oh. And there's a home ice advantage with the team reeling off seven in a row.

Can they keep it up tonight against a skilled opponent who blew us out a couple of times last year? Stay out of the box. Will be nice to see former Ranger Matt Gilroy. Should be fun.

Canadiens visit MSG tonight

Whenever the Canadiens come to town, they usually bring their overwhelming support with them, invading our building. As the other two Rangers' rivals know all too well, it's become a Montreal tradition for fans who probably can't get to see their beloved team at Bell Centre, to travel on buses and cheer on their heroes.

Hockey is religion north of the border. So, it comes as little surprise that so many fans follow their club around. You can pretty much say that for any of the seven Canadian teams that now includes the Winnipeg Jets again. I can reflect on meeting people from Alberta who flew cross continent to support the Flames and Oilers. It's what makes these games so special. Meeting fans who go the distance to borrow a phrase from Field Of Dreams, is what's so compelling. The atmosphere is great and I'm very excited to be seeing my first game at the World's Most Renovated Arena.

It's unlike when the Rangers play the Islanders, Devils or Flyers. There's not as much hatred unless you're an older Blueshirt fan like our Dad, who can't stand the Canadiens. This probably dates back to the 1970's when the Habs were one of our adversaries who prevented some real good Ranger teams from sniffing Lord Stanley ('79). That and a guy named Bobby Orr in Beantown. In '86, it was rookie Patrick Roy upending our team again after a nice run to the Wales Conference Finals, going on to win it all over Calgary. Combine with this that Les Habitants outnumber us by 20 in Cups (24-4) with their last preempting the most recent moment which inspired a, "Now I Can Die In Peace" sign that now seems like a cold death eons ago.

To be perfectly honest, the last time either team was relevant was when I was a teenager in high school. Sure. Our '97 club led by The Great One and The Messiah, Leetch, Richy and Gravy made a surprising run to the Conference Finals before the Legion Of Doom ousted us in five. That's the last time the Blueshirts were in the Final Four. And yes, the Canadiens had their own similar moment upsetting the Caps and Pens before losing to the miracle Flyers, who fell to the Blackhawks two seasons ago. Those have been rare exceptions.

Both Original Sixes have competitive rosters who are eerily similar relying on star goalies. For us, it's Henrik Lundqvist while for them, Carey Price is the man, making fans forget Jaroslav Halak, who has fallen apart in St. Louis. More on that another time. Remarkably, you can make a case that our team boasts more talent with resurgent Marian Gaborik and Brad Richards leading the charge. The Habs are gritty and must outwork opponents. They do have the annoying P.K. Subban, who's off to a poor start. Mike Cammalleri is healthy again and the most skilled offensive player who can finish and create. Scott Gomez is hurt. Why did Bob Gainey do that trade again? The Rangers are laughing all the way to the bank with Ryan McDonagh looking like our most versatile blueliner- really benefiting from Marc Staal being out.

After a dreadful start, the Habs enter red hot having reeled off four straight since unceremoniously dismissing former assistant Perry Pearn. I was no fan of him here but the way that was handled, was a disgrace. Odd how using an assistant has woken up Montreal with Erik Cole reviving and Max Pacioretty displaying a lot of toughness. One look at their IR and it's no wonder they must squeeze every ounce of energy required to win. Why they re-signed Andre Markov remains a mystery? He's morphed into Vlad Malakhov. Unable to stay healthy.

I don't want to see Mr. Hacks, Brian Gionta scoring on one of those redirections. Nor do I want to see him or any other Hab chopping away at Lundqvist after the whistle. The Rangers must stay away from turning the puck over. Montreal's transition game is quick, turning D into offense. Tomas Plekanec is their best overall player. Always dangerous shorthanded and sound defensively. He doesn't get enough credit for how good he is. Midget David Desharnais is someone to watch. Andre Kostitsyn has been putting the puck in lately. The Habs are not a pretty team but one who is a reflection of their coach Jacques Martin.

Kinda reminds me of us. When will Tort reunite the Draft Line? Especially if D-Step is centering Gaborik and Fedotenko. Right now, he'll stick with Richy between Cally and Dubi, who have been reinvigorated. Though the longer Dubi goes without a goal, the more you pull your hair out. If only he had Stepan's IQ. Sean Avery should see the ice tonight for the first time after the coach basically threw him under the bus. Look for him with Boyle and Prust, which could benefit each. The fourth line might be better if Christy continues to show up and Arty makes the most of his shifts. He really is in the doghouse and must turn it around. This is a guy capable of 20+ goals and 50 points. I'd hate to see him sacrificed and find it elsewhere. He could be on the block.

At the moment, Mats Zuccarello has not been recalled. Andre Deveaux has been a pleasant surprise. When does Anton Stralman arrive and what does that mean for Jeff Woywitka? At the very least, we should be entertained with King Henrik and Price likely to duel while also finding plenty to banter about with the opposing fans.

Fasten your seatbelts.

Rangers set to open Renovated MSG

The fun starts tonight. Based on all the hoopla, you'd think this was some ode to the franchise's fifth Stanley Cup. One could only hope it leads there soon. After a lengthy seven-game tour around the world, the Rangers finally open the doors to a renovated MSG later when they take on the improved Maple Leafs before a soldout Garden.

How will it rate? The unveiling includes a Blue carpet to welcome our Blueshirts, who are all very pumped up about finally taking to the ice in what's expected to be a state of the art facility that barely resembles the old place. The intriguing aspect is this is only Phase I with the bottom to the sixth floor redone for all the rich to pay through the wazoo for an ultimate Garden experience. New restaurants. Better food. A much larger concourse as reported by Ranger radio voice Kenny Albert, who was on with Joe Benigno and Evan Roberts earlier. It's expected to be great.

I'll admit there's anticipation building. Not so much for the same old seats we still have which won't be completed till Year 3. But for the actual team to get introduced by Joe Tolleson and for the Garden Faithful as Adam Graves refers to us, to rain down our heroes with thunderous cheers fit for a King. Did I just say King? The way King Henrik's played thus far, the roof just might come off when he's announced. Without him and Martin Biron, we could actually have come in 0-7, which doesn't say much for John Tortorella's line experiment. Yes, I am down on the coach, who has destroyed any semblance of a fourth line by somehow relegating Artem Anisimov there for the time being and misusing Mike Rupp. Based on the team's struggles, you just don't know from shift to shift what the lines will be. It's almost gotten Renney-esque.

At the very least, Tort should start with Brad Richards and Marian Gaborik, who just might see fourth wheel Ruslan Fedotenko. Feds has been one of our most consistent forwards, of course looking solid with Brian Boyle and Brandon Prust, which should be our checking line instead of the second line it's been out of necessity. Is it any wonder Fedotenko leads us with four assists and five points? Brandon Dubinsky and Ryan Callahan are back together, joined by Wojtek Wolski. Nobody will get louder pops than Captain Cally, who at 26 is the Rangers' 26th captain. He'll get a heroes welcome from 18,200 strong, who hopefully won't be on their mobile phones during what should be a good test.

The Leafs (5-2-1) are out of the gate fast led by NHL leading sniper Phil Kessel (9 goals, 15 points) and rejuvenated captain Dion Phaneuf (7 assists, +7 rating). Toronto is more than that with Mikhail Grabovski continuing to evolve into a reliable top pivot and Joffrey Lupul (remember him) playing like he once did with Anaheim. They'll be without No.1 goalie James Reimer, who's still suffering the lingering effects of an undisclosed injury which involves the head. So, Jonas Gustavsson gets the nod against his Swedish counterpart. It'd be wise for the Rangers to stay out of the box like in their win over Winnipeg where miraculously, they took only one minor. Toronto boasts new point man John-Michael Liles along with Kessel and Phaneuf. Tim Connolly also could return. They also can play it tough with Luke Schenn and former Ranger Colton Orr, who could have a dance partner if Rupp obliges. We've already seen Prust fight too much.

For the Rangers, they managed to win three of four on the Western Canadian part of the trip- earning points in five of the first seven despite offensive futility. Sure. Gaborik did his thing scoring four and Richards looks the part even though he was quiet the last two. But until Tortorella wakes up and reunites the Draft Line, it says here that our team could continue to struggle offensively. Quite frankly, the Boyle unit's been the best and if Fedotenko starts on the Richards line, that means someone else plays with them. It's all too confusing. Anyone else wonder if each player including coach's pet extraordinaire Erik Christensen will be introduced? Never mind. At the very least, Dubi and Cally resembled more of themselves in the win at Winnipeg.

