Game 2 Preview: Rangers look to make it two for two

It wasn't perfect by any means. However, the top seeded Rangers avoided the plague that's hit Vancouver and Pittsburgh, prevailing over the Senators 4-2 in Game One to draw first blood in the first round series.

Ryan Callahan, Marian Gaborik, Brian Boyle and Brad Richards all scored and the Rangers stifled a dangerous Ottawa power play with even Boyle taking Erik Karlsson off the ice. Our PK got it done with plenty of help from Henrik Lundqvist, who following Callahan's opening goal of the series, made money stops as the Sens dominated play for roughly 20 minutes until John Tortorella used a timeout.

At that point, the Blueshirts were clinging to a one-goal lead and Ottawa had outshot them 21-8. The Senators' aggressive forecheck had puck possession and kept forcing us to ice it. In fact, they took six icings, making me roll my eyes as I watched at home with Justin. Our Dad went for the first night. It will be our turn tonight for Game Two. Moments prior, I hinted to my brother that maybe he should burn the timeout. And so, Tort did.

Afterwards, like magic our guys woke up and started taking the play to Ottawa. Eventually, it paid off as Gaborik took advantage of Jared Cowan, stealing the puck and then patiently outwaiting Craig Anderson before going five-hole for a momentum swinging second goal that got MSG going again. With no help from the powerless play, Boyle took matters into his own hands thanks to a great effort play by Artem Anisimov, who slid the puck to Brian who then rifled one off Karlson's stick and in for 3-zip with under a minute left in the second.

This was what Garden Faithful had waited for. For our team to come alive and show why they earned home ice in the conference. The Sens aren't your average eighth seed, boasting game breakers like Karlsson and Jason Spezza, who would have a nice set up for ageless captain Daniel Alfredsson, who broke the shutout. Ottawa possesses a ton of speed and pinch at every opportunity. Kyle Turris, Milan Michalek and Nick Foligno are good players and Colin Greening had a net presence in the first game, forcing Lundqvist to make a nice stop on a deflection.There's a reason they turned it around. Paul MacLean is rarely mentioned for Coach Of The Year. So, it won't come easy.

In many aspects, it's a contrast in styles with the eighth seeded Sens looking to run and gun while our team prefers to bruise and batter their way to wins. Callahan in particular set the tone with not only the goal off hard work, outmuscling Filip Kuba, which made my premonition come true. But with his relentless work ethic on display, leading by example with some thunderous hits. He led the Rangers with seven while playing the kind of spunky hockey this town has come to appreciate. On Adam Graves' birthday, it was appropriate that Captain Cally would play his butt off. He is the most popular Blueshirt since Gravy.

Even more encouraging was the play of rookie Carl Hagelin, who took Foligno off the puck to feed Richards for a slam dunk that put it out of reach early in the third. Hagelin never stops working. He's the perfect ingredient on a skilled top line that came on. They'll need a better start today. Our team needs to be more consistent. Play to win.

Ryan McDonagh and Dan Girardi were outstanding against the Spezza line, who could get a boost if MacLean opts for Alfredsson and switches Greening. Even when on their heels, our two top defensemen made the hustle plays, keeping most of the Sens' chances to the perimeter. You know as the series moves on, Ottawa will drive the net looking to distract Lundqvist. Particularly Chris Neil, who took a few runs in the third. Marc Staal had a strong game, making several smart defensive plays. They need him to be part of this. Mike Del Zotto was quiet and partially responsible for both goals, failing to take Alfredsson and then taking himself out of position on Erik Condra's gimme that made things interesting. Del Zotto is vital to our team's offense but also must eliminate the mistakes. Tortorella isn't comfortable playing Stu Bickel and Anton Stralman down the stretch.

Another Ranger who needs a better game is Derek Stepan. He struggled down the stretch and wasn't effective despite better efforts from linemates Anisimov (2 assists) and Callahan. D-Step is our second center with Brandon Dubinsky looking cohesive on the checking line with Boyle and Ruslan Fedotenko. He's got the tools to contribute. Look for him to make a difference on the power play and find open teammates.

The fourth line of Mike Rupp, John Mitchell and Brandon Prust got pinned in for a shift, nearly giving up the tying goal. Oddly enough, Rupp then had a great chance when Anderson scrambled way out of the net to prevent a breakaway. But the big man couldn't hit the vacant net from center ice. It wasn't a great angle. Prust took an undisciplined minor in the offensive zone and Mitchell was invisible. Rupp more noticeable but for that missed shot. If Tort's gonna trust them, they have to be better. Otherwise, he shouldn't hesitate to insert Chris Kreider, who at least could give the line some offense. Knowing the coach, he'll stick with what he's got unless the situation presents itself.

Tortorella is loyal to his troops. He loves them and in turn, they have his back. All you had to do was see the response after the timeout, which got part of MSG's Play Of The Game. Tortorella is good at reading our team. He knows what buttons to push. With a chance to go up 2-0 with the series shifting to Ottawa, they shouldn't need any extra motivation. Go for the jugular.

Devils' early dominance enough to win Game 1 in Florida

After a six-day wait to start their first-round series, the Devils came out like caged beasts ready to wreak havoc and destruction, scoring the game's first three goals and outshooting the Panthers by an unreal 26-9 margin in the opening twenty minutes. By the time the game was over however, the Devils once again got the lesson hammered home that very little comes easy in the postseason - barely avoiding disaster by holding on for a 3-2 win in Game 1, relieving nervous Devils fans everywhere after a bad second period and dissapointing a Panthers crowd that was anxious to see its first postseason game in twelve years.