The D is still in limbo minus Marc Staal with not an iota on when he'll be back. Next time the Canes come to town, everyone should lynch Sam and Joe whenever they make a Staals Are Brothers reference. Eric Staal, yeah. I'm talking at you buddy. Be very scared! :P For now, Ryan McDonagh and Dan Girardi anchor the blueline with Tim Erixon (yes, the same 20-year old Calgary booed) our third best. He's adjusted quickly, covering for Mike Del Zotto's mistakes. Encouraging has been MDZ's offense which seems to be coming around. It's the only way he'll stick. Steve Eminger has been a warrior, doing some outstanding PK work and again elevating his play with the extra minutes. Jeff Woywitka's been better than expected, barely out of position despite not the fleetest of foot. And Brendan Bell received the Sauer treatment the first time he made a mistake a few years ago under Tort. Speaking of Mike Sauer, he's hoping to be a go after missing the last five with the bum shoulder.

We'll be there along with Pop, Justin and Mike, plus the usual regulars up in 411 taking it in. I'll be sure to give a synopsis on the new place. It should be exciting!

Game Preview: Islanders and Pens renew rivalry tonight

The bell will sound at 7 ET tonight in Long Island. Bring out Michael Buffer. "Let's Get Ready To Rumble!!!!!" Cue classic 2Unlimited "Get Ready For This."

Alright. So, maybe we're going a bit overboard about Round One of Pens/Isles at Nassau Coliseum with the rematch Thursday in Pittsburgh. It's well documented what transpired during the last two meetings of '10-11, stemming from a Brent Johnson KO of Rick DiPietro that concussed the unlucky Islander franchise netminder. The Islanders didn't take too kindly to laughter on the Pen bench, earning revenge on the scoreboard and everywhere else by routing them 9-3 and literally beating their old Patrick division rival up. When it was over, 15 fights, 10 game misconducts, 20 misconducts and a combined 346 penalty minutes that would make Reggie Dunlap and The Hansons proud resulted in suspensions for Trevor Gillies and Matt Martin, along with a $100,000 fine.

In retrospect, the Islanders overreacted. Jack Capuano should've called the dogs off in the third because the message was sent loud and clear. Instead, E-Z target Max Talbot got what was coming along with any other Pen they went after. It was ugly. Even if you enjoy Slap Shot, it went overboard, which had to have Gary Bettman shaking.

“For me, it’s not even a rivalry, it’s just another game because obviously the last two games we didn’t play a full 60 minutes, so it doesn’t matter who we are playing right now,” Capuano told NYIslanders.com.

His club must focus on getting back on track after dropping two in a row. Consecutive losses to Tampa (4-1) and Florida (4-2) have the Islanders back at .500 (3-3-0) entering a home-and-home against a team they haven't historically done well against. The Pens own a 19-4-2 record over the last 25 meetings. John Tavares, Al Montoya, Mark Streit and Co. will be looking to change that trend in a year they're expected to compete for the playoffs. The Isles have plenty of weapons but a few aren't chipping in. More is needed from Kyle Okposo, Blake Comeau and Josh Bailey, who have yet to score a goal with only an assist coming off the stick of Okposo, who's expected to break out. It's time.

The Pens amaze under last year's Jack Adams winner Dan Bylsma, who has his team in first with a 6-2-2 mark. Sure. They've played more than anyone else but it's very impressive minus Sidney Crosby and game-time decision Evgeni Malkin. Pittsburgh continues to be hampered by injuries with key defenseman Zbynek Michalek out four to six weeks with a broken finger. A look at the Pen injured list reminds of what's plagued the Isles over past seasons. Tyler Kennedy is also out with a concussion along with four other Pens joining Michalek and Sid The Kid, who continues to get ready.

It will still be a stiff challenge with Jordan Staal (5-3-8) leading the way along with James Neal (8 goals), Kris Letang (7 assists) and Marc-Andre Fleury (5-2-2, 2.13 GAA, .930 Save Pct). Keep an eye on Matt Cooke, who's stuck to offense instead of thuggery. Plus Matt Niskanen and Chris Kunitz can't be overlooked. In other words, the Pens are more than just their stars. On another team, Staal would be one.

Will the teams stick to hockey or will it have the same edge we had last year? Steve MacIntyre is as tough as they come if Gillies needs a partner. Arron Asham is always game if Matt Martin wants to go. Fasten your seatbelts!

Game Preview NYR at WPG: Wolski returns

Tonight, the Rangers will visit Winnipeg for the first time since NHL '96 was in stores. Sega Genesis was hot along with Super Nintendo. There were no PS3's, Ipods, Iphones or Ipads.

Fifteen years later, the rebirth of the Winnipeg Jets has been evident with every seat sold filled with tremendous support. When they defeated the Pens for their first home win last week, it was 15 years in the making. Fans went wild as the final minute wound down. This is the kind of atmosphere the Blueshirts must contend with tonight in their final road game before arriving for Thursday's home opener at the World's Most Renovated Arena.

Known as the former Thrashers, who have made a living tormenting us, Winterpeg hosts the first of four meetings. Last year, they took three of four including a damaging win at MSG that nearly ended our season. Indeed, players like Andrew Ladd, Evander Kane, Dustin Byfuglien, Tobias Enstrom, Alex Burmistrov and Nik Antropov gave us fits. Even Jim Slater did. Don't forget Ondrej Pavelec, who can make the highlight reel save look routine. If only he got more help. Winnipeg plays an exciting style based around their speed and skill. They can really come at you in waves. Given our D issues, this should be a stiff test. Can they prevent the new Jets from dominating down low?

Much depends on the invisible Draft Line of Brandon Dubinsky, Artem Anisimov and Ryan Callahan, who really need to get their act together. I already got on Cally and Dubi, who are two of our leaders that haven't been pulling their weight. I realize they have hefty raises. But there are no excuses. Anisimov hasn't been bad but you'd never know it by his statline of just two assists. He hasn't taken foolish penalties and filled in admirably on the PK, which btw needs our top forward American duo out instead of in the box watching teams capitalize. After how John Tortorella erupted in Edmonton, everyone must respond. The slow starts are disturbing. We can't be stuck on 8-9 shots with nearly 40 minutes played.

Henrik Lundqvist cramped up the other night and was replaced by Martin Biron, who at least saw his first action since preseason. I'd hardly call three saves much to go by. But it's a virtual lock that our capable backup will get the call later. At times last year, the team played better in front of him than King Henrik. I'm hoping for a similar game.

I know Tort shook up the lines the other night. With Wojtek Wolski finally returning from a groin injury that caused him to miss the opening six, no more Erik Christensen. Wolski's best assets are his size and forecheck ability. Something that's been lacking. Figure Tort to slot him in on the fourth line with Kris Newbury and Mike Rupp. If Christy plays over Newbury, I might toss an object at the wall. Newbury is a much better fit for that line. EC doesn't fit anymore. He's too perimeter oriented and inconsistent. It's hard to fathom that this waste is still on the roster while Sean Avery is banished to Hartford and Mats Zuccarello the same.

I'd like the coach to keep Derek Stepan with Brad Richards and Marian Gaborik. With Brendan Bell struggling in his Ranger debut, figure Jeff Woywitka to be back in.

Projected Lines:

Stepan-Richards-Gaborik
Dubinsky-Anisimov-Callahan
Fedotenko-Boyle-Prust
Wolski-Newbury-Rupp

McDonagh-Girardi
Del Zotto-Erixon
Eminger-Woywitka

Biron
Lundqvist

Game Preview: King Henrik looks to stay hot in Alberta

In this league, you're only as hot as your goalie. Especially when in the early going, the Rangers had struggled to score goals until a four-goal third period explosion- stunning Roberto Luongo and the Canucks 4-zip. It was their first win of the season and couldn't have come at a better time.

Till that point, Henrik Lundqvist had been busy holding them in despite being outshot 28-9. If not for the sensational play from King Henrik, it would've been a cake walk for the Canucks, who dominated long stretches while Luongo was on vacation. The Rangers continued a disturbing early trend of taking undisciplined penalties with one in the offensive zone from Brandon Prust landing him on the bench for a while. Ironically, the hard working grinder would factor in despite only 13 shifts (7:12), setting up unlikely goalscorer Mike Rupp while also later finding linemate Brian Boyle for their third straight goal.

None of it would've mattered if not for Lundqvist, who arguably played his best game as a Ranger, stoning Canuck after Canuck en route to his 36th career shutout. He led by example, controlling his rebounds with ease despite relentless pressure. It didn't matter if Henrik Sedin went around Mike Del Zotto like a traffic cone following Rupp's first as a Blueshirt. There was Henrik turning away four point blank chances in a row to keep his team ahead. Soon after, the coming out party of Ryan McDonagh helped silence Canuckleheads. The sophomore D finished off a textbook give-and-go with Brandon Dubinsky, increasing the lead to two.

Following outstanding work from Prust and Ruslan Fedotenko, who combined to find a cutting Boyle for a wicked shot top shelf, there was McDonagh again making like Brian Leetch, cruising towards Luongo before dishing for Marian Gaborik's tap-in that put the exclamation point on a big win. They won despite being shorthanded eight times. Vancouver's dominance didn't mean a thing due to Lundqvist, who posted back-to-back shutouts on the Western power. It was last year when he turned aside all 38 in a home win. That's 78 straight if you're keeping track. It wasn't long ago when the anticipated Henrik/Louie showdown on Versus was a dud with the King pulling himself. Perhaps he had a message for those foolish GMs who passed on him for the Vezina for Canadian hero Luongo.

"I guess this game he thought I deserved it, so I’m wearing it with a lot of pride," the elated Swede told reporters after sporting Brad Richards' winning hat: "And it also looks pretty good."

"We wanted this one, and it’s a nice feeling when you’ve got him back there," Richards added after notching a helper on Gaborik's third. "You could see early on he was in the zone.”

Perhaps the strong third will bring the team together as they prepare for tonight's match in Alberta versus Calgary. As John Tortorella reminded everyone, they still have some things to work on. It'll be interesting to see how they deal with chaotic forwards Curtis Glencross and Rene Bourque, who are off to good starts along with Alex Tanguay. They also don't want to awaken Flames' franchise leading scorer Jarome Iginla. They're coming off a come from behind 2-1 win over Edmonton in which consecutive tallies from Jay Bouwmeester and Tanguay rallied them past their nemesis Tuesday.

The Saddledome can be a tough place to play. So, it should be noisy. There's also the strong play of Miikka Kiprusoff, who's strung together three good starts in a row. He was outstanding making 24 stops versus Edmonton to preserve their win. Calgary likes to be physical led by Bourque and Glencross, who the Rangers don't need any reminders on (ie Chris Drury). They also boast ex-Devil heavyweight Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond, who could be an opponent for Rupp tonight. Vet Scott Hannan's been a solid addition to a blueline led by underrated Mark Giordano, who should see a lot of the Richards line along with Bouwmeester. Cory Sarich is also tough.

There will also be familiar faces Olli Jokinen and probably Roman Horak, who the Rangers parted with to get Tim Erixon. If the ex-Ranger draft pick plays, he'll center the third line. That would be an intriguing storyline along with the goalie match-up (Lundqvist/Kiprusoff) assuming it comes down. Ironically, Kipper has fared well versus us, winning three of four with a 1.51 GAA. However, they took last year's lone meeting 2-1 behind 31 saves from backup Martin Biron. Considering that they don't play Edmonton until Saturday, it makes sense to stick with Lundqvist, who's repelled 124 of 131 shots thus far. We'll see what Tort decides.

Wojtek Wolski (groin) is hoping to make his season debut. Otherwise, figure Tortorella to stick with what worked.

Stepan-Richards-Gaborik
Dubinsky-Anisimov-Callahan
Fedotenko-Boyle-Prust
Christensen-Newbury-Rupp

McDonagh-Girardi
Del Zotto-Erixon
Woywitka-Eminger

Game Preview: Rangers at Canucks

They try again later tonight in British Columbia. A place that once treated them well. It really is imperative that the Rangers get in the 'W' column sometime during this crucial four-game Canadian trip that includes stops at Calgary, Edmonton and concludes in Winnipeg, who finally got their first win last night over the Pens before a hyped crowd.

At 0-1-2, the Blueshirts aren't doing themselves any favors in the league's deepest division. Everyone else has gotten out of the gate fast, putting John Tortorella's club in an early hole. Forget Europe. Forget the MSG renovation. It's time for this team to come together and build some momentum for next week's home opener. Yes, the impact of Marc Staal has been felt. Even if Ryan McDonagh has effectively teamed with Dan Girardi, the trickle down effect has forced Tortorella to trust kids Mike Del Zotto and Tim Erixon while even sprinkling in waiver pickup Jeff Woywitka on the Island due to Mike Sauer's separated shoulder that's still nagging him. Brendan Bell should debut, likely replacing Woywitka.

No one ever said it would be easy. However, there's no excuse for the ineptitude of the Draft Line, who have combined for only three points (1-2-3). That simply won't get it done. Artem Anisimov has shown improved muscle but needs support from Brandon Dubinsky and Ryan Callahan. They're the glue that makes this team go. And while Brad Richards and Marian Gaborik are finding chemistry, they can't be asked to carry the load. That's not how this team was constructed. More is expected of the trio, who need to bring it starting tonight. Especially with Ryan Kesler set to debut for the Canucks, who hardly are lighting it up.

Brian Boyle is off to a poor start, admitting such to the press. Four minors and no production isn't what he had in mind. The big man is our most versatile forward, who can be shifted to wing and used up front on the power play. He's also vital for the PK, which is a double whammy when he's in the box. He, Brandon Prust and Ruslan Fedotenko need to stay together. It's no time for the coach to mess around. Keep Derek Stepan on the top line after he was our best forward Saturday. As for the fourth line, Kris Newbury was brought up to add some grit. He proved capable last year. Mike Rupp is off to a lousy start. Please tell me Wojtek Wolski replaces team ornament Erik Christensen when he gets healthy.

Prior to Henrik Lundqvist's shutout last Jan.13,  Vancouver had owned us- winning nine of the previous 10. They also had victimized King Henrik, including a pivotal showdown that turned into a home humiliation on Versus with Henke removing himself. Last year, he bested Cory Schneider. Might we get the match-up everyone wants to see with GM favorite Roberto Luongo? We all know Luongo didn't deserve to get nominated for the Vezina. Statement game for Henrik? He'll need some support.

The Rangers must stay disciplined. That means no more silly penalties for the league's second most penalized team. And for the love of sanity, don't let Chris Higgins score. It won't be easy against The Sedins and pest Alex Burrows. McDonagh and Girardi will really be tested. Who takes Kesler? Hope Tort matches the Boyle unit against him.

We'll see if they're up to the challenge.

Atl/NYR Preview: Canes put pressure back on Rangers

It's a race to the finish line for both the Rangers and Hurricanes with each doing their part to achieve meaningful hockey this Spring. It's already been interesting with the Rangers rallying from three down to stun the Bruins with five unanswered the other night. The Hurricanes responded with a convincing 3-0 shutout of West powerhouse Detroit in Raleigh on the strength of 42 saves from former Conn Smythe winner Cam Ward, who was at his best in the first period, stopping all 19 shots.

The Canes finally solved Jimmy Howard with a pair in the second off the sticks of Derek Joslin and Calder frontrunner Jeff Skinner, whose wraparound with 1:11 left all but ensured the big win. Detroit generated quality chances but even when Ward wasn't stopping them in their tracks, he had some help from a goalpost, which denied Pavel Datsyuk's tying bid. Datsyuk certainly was dangerous but no Red Wing could solve Ward, who turned it up and looks like he'll be awfully tough to beat in Carolina's final two regular season games at Atlanta tomorrow and home for Tampa Bay Saturday. Ward and a strong Canes' PK held off a Detroit two-man advantage before Eric Staal cruised down the other way and promptly set up sizzling linemate Erik Cole for the final tally. Staal set up all three goals while Ward recorded his fourth shutout (16th career) as Carolina pulled within two of the Blueshirts, who host those Thrashers tonight.

One team can play a huge role in who makes it. Over the next 24 hours (30 for those keeping track), the Thrashers will try to spoil it for either the Rangers or Canes. Both teams must remember to show up to the rink on time because Atlanta is very formidable- boasting dangerous Dustin Byfuglien and Tobias Enstrom on the back end while captain Andrew Ladd leads the offense up front that includes budding sophomore Evander Kane, ex-Bruin Blake Wheeler, Bryan Little, Nik Antropov and grinders Anthony Stewart and Chris Thorburn. Ondrej Pavelec can also be a pain if he gets hot. The Thrashers don't play much D, which explains Pavelec's solid .910 save percentage. By no means will Atlanta roll over for either club. Especially the Rangers, who have to do it without emotional leader Ryan Callahan against a team that owns them. Entering tonight, they have yet to take a game in the season series, dropping two in regulation and one in overtime. In fact, the last four times Atlanta's visited MSG, they've sent the Garden Faithful home unsatisfied. If that happens tonight, it could be fatal. The Rangers are looking to reverse a trend that's seen their opponent go 12-3-3 against them over the last 18 meetings.

Getting off quickly would definitely be a good idea. The Thrashers have nothing to play for outside of pride. Score early and perhaps they'll go away. Minus Callahan, the Rangers will need everyone to step up including MIA Act Marian Gaborik, who should see important minutes possibly with Artem Anisimov and Brandon Dubinsky. Gaborik hasn't scored in seven straight and likely won't play with Vinny Prospal, who should start with Derek Stepan and Wojtek Wolski. It'll be interesting to see what John Tortorella does as far as Gaborik who was shifted to the checking line with Brian Boyle and Brandon Prust, helping set up Mike Sauer's exciting game-winner. Does he keep him on the energy line, hoping it rubs off or will we see Gabby reunited with Erik Christensen? Speaking of vanishing acts, Christy has again disappeared after a great stretch in March before a futile finish. Matt Gilroy is expected to dress as a forward, something the former Hobey Baker winner did in college before making the switch. How much will Tort use a talented player with offensive insincts?

Assuming Gabby starts with Boyle, here's what we see:

Avery-Dubinsky-Anisimov
Prospal-Stepan-Wolski
Prust-Boyle-Gaborik
Fedotenko-Christensen-Gilroy

Staal-Girardi
McDonagh-Sauer
McCabe-Eminger

Lundqvist


You know with Tortorella, nothing's etched in stone. He'll do whatever he can to get the most of a team that's been resilient all year. Now, they face even more adversity with the enemy Devils licking their chops at the prospect of ruining what's been a feel good story. The task is simple. Like Adrienne said to Rocky after giving birth in Rocky II:

"Win! WIN!!!!!"

From #NYR Tweep @BigGun_s: #Rally4Cally

Scoreboard Praying

There'll be plenty of scoreboard watching praying today. This is what it's come to for the idle Rangers who don't play till tomorrow's predictable NBC clash at the Flyers. Just dandy. You know Philly is licking their chops from that 7-0 humiliation that also came on NBC. They should be in a foul mood after falling to the Devils last night with the Jersey kids getting a Patrik Elias hat trick. Speaking of the Devs, they're still alive and visit Martin Brodeur's favorite target hometown Montreal.

Believe it or not, Ranger fans will be rooting for their most hated rivals. With the Canadiens only two up (technically 3), the Devils can do us a favor if Brodeur does what he usually does. Plus they are playing for pride, having not been eliminated yet. So, they should be amped up with Zach Parise finally back in the lineup. Will the Zach Attack score in his return? Ranger fans don't care as long as the Hudson rival wins. Doubly important for Brian's Sabres, who have to deal with Alex Ovechkin and the Caps in D.C. That should be no picnic. Though Washington isn't playing for much, it looks like Swedish wonder Jhonas Enroth gets the start with Ryan Miller still banged up. Buffalo also plays tomorrow when they visit Raleigh for a pivotal match against those Canes.

Meanwhile, Carolina looks to win again when they visit Long Island. Yes, the same Islanders who dismantled the Rangers in what amounted to their Stanley Cup, now must be counted on to stop the Hurricanes. How many disgruntled Blueshirt fans actually think that's going to happen? Exactly. If we don't win tomorrow, we're screwed. Then, it's Boston next on Versus with the Thrashers and Devils left. Of course, if you heard Brian on the No Goal Sports show Friday on BlogTalk along with myself, The Program's own Chris Wassel and quirky Dan Wheeler, you'd have thought the Sabres were done. The usual stuff from the most classic person I know for way too long. :P If you dare, catch the replay here. But I must warn that the first two hours were our baseball predictions and other assorted banter before puck took over in the witching hour.

The cool thing about tonight if you're not locked into a compelling Final Four that features Cinderella VCU versus Butler and powerhouses UConn and Kentucky, is every game comes on at 7. So, there'll be plenty of flipping. Between that, the Final Four and the always must watch Hockey Night In Canada feed featuring the Leafs and Sens, it will be chaotic. By 9:30, we should have a pretty good idea what the standings look like. Perfect timing since I'm heading out to celebrate a birthday party for a close friend in the city.

Fasten your seatbelts.

Rangers-Islanders Preview: Listless effort can't happen tonight

Prior to yesterday's 1-0 shutout loss to Buffalo, Ranger coach John Tortorella termed it, 'Just another game.' Perhaps his team took that to heart as in heartless cause that's the only way to explain how lackluster the Rangers were with a chance to bolster their playoff chances further. In a game they knew meant plenty with the Canes taking care of the Habs in Raleigh to get even closer, Tort's club inexplicably mailed it in- allowing Swedish rookie Jhonas Enroth to cruise to a 23 save shutout (1st of career).

In a season filled with feel good moments, this was disturbing. For a fourth straight game, the Ranger offense was MIA with Marian Gaborik unable to fill the net due to the tight checking Buffalo applied. No doubt, the Sabres were hungrier after coming off a disappointing loss in Toronto the previous night. With the Rangers well rested, mustering up energy should've been no problem. Instead, they were two steps behind, often making life easy on Enroth, who was able to see every shot in only his 10th career start. Unlike the ridiculous Joe Micheletti, we're not going to give too much credit to the 22 year-old netminder. Sure. He made a few key saves but never had to fight through traffic or be under siege the way Henrik Lundqvist did in making 34 stops.

Unfortunately, Lundqvist was the only positive continuing his run of impressive play with just Tim Connolly beating him on a laser via the man advantage, following a dreadful Brian Boyle turnover. All year, Boyle's been one of the club's most consistent players but his poor decision on a 3-on-1 not to pass back to an open Ryan Callahan proved costly. Instead of getting a chance shorthanded, the Rangers were caught when Boyle's attempt was blocked, allowing the Sabres to transition with Connolly beating Lundqvist for the game's only goal. The team hasn't taken many penalties lately but Marc Staal's cost due to Boyle's blunder.

When you're unable to score goals, the mistakes are magnified because there's less margin for error. The Blueshirts simply have to be better in tonight's monster showdown with the Islanders at Nassau Coliseum. There's only five games left with the Canes three out with an extra game left. Don't forget too that the new tiebreak favors Buffalo, who steered ahead due to one more regulation/overtime win. Even scarier is that Carolina is right there. The Rangers can't afford not to show in what should be a chaotic atmosphere with their biggest rival looking to play spoiler. The Islanders can finish. Whether or not Michael Grabner plays due to his wife being in labor, remains to be seen. It will be a rematch from last time when the Rangers punished the Islanders with recently extended Al Montoya getting the hook in a blowout win at MSG. The pressure is on.

Full marks to Lindy Ruff's club for responding with a yeoman effort to get two crucial points, drawing them even in points (87). The Sabres were better all night, getting superb performances from Tyler Myers, Thomas Vanek, Jason Pominville and Andrej Sekera, who blanketed Gaborik despite five shots, which Enroth had no problem with. Buffalo was harder on the forecheck, firing from all angles- forcing Lundqvist to be good. They wanted the game much more. Something that didn't sit well with Tortorella, who blasted his team's effort.

"They were the more desperate team than we were, for what reason I don’t know,” Tortorella said. “It’s not so much losing as how we played. We played better in the third. The first two periods are unacceptable.”


“When preparation and opportunity meet, he [Enroth] did a heck of a job for us tonight,” Ruff said. “He’s a cool customer.”

Forget the disallowed goal that negated Artem Anisimov's third versus the Sabres in the series. Yes. It would've put the Rangers ahead. However, it was the right call even though Callahan was pushed into Enroth by accident. So, the incidental contact ruling was fine. Something the future Ranger captain alluded to, mentioning that if it happened to us, they'd want that call too. The bottom line is they didn't come to play. Erik Christensen was putrid, with a couple of lazy turnovers on a power play. Gaborik skated but never got the quality chance needed to beat Enroth, even if his last one was from in tight. The Sabres forced the Rangers to the outside, winning every loose puck battle.

Despite no Jordan Leopold or Jochen Hecht, it was Buffalo who wanted it more. They should've been tired. You wouldn't have known it the way they played in front of Enroth, who got the start in part because Ryan Miller needed time off due to taking a high Dion Phaneuf shot. As often is the case, a team responds when their backup is in by sacrificing. Every Sabre knew how vital this one was with the Hurricanes doing what they had to in roasting the Habs 6-2, highlighted by a pair of markers from Calder candidate Jeff Skinner. Had they lost in regulation, one point would've separated the clubs. Instead, Buffalo has a little cushion heading into the weekend with the Canes one of their games Sunday.

“He gave us a chance to win,” Pominville praised of the cool customer in net. “We’ve come to know what to expect out of him, and he delivered it tonight.”

It won't be easy for the Sabres who first visit Washington Saturday before the big showdown with the Canes in Raleigh. However, they made life a little better last night. For the Rangers, it's put up or shut up. Outside of the Draft Line and rookie Derek Stepan, they generated little. There are no excuses. Tort's club has been resilient all season. The Islanders are standing in the way. It should be interesting.

Rangers-Sabres Preview: Battle Of New York looms large tonight, Enroth over Miller???

The stakes couldn't be any higher. When the seventh seeded Rangers visit Western New York tonight against the eighth Sabres, two points separate the teams with six games remaining. The Rangers enter with 87 points, winners of eight of 10- bringing a 23-14-1 road record that ranks only behind the Canucks, Flyers, Bruins and Red Wings. The Sabres have 85- their lead over ninth Carolina down to three due to a 4-3 loss in Toronto combined with the Canes' 3-2 shootout triumph in D.C.

Speaking of those Canes, they'll be in Montreal playing at the same time. You can bet there will be some scoreboard watching. Even with the emphasis on what's in front of each, some peeking at the festivities north of the border. It should make for quite a couple of hours if you're a fan of any of these clubs jockeying for playoff position as we count down to the final frantic week.

For Buffalo, they must have short memories after losing to bitter nemesis Toronto in a very exciting game that saw them combine for seven goals. The Sabres fell behind by two twice before rallying to tie it on lightning strikes from Jason Pominville and Rob Niedermayer 30 seconds apart in the third to stun the Leafs. But Toronto leading scorer Mikhail Grabovski shelved his 28th just past Ryan Miller to keep the Leafs alive in the race. With 80 points and only five left, they'll need to keep winning and get help.

It was a blown opportunity for the Sabres to push ahead of the idle Blueshirts due to the shootout tiebreak that puts more of an emphasis on regulation/overtime wins. Instead, Lindy Ruff's club made things more complicated for themselves with Carolina very much in play with a lot depending on what happens a few hours from now.

“I had a chance to set the tone on my end and didn't do it, and it just kind of went from there," lamented losing goalie Miller who wasn't pleased with a goal he allowed to Leaf captain Dion Phaneuf from the blueline that got the ACC jumping. Figure the rating Vezina winner to be locked in after permitting four on 35 shots while rookie James Reimer made some clutch stops late for his 18th victory. It's probably too late for the 23 year-old former '06 fourth round pick to put his name into a packed Calder race that includes headliners Jeff Skinner, Logan Couture, Corey Crawford along with the Islanders' Michael Grabner.

Whenever the Rangers and Sabres meet, the goalie battle is always the main attraction, pitting Henrik Lundqvist against Miller. Though Miller's having a down season, he's fully capable of shutting down the opposition on any night. There's plenty of incentive against his sizzling counterpart who enters 8-1-1 with a 1.67 GAA, .936 save percentage and three of his league-high 11 shutouts coming over the past 10 starts, boosting his Vezina candidacy against stiff competition featuring Tim Thomas (9th SHO in 3-0 win over Hawks), Carey Price (27 saves for 35th W in 3-1 win over Thrashers) and Pekka Rinne. It will be King Henrik's 21st consecutive start.

UPDATE: In a stunner, the Sabres are expected to start Jhonas Enroth. The 22 year-old Swede doesn't have much experience with nine career starts. Eight have come this year with the '06 second round pick 5-2-1 with a 2.77 GAA and .906 save percentage. Respectable numbers but he hasn't started since 3/13, winning a wild 6-4 conventional shootout over Ottawa with 34 saves.The timing seems iffy. Maybe Ruff's trying to send a message to his team that last night was unacceptable. It should be noted that historically, the Rangers don't fare well against unknowns. So, if in fact Enroth is in, who knows.

Both teams know they can't rely on help from the Habs- a team they're still trying to catch. Montreal ended a near record futility of being blanked three straight times by pulling out a 3-1 home win over Atlanta, all but ending the Thrashers' season. Montreal has 89 points but owns the new tiebreak over the Rangers and Sabres. This is the final meeting between the state rivals with the Rangers holding a 2-1 edge. The last time they played at HSBC was the infamous season opener featuring Derek Stepan's hat trick debut, highlighting a 6-3 win. The other two games at MSG both were decided by identical 3-2 margins with the Blueshirts taking the second meeting on an Artem Anisimov OT winner while Buffalo returned the favor in regulation with Jochen Hecht's tally holding up.

“There’s enough there. Doesn’t matter what team,” Tortorella told Jim Cerny on a nyranger.com feature. “I know everybody is concerned about the standings, but we can only worry about us.”

Figure it to be tight.

Happy St. Patty's Day

There's green all around on a nice day here in the metro area. The luck of the Irish is what our hockey clubs will be hoping for tonight. A Happy St. Patty's Day to all who celebrate. I maybe Jewish but enjoy corned beef and cabbage along with a pint of Guinness. Come to think of it, that wouldn't be a bad option at the Ranger game late versus Al Montoya and the Islanders. I definitely could go for one if it changes our luck.

It seems like every St. Patrick's Day, there's big games going on and of course fun happenings as well. It feels somewhat appropriate that we get to combine a festive Irish holiday with the coolest game on Earth, to borrow a favorite old NHL commercial. Our game is the best even if we have a cyclops who runs the asylum and a senile deputy who should be on Benny Hill. Why not brighten the mood at M$G tossing in a few jokes at James Dolan playing the role of Scrooge. If he got run over by a reigndeer, we'd throw a party that would make all the fake celebs on Page Six jealous.

Tonight should be fun no matter who you root for with all four Battle clubs in action. Playoff positioning is at stake. The best part is two of the three games start at 7 while the other drops at 7:30, making for chaotic scoreboard watching. So, between your brew and banter, there'll be plenty to keep us drawn or withdrawn depending if the Rangers remember how to win at home. I sure hope they wear the white road jersey again. That sounds wrong. Isn't it about time the NHL goes back to tradition? Oh wait. That'd be asking for too much from a league that sees nothing wrong with not holding Zdeno Chara accountable after breaking Max Pacioretty's neck. Even if unintentional, come on. This league never ceases to amaze me.

With the Lightning doing everyone a favor by blasting the Leafs 6-2 to keep them at 70 points, it's quite simple for the Devils and Thrashers. The winner passes Toronto. Atlanta would have two more points and New Jersey more wins in less games played. The Thrashers try to cool off the miraculous Devs who bring a 22-3-2 mark that has them eight out after being declared dead. When Brian Rolston and Anssi Salmela are scoring big goals, it speaks to how miraculous a run they're on. But meal tickets Ilya Kovalchuk, Patrik Elias, Martin Brodeur and Travis Zajac are doing their part. The Thrashers fell victim with Kovalchuk burning them late and Zajac winning it in overtime. Will it be deja vu all over again in Newark?

While Atlanta and New Jersey skate across the Hudson, the Rangers and Islanders will be doing battle at The World's Most $hameless Arena. If you didn't catch Larry Brooks' take on the preposterous ticket hike, go read it. As for the puck, it's Islanders-Rangers on St. Pat's. What more do you need? Of course, there'll be plenty of Islander fans mixed in due to tickets being easier and easier to pry. Are you listening Jazzy Jim? Oh wait. He's got a date with his third rate jazz band.
It doesn't get much better than Manhattan versus Long Island. Everytime these bitter rivals meet, the unusual happens. The norm lately has favored the road team, which suits a more talented Islander club, boasting Matt Moulson, Michael Grabner, John Tavares and Ranger killer Blake Comeau. The Islanders have four 20-goal scorers with three on the verge of 30. Our team has three 20-goal scorers in Brian Boyle, Ryan Callahan and leading scorer Brandon Dubinsky. He leads them with a measly 45 points. It really hinges on an improved D led by Marc Staal and Danny G with rookie tandem Mike Sauer and Ryan McDonagh logging big minutes. Henrik Lundqvist has to be at his best because goals are at a premium.

Not satisfied despite squeaking past the Sharks, John Tortorella has made two changes. Sean Avery's back in with shootout ace Wojtek Wolski sitting out for the first time. And Steve Eminger replaces Matt Gilroy, who sits for the first night since Jan.2. This feels like a tactic to keep his guys mentally sharp.

The final game pits the fading Canes visiting the Sabres. Buffalo bounced back from a disappointing defeat to the Leafs with a 6-4 win over the Sens. Rookie Tyler Ennis tallied twice and deadline pickup Brad Boyes already notched his fourth goal. The ex-Blue has been brilliant, tallying seven points (4-3-7) in eight contests since Darcy Regier traded away a second round pick. Exactly the kind of return the Sabres needed, relieving pressure from Thomas Vanek, who also scored a highlight reel goal in the win. Vanek quietly has 60 points, pacing the Sabres while his 25 markers rank just behind emerging right wing Drew Stafford (26 G). They've gotten solid contributions from vet Jochen Hecht, who could be missed due to a lower body injury. The goalie match up is a primary one with Ryan Miller taking on Cam Ward. The last meeting went to the former Conn Smythe winner 3-2 in overtime with the Canes rallying back to win it on March 2. Carolina hasn't won since, bringing a four-game losing streak (0-3-1) into tonight's big match. The Canes still rank ninth with 72 points but really need the game. A big difference between potentially being down six and only two if it gets decided in regulation.

All eyes will be on the six teams battling. Hopefully, the luck of the Irish will spring eternal.

Spring Puck Saturday

On this eventful Saturday with the weather more Spring-esque with balmy 60+ degree temps reminding us of playoff aspirations, a bevy of action is taking place, including Habs-Pens as we punch away in Huguenot Library. At the end of two, Les Habitants are ahead 3-zip with goals coming off the sticks of Tomas Plekanec, Travis Moen and Mike Cammalleri.  The Canadiens chased emerging MVP candidate Marc-Andre Fleury (3 GA on 12 shots). Vezina hopeful Carey Price has stopped all 17 shots.

Both clubs are comfortably ahead in the playoff chase with the banged up Pens fourth with 86 points- four behind Eastern leader Philadelphia- and the Habs sixth with 81. Seven ahead of seventh Buffalo and eighth New York, who both play later on. Unless Pittsburgh has a furious rally, it looks like the Canadiens will steer within one of fifth Tampa Bay, who have been overtaken by resurgent Washiongton for the Southeast lead. The Caps have quietly been winning regularly with Alex Ovechkin turning it on. His goal in last night's damaging 2-1 comeback win over ninth Carolina was highlight variety. The Caps would win in regulation but not without controversy due to an apparent Canes' goal being wiped out due to a quick whistle. One of those rules you live with when it comes to officials, who are human. So, it kept Carolina at 72 with 14 games left, including a big clash with Columbus in Raleigh.

With 10 games involving 20 teams on Spring Puck Saturday, every team in the chase for seventh and eighth are taking part. Fresh off a point in a tough 3-2 overtime defeat to the Devils, the Thrashers visit the Flyers tonight. Atlanta still sits 11th with 68 points with Game 69 a biggie. The same can be said of the Devils who host the Islanders at The Rock at the same time. With more late heroics coming from Ilya Kovalchuk and Travis Zajac, the Devs are 12th with 66, still eight behind the Rangers but with two more games left. Still, on a day they need two more points to close to six and put the pressure on our team, who faces the Sharks, it's essential they get it done against an Islander team that doesn't lose much these days. Last weekend, they needed a shootout to prevail on Long Island. It should be interesting with the Isles only two back of their state rival.

The teams playing early tonight will have a close eye on Buffalo-Toronto with the Sabres looking to stay hot. Drew Stafford is red hot and Jason Pominville is heating up at the right time. Rookie Tyler Ennis has also stepped up for Lindy Ruff's club that looks to put more distance between them and the pack against 10th Toronto, who tries to bounce back from a tough 3-2 loss to Philly. Big difference between the Leafs climbing to 70 with a regulation win, just four back and a Sabre victory in 60, which would put them eight clear of their archrival. Should be fun to watch.

For John Tortorella's club, they'll already know the results with at least a couple of clubs likely gaining ground. After today, they have only a dozen left. Considering how flat the Rangers were in one of their worst performances Wednesday in Anaheim, expect them to be ready against one of the hottest clubs. The Sharks have gone from outside playoff position pre All-Star Break to sitting third in the crowded West, leading the best division in hockey, the Pacific. The second half performances of Patrick Marleau, Joe Thornton and recently re-signed netminder Antti Niemi have sparked the Sharks to 85 points- three ahead of fourth Dallas and four in front of sixth LA and seventh Phoenix. Oh. And the ninth Ducks sit six out, meaning that's all that separates last from first.

Against a team that boasts Calder hopeful Logan Couture (25 goals), Dany Heatley, gritty Ryane Clowe, Joe Pavelski, Dan Boyle and revived Devin Setoguchi, the Blueshirts have their work cut out. It's imperative that they get out quickly with headliners Marian Gaborik, Brandon Dubinsky, Ryan Callahan, Brian Boyle, Henrik Lundqvist, Marc Staal and Dan Girardi all on top of their game. Simply put, the Rangers cannot afford a repeat of the other night. Not with fewer games left than anyone else.

It should be interesting to see how they respond to adversity. A lot's on the line today for every playoff chaser. Fasten your seatbelts.

Preview: A Wild visit on Broadway

Tonight, the Wild visit Broadway fresh off a 4-1 loss to the Islanders yesterday that featured yet another dumb hit by Trevor Gillies, who senselessly nailed Cal Clutterbuck from behind. A reckless player who doesn't belong in the NHL is answering some questions today in a meeting with the league. I doubt even he could shed some light on the matter.

Be that as it may, Minnesota had a costly loss which was their second straight. Still in a crowded Western race, the Wild enter with 72 points good for 11th, trailing seventh Dallas and eighth Los Angeles by two with the Ducks and Preds sandwiched between a point off. Calgary is sixth with 75 and Chicago plus Phoenix are both tied with 76. Columbus is hanging in with 69, making this one Wild race.

Can the surprising club from St. Paul recover from consecutive tough defeats against our slumping club that enters 2-4 in its last six, including three gut wrenching one-goal losses that have the Rangers hanging on by a thread with Carolina and Buffalo right on their heels? It should make for an intriguing match if the Garden actually cares about its hockey team when they're too busy rubbing our noses in it with Knick updates on the scoreboard. I like the Knicks but geez. Could Dolan be anymore of a jackass?

“We haven’t been good the last couple of games,” said Wild forward Kyle Brodziak. “We definitely need more desperation. We’re fighting for our playoff lives here. It’s frustrating. It was a must-win and we didn’t get the job done. It makes (Thursday) that much bigger. We’ve got to stop the slide now and do whatever it takes to turn it around.”

“It’s behind us now,” goaltender Niklas Backstrom pointed out after being chased by the Islanders following three goals on 19 shots. “We have to worry about tomorrow. I’ll try to be better tomorrow.”

Assuming he's back in because vet Jose Theodore has been superb in relief, it should be a tough game for a team that has no consistent offense. Especially when Brandon Dubinsky is stuck on 19 goals, disappearing for stretches during our slump. Ryan Callahan also hasn't found the back of the net lately with only one goal over the past half dozen. Sure. Cally always brings it but we need him to finish in front of the net.

More encouraging is that new acquisition Bryan McCabe looked good the other night, picking up his first point as a Ranger on an assist on Erik Christensen's power play tally. The big man got his shot off plenty, pacing the Blueshirts with six. The only issue is that it can't just be one guy taking all the shots. At least the power play resembled one, forcing Ryan Miller to come up with tough saves. Hopefully, that will continue tonight with more production.

Henrik Lundqvist gave up three-or-more for the 11th time in 15 games. But anyone who saw it knows he wasn't the problem. The poor starts have caught up, leaving Callahan baffled as to why they're not being more aggressive. When our team's right, they're an attacking club that gets in on the forecheck and generates off winning board battles. It's time to get back to that in your face style before it's too late.

With no margin for error, every game is huge. The Wild have two more points than us. So, it won't be easy. Marc Staal got through practice yesterday feeling better. Is he back for Martin Havlat and Brent Burns or do they wait until Ottawa tomorrow night? Regardless, they need their top defenseman back for this stretch run. Rook tandem Ryan McDonagh and Mike Sauer have been outstanding and Dan Girardi as well. They've gotten good mileage out of Steve Eminger. Matt Gilroy tries. But without the anchor, they'll be hard pressed to pull this off. Is Ruslan Fedotenko ready to return, solidifying Brian Boyle and banged up Brandon Prust who saw only eight minutes Tuesday? Every piece helps.

Artem Anisimov scored his 14th of the season, which pulled the Rangers within one against Buffalo. His first point in six. The lanky 22 year-old Russian stays put with Glen Sather unwilling to trade him or any of our prospects to Dallas along with a No.1 pick for Brad Richards. The right move considering it would've been only as a rental. Artie been up and down most of the season. His 14 goals are two better than his rookie year and the 18 assists also are a couple more than '09-10. Anisimov's taken 150 shots or 26 more already with still 17 games to go. His three power play goals and eight power play points are career bests. If he can put it together, it would go a long way to this team making the playoffs. He ranks fifth in team scoring, tied with Boyle.

They also need better from Mats Zuccarello, who remains stuck on three goals in 30 games. It's clear the Norwegian has talent with superb skating and playmaking capabilities. However, he must be more assertive like the other day when he came close to tying it with 6:00 left. The puck glanced off the post. So, he was a bit unlucky. MZA can be a difference maker. We'll see if he and the rest of the team can step it up starting tonight.

Game Preview: Rangers clash with Hurricanes in crucial battle

It's slowly slipping away from their grasp. With every gut wrenching loss, the Rangers are making it more difficult on themselves to erase last year's bitter memory in Philadelphia. Having dropped another tough game to their Kryptonite by a 4-2 count with Kris Versteeg's late empty netter like a kick to the groin, the Blueshirts hold seventh place in the conference by two points over their next opponent tonight in Raleigh. The Hurricanes also aren't playing great either, having been unable to solve the Devils- losing a third straight time in humiliating fashion 4-1 a night removed from retiring former Cup-winning captain Rod BrindAmour's jersey.

Cam Ward makes his 20th consecutive start opposed by the opposite No.30, Henrik Lundqvist who is in a fourth time in seven days. Last time out, the close clubs played a superb game in which each All-Star netminder shined with Lundqvist able to pull it out 2-1 in overtime at MSG. A game Carolina coach Paul Maurice labeled "the best goaltended game this year." None of that matters when their teams do battle again in what amounts to a crucial contest with playoff positioning on the line. The Rangers don't want to lose three in a row because if they do, the Canes tie them in points (66) and would be seventh due to one fewer game played. It also keeps ninth Buffalo around the corner who trail by half a dozen while stumbling Atlanta, Toronto, Florida and the hot Devils and Islanders hang around.

The way things have gone, it's not far fetched for the Devils and Islanders to creep up even closer and make the most improbable playoff runs a reality. With over 20 games still left and a majority of teams above them struggling including our club, anything's possible.

With Marian Gaborik mysteriously leaving Sunday's game after the first due to a concussion they never noticed in previous contests, it forces the Rangers to once again summon up all the mental strength they have to win in the face of adversity. Something this team has done well- going .500 (7-7-0) without Gabby who's largely been MIA anyway. Brandon Dubinsky criticized himself following Sunday and expects better. He leads us in goals (20), assists (24), points (44), shorthanded goals (2) and shooting percentage (13.4). It's up to others to follow his and Ryan Callahan's (15-15-30 in 41 GP) lead. Everyone must step up including kids Derek Stepan and Artem Anisimov- both of whose production have suffered in the second half despite decent efforts.

There's always Brian Boyle of the career best 19 goals, 29 points and four power play goals who can chip in. Tonight, the jack of all trades is separated from banged up sidekick Brandon Prust who will play on a fourth line with Sean Avery and Connecticut recall Kris Newbury. Boyle will play with shootout ace Erik Christensen and Vinny Prospal. There's no real finisher here unless Boyle uses his size. Both Christy and Prosp are set up guys. That's the hope here. Meanwhile, Tort will keep his top two lines intact with D-Step teaming with Norwegian rookie Mats Zuccarello and Wojtek Wolski while Dubinsky, Anisimov and Callahan comprise the other line.

It's now or never for our young nucleus which might be getting a slight overhaul if the Bryan McCabe rumors to Broadway for possibly Matt Gilroy and a second round pick are true. Don't forget that last time there were Rangers/Panthers rumors, it involved Dan Girardi and Dubinsky with Stephen Weiss. Thankfully, it wasn't true. While the 35 year-old vet McCabe can help us on the powerless play, what's the point? This club isn't winning anything. I'd rather see Gilroy finally get a real shot to run the point instead of having Tort roll out Del Zotto over and over again. It's my belief that Hobey has been treated unfairly. Why is it only okay for the coach to give rooks Mike Sauer and Ryan McDonagh the second pair and not Gilroy, who at least shows assertiveness on the rush?

It's time for the coach to wake up before his team fails in its bid for the postseason, putting his job in jeopardy. A tough week which starts tonight with a trip to D.C. Friday and another Kryptonite Tampa Bay in town Sunday- will help determine if this club should buy or sell at the 2/28 Deadline.

Rangers-Red Wings Preview: Biron in again tonight

Suddenly, Henrik Lundqvist is riding the pine. The King has slumped since his best game of the year- a 1-0 shutout of the Canucks at MSG last month. Having let in questionable goals in each of his last four starts, John Tortorella has decided to give our franchise netminder a breather by playing Martin Biron a second consecutive game. Since relieving Lundqvist in a 3-2 home loss to the Devils, all Biron has done is allow one goal on 36 shots. Albeit a flukey one by ex-Ranger Scott Gomez, who picked up a hard carom of an Alexandre Picard wide shot and went upstairs during the Canadiens' 2-0 shutout Saturday.

So, Biron gets the call again in Detroit against a very skilled Red Wing team that even minus Pavel Datsyuk and Tomas Holmstrom can score in bunches. They enter having been blanked consecutively. Figure Henrik Zetterberg, Nick Lidstrom, Johan Franzen and Company to play with an edge. Especially with Nashville breathing down their necks. In their proud history, the Red Wings have never been shutout three straight times. I highly expect Biron to keep them off the scoreboard tonight. But that also means this MIA act by Marian Gaborik has to end. There have been too many games where our most dangerous sniper hasn't been noticeable. With his ice-time dwindling including on our dreadful power play that fired blanks on four in a row in en empty second at Molson Centre, it's time for No.10 to resemble the guy who scored 43 goals last year. Tonight is as good a place as any to start.

Hopefully, our guys who are on their first four-game skid of the season will turn it up and snap out of it. They're only making it harder on themselves.

Big Week concludes tomorrow in Philly

In what's been a big week for the Rangers, they complete it in Philly tomorrow where they'll battle the league's best in an old Patrick showdown. Or shall we say throwdown. The bitter rivals have met once with the Flyers prevailing a month ago. A lot's happened since as both clubs have played good hockey, climbing up the standings.

First overall Philadelphia boasts plenty of scoring led by quartet Jeff Carter, Mike Richards, Claude Giroux and Daniel Briere. There aren't many holes in a well balanced roster that boasts big and mean Chris Pronger anchoring a blueline that includes Kimmo Timonen, Matt Carle and Braydon Coburn. With surprising rookie Sergei Bobrovsky getting the job done in net and Brian Boucher doing his part, these Flyers are a force to be reckoned with. It's no wonder they ended the Penguin win streak at 12 thanks to a late goal from pest Scott Hartnell. They can play you any way, also boasting their own Sean Avery in Daniel Carcillo plus former Rangers Blair Betts and Jody Shelley. Even Nikolay Zherdev's contributed 11 goals, albeit in spurts. James Van Riemsdyk's also been lighting the lamp recently. This is Philly's best team since the '96-97 one that went to the Finals before getting blitzed by Detroit. It's their best chance to end a 36-year drought since the Broadway Bullies dominated in '74 and '75.

So, how will the Rangers deal with it? Nothing seems to faze this pesky bunch. Not after hammering the Caps Monday, then exploding for four goals in the final 10 minutes in a character building win at Pittsburgh, limiting Sidney Crosby to an assist for the second consecutive game. Then there was last night's come from behind 4-3 shootout home win over an angry Coyote team who no showed against the Devils. The perfect streak in second games of back-to-backs was in jeopardy when the Blueshirts came out flat with Martin Biron allowing a pair of softies in the first six minutes. But the backup battled through making big saves to keep his team in it.

That's what we've come to expect from a resilient club that never is out of a game. Never was there a more defining example that in Pittsburgh after losing emotional leader Ryan Callahan for six weeks with a broken left hand from what else but blocking a shot. They fight till the buzzer. Something Brian Boyle alluded to along with mini-Callahan Brandon Prust. Losing Cally stinks. But all year, they've faced obstacles overcoming no Marian Gaborik, Vinny Prospal or Chris Drury and also holding up okay without Michal Rozsival, who's playing some of his best hockey as a Ranger. After setting up two goals including one from Alex Frolov, Rozy set up Derek Stepan's tying goal late that forced only the second skill competition for our heroes. It was the clean faceoff win by a sharp Drury in his second game back that allowed them to tie it. They lost Callahan and Drury replaces him in many facets playing with Artem Anisimov and Brandon Dubinsky while providing great penalty killing and winning faceoffs. Something that's plagued us all year.

I said it the other night when Cally went down. It's an opportunity for other players to step up. Then Erik Christensen displays that skill with a laser over Brent Johnson and also wins the shootout yesterday with a fancy deke. Frolov, who's been much better since being moved to the Boyle/Prust line, gets dirty and notches the winner versus the Pens, setting off an explosion with Anisimov wiring his ninth and Boyle putting the exclamation point on the finest win of the season. There's the dominance of All-Star candidates Marc Staal and Dan Girardi, who are fulfilling expectations since the new contracts. Both adding offense to their game while getting better defensively, limiting time and space from skilled players such as Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Alex Ovechkin. There's Prust outhustling Jason LaBarbera to a loose puck and scoring a gigantic shortie with five seconds left in the second, giving our team momentum they ride into the third. And what about an overtime they dominated, getting numerous chances to end it with Boyle trying to atone for two penalties the 'Yotes scored on. The coach hates the shootout. The improvement in four-on-four has stood out. If only Marian Gaborik would remember that his job is to bury a few.

This is a T-E-A-M. In every sense, they come together standing up for each other with Mike Sauer throwing down and Sean Avery standing in for anyone. How great was it when he pulled Arron Asham away from Henrik Lundqvist after another cheap stick and dropped 'em. Did we mention Prust, who has become so valuable, takes on all comers? This is the kind of team the Garden Faithful have wanted for years. One that bands together and rallies around each other. They've made life easier on Lundqvist, who occasionally has to make big saves like the few he made against the Pens, holding them at one. It's no longer about the goalie but rather centered around a solid mix with a good core featuring home growns Callahan, Staal, Girardi, Brandon Dubinsky, Mike Del Zotto, Sauer, Stepan and Anisimov. Holdovers Rozsival and Lundqvist understand that as does Drury. Where would they be without Boyle and Prust? Remember how much we roasted Slats for that third round pick last year? No more. What Boyle has done is way above anyone's expectations. Hire the figure skating coach. The transformation has a two-way center capable of neutralizing the opposition. Come to think of it, that sounds like exact requirements for the Selke. Forget all the fancy names who will get preferential treatment. Boyle should be up for that award!

When it comes to Extra Effort, Callahan has always gone above and beyond the call of duty making officer Steven McDonald proud. You could say that about many Rangers this time. Boyle and Prust are my top two choices. They really exemplify what this team is all about. When John Tortorella singles out Prust after admitting they didn't know much about the 'throw in' in the Joke-in-en trade, it tells you everything. Sometimes, a player only needs a change of scenery to blossom. Before he arrived on Broadway, Prusty was used primarily on the fourth line by Phoenix and Calgary, playing sparingly as an enforcer. Who knew? You can't make it up.

There's no doubt these Rangers won't be intimidated by what the Flyers bring tomorrow. They'll battle. Compete. Fight. Because that's what they do. A shot at running the table this week against good competition. I've never been prouder to be a Ranger.

Preview: Rangers visit Crosby Pens tonight

It's a big night for MSG. Today, the Garden's two winter teams have pivotal games against bitter rivals. With this being a hockey blog, we'll focus more on the Rangers' third meeting against old Patrick Division rival Pittsburgh instead of the much anticipated Knicks-Celtics battle in Beantown on MSG.

There's no doubt that these two teams hate each other. Especially the war of words between Brandon Dubinsky and Sidney Crosby following the Pens' 3-1 win in the Big Apple a couple of weeks prior. The match featured a Crosby slew foot on emotional leader Ryan Callahan, who somehow got nabbed for phantom interference after being taken down by the league's best player. Dubinsky has never been shy about how he feels towards his former junior rival, disapproving of the Pitt captain's sneaky antics between whistles. It's no secret that Sid The Kid isn't afraid to mix it up, often delivering hacks and whacks which go undetected. A few blatant slashes which are potentially dangerous. That has rubbed Dubi and in particular our fanbase the wrong way. Call it sour grapes. But from our vantage point, it looks like the league's Golden Boy is getting the 'star treatment.'

Even Alex Ovechkin hasn't gotten this kind of love. Perhaps it's because the Cap sniper is more reckless, even getting suspended last season. Or maybe it's because Crosby is the very low key superstar the NHL wants to promote with a clean image that can easily be respected. For as much as Sid whines when things don't go his team's way, you'll never see him lose his cool in the locker room or postgame a la the Great 8 after that Olympic meltdown in Vancouver. Along with the league's leading scorer (26-27-53) being Canadian, it's easy to see why he's so well marketed. For as exciting as Sid's rival is, Ovi will never be portrayed that way. Instead, the leading Cap must shed the unfair label as a playoff choker while Crosby gets the accolades for winning a Cup, making two Finals, winning a Hart, Art Ross and Olympic gold thanks to one of the greatest goals in interntional history all by age 23.

There's no denying his unique talent which sparked a recent 12-game win streak before Pennsylvania rival Philadelphia snapped it with a 3-2 win last night. Ironically, the dominant stretch came following a 3-2 overtime loss to the Blueshirts in a wild game that saw the Pens get all six power plays and not beat Henrik Lundqvist until there were three minutes left, scoring two straight only to see All-Star candidate Marc Staal tie it shorthanded. Dubinsky set up Callahan for the OT winner, giving the Rangers their best win of the season. Since, Crosby's taken off passing Steven Stamkos for the league lead in goals and putting up an amazing 19-game scoring streak which continued yesterday with two assists on Evgeni Malkin goals. During it, he's totaled 38 points including a ridiculous 20 goals that featured two hat tricks in three games sandwiched around a one assist effort in Pittsburgh's win over the Rangers.

Can Staal and partner Dan Girardi keep him in check? They're emerging into a shutdown tandem capable of neutralizing the opposition. Ovechkin was left frustrated in a 7-0 rout Monday. The team's best performance. Lundqvist was also strong making 31 stops. So, are they up to the challenge with Geno also back having scored twice? It will take another gigantic effort from our heroes to make it two in a row and a two-game losing streak for the hated rival. If you want to see it, you'll have to find MSG2 due to the Coyotes/Devils being on the second network instead.

There should be fireworks. Don't miss it!

Preview: Rangers visit Ottawa

The Rangers look to pay back the Senators when they visit Ottawa later. The Sens beat them at MSG 3-1 thanks to a Chris Kelly hat trick, including the winner late in regulation when Erik Christensen failed to take Kelly.

It feels like forever since they last played. While the Rangers actually had a few days off, the Sens lost to Canadian rival Montreal the other night 4-1 as Carey Price continued his strong season. The Blueshirts really need this one because it won't get easier. Losing twice to Ottawa would be brutal. The top line featuring Marian Gaborik must deliver. Figure Sean Avery to be more involved. He's now in the top 20 in All-Star voting. Imagine if he somehow makes it.

The Blueshirts could use something from Artem Anisimov, who started so well and now is stuck on the fourth line with Alex Frolov. It'll be interesting to see how John Tortorella uses the latter following the disenchanted ex-King's ice-time complaint. It would be nice to see a motivated Frolov.

Mike Del Zotto has seen his power play time diminish with Tort going to rookie Derek Stepan on the point. While they did give up a shorthanded goal (2nd of season), it wasn't the 20 year-old's fault. Gaborik forced a pass that handcuffed him, leading to Kelly's shortie. To his credit, D-Step looked good, making some solid reads. We'll see if our coach sticks with it.

There's no reason for Henrik Lundqvist not to start. Figure him to be in. I'd be shocked if Pascal Leclaire didn't get another outing after how he stoned us Sunday. Shoot high.

Battle Preview: Rangers and Islanders set for home and home

Sean Avery and James Wisniewski meet again in Part I of a classic home-and-home series when the Rangers and Islanders do battle tonight at The Coliseum before returning to MSG tomorrow.

Tonight is Part I of a classic home-and-home between bitter rivals. Whenever the Rangers and Islanders get together, the names on the backs of the jerseys don't matter. Emotions run high, which will certainly be the case over the next 24 hours when the true Battle of New York takes place. It's Manhattan versus Long Island. Broadway meets Old Country Road. City against country. Fast paced takes on laid back.

Whatever you refer to it, it's one of the best rivalries going. The Rangers and Islanders meet for the 230th time in the regular season at Nassau Coliseum. The Blueshirts lead the all-time series 108-97-19-5 (108-102-19). They're 46-60-8-1 off the Meadowbrook, including a 6-4 loss in the only game this season on Oct.11. A typical wild affair that featured 10 goals and five lead changes with the Islanders prevailing by scoring the last three with former Ranger P.A. Parenteau tying it and Ranger killer Blake Comeau finishing off a three-point night. Rick DiPietro was the winner, stopping 29 shots while Henrik Lundqvist permitted five on 31 taking the loss. Figure it to be a rematch in net with DP pitching a shutout over the Devils five days ago to finally snap the Islander 14-game winless streak. Lundqvist meanwhile has been stronger since returning, backstopping the Rangers to road wins over Florida and Nashville before losing to the Pens in a game he was blameless. Scratch that as Lundqvist sits with Martin Biron getting the call instead.


Does John Tavares get it going or is this the night Marian Gaborik busts loose? Will Comeau again burn his favorite target or can Brandon Dubinsky rediscover the touch that had him with 10 goals in his first 13 before fizzling out since Gaborik returned. A day where James Wisniewski and Sean Avery renew acquaintances after the immature gesture during a stoppage that got the Islander blueliner suspended. The best aspect is the teams get to do it again tomorrow at Madison Square Garden. Home ice hasn't meant a lot recently. Even if the Islanders held serve in Game No.1, usually the road team has fared better. Does it start in half an hour?

A new coach is added to the rivalry with Jack Capuano finally winning his first in place of Scott Gordon. Can he outfox John Tortorella? The fun gets started soon and continues tomorrow. Like Chanukkah and Christmas rolled into one. Fire it up cause it's sure to be interesting.