This wasn't just a case of a game having three periods worth of ebb and flow, but the three periods themselves all seemed to be three different games. Normally, I'd be at home watching this game but I was actually at the Prudential Center, thanks to my friend who won access to a special viewing party with free food (pasta, hot dogs, nachos and supposedly chicken fingers though I didn't see them) and soft drinks. With the game being shown on the jumbotron as well as the inordinate number of TV's around the Acela Club, everyone had a good view of the Devils' first playoff game.

Although I make no bones of the fact I was confident we should win this series, I really didn't know how the first game would go. If anything, I thought Florida would be the team with a ton of early momentum thanks to a home crowd starved for playoff hockey, but instead a well-rested Devils team overwhelmed the home side in the first twenty minutes. Ironically, after all the pregame speculation on whether Jose Theodore or Scott Clemmensen would start in goal for the Panthers, coach Kevin Dineen stuck with Theodore - and the one-time NHL Hart Trophy winner kept his team in it despite a barrage of chances from anywhere and everywhere in the first period.

It took us fourteen shots to finally get on the board, but when we did it was a beauty courtesy of Patrik Elias, who made a series of moves at the side of the net - finally getting Theodore to drop to the ice and beating him with a wicked short-side shot that got the Devils on the board at 6:31. Although Danius Zubrus and Bryce Salvador got assists on the goal, that was all Patrik at his best - and the veteran Czech gained instant redemption after Theodore had stoned him on a breakaway minutes earlier.

Following a double minor high-sticking penalty by Shawn Matthias, the Devils peppered the net on the ensuing four-minute power play, finally getting a second goal on another beautiful play started by goalie Martin Brodeur, who found an open David Clarkson with a pass 150 feet away at the other blueline. Then, Clarkson found Zubrus with a nifty little pass of his own, and Zubrus did the rest - beating Theodore on a mini-breakaway at 14:11. Almost as if emotionaly stunned by that goal, the Panthers immediately gave up another goal 45 seconds later when Ryan Carter gained the zone and managed to beat Theodore with a wrister glove-side that put the Devils up by a whopping three goals. Ironically, Carter started the season as a Panther, but was picked up off waivers by the Devils a couple months into the season and wound up stinging his former mates.

At this point, Dineen called timeout and I thought might even pull Theodore but he sent a message loud and clear that Theodore was his guy by leaving him in there, and to his credit he did stem the tide after that, making 23 saves in that first period and finishing with 35 stops on the night. After the first period, things couldn't have looked better and the Devils did start out the second as if they wanted to finish things off but eventually the tide turned, and after Sean Bergenheim blew by Anton Volchenkov and scored 7:44 into the second, momentum shifted. While the Devils did get a majority of the power plays on the night (six, including the double-minor to just two for the Panthers) the Panthers did make the most of one of their opportunities at 15:42 when Kris Versteeg somehow stuffed one through Brodeur to cut the lead to one, and give Devil fans scary flashbacks.

After all, Versteeg had only scored four goals against the Devils in the teams' four regular season matchups, but more chillingly, arguably the Devils' worst loss in the season came in Florida when they blew a 3-0 lead. There were definitely some stress-raising moments in the second period as the Devils nearly lost the entire lead before intermission mercifully came. At that point, the Devils did play better in the third period, only allowing the Panthers a handful of shots and maybe one or two real scoring chances.

About the only thing I didn't like in the third period was the Devils playing it conservative on the power play with less than five minutes left, using two defensemen at the point. Not that I can blame coach Pete DeBoer entirely, with the memory fresh in mind of our fifteen or so shorthanded goals allowed this season, but still I didn't have the confidence in the Devils to hold a one-goal lead sitting on it and the power play doesn't know what to do with themselves when we do put two defensemen on the point. However, they did hold it and finally sealed a victory that looked certain after twenty minutes - giving Brodeur his 100th career playoff win (second only to Patrick Roy).

Oh, and the viewing party? It was supposed to be attended by a hundred Devil fans who could bring a guest, so two hundred was the book number. However, it definitely looked like more than two hundred were there. Even the security guards were commenting on it as me and my friend were waiting to go in, and one of the vice presidents or COO's of ticket operations addressed the crowd during the first intermission and said that 98% of people who printed out a ticket came (supposedly an unheard of percentage, according to this guy who's worked with other teams before and done similar types of viewing parties).

Bear in mind, all of us who won the chance to go to this viewing party only got notice of it 24 hours before the game. In fact my friend didn't remember entering the contest at all, and she had to ask me if the e-mail she got was real lol. It was certainly worth going though, the only expense was paying for the $5 parking at the garage in the arena, and my friend buying an $8 glass of wine at the bar. We even got extra team posters that were left over from Fan Appreciation Day and took a few. Although we didn't get in early enough to get a ledge seat by the scoreboard, we had a good view of one of the TV's and eventually as some of the crowd cleared out, we did watch the final few minutes on the jumbotron at the Prudential Center. And yes, they played the goal horn when we scored and when we won, though it didn't come with the Rock and Roll Part 2 goal song like it would for an actual home game.

NHL Playoffs: Our Odds and Playoff Picks

FAVORITES

Penguins 2-1
Bruins 3-1
Canucks 4-1
Rangers 5-1
Flyers 6-1
Blues 7-1
Predators 8-1
Red Wings 9-1

REST OF PACK

Devils 12-1
Coyotes 15-1
Blackhawks 20-1
Sharks 25-1
Kings 30-1
Senators 40-1
Capitals 50-1
Panthers 100-1

EAST PREDICTIONS

Conference Quarters

(1) Rangers over (8) Senators in 6
(2) Bruins over (7) Capitals in 5
(6) Devils over (3) Panthers in 5
(4) Penguins over (5) Flyers in 6

Conference Semis

(1) Rangers over (6) Devils in 7
(4) Penguins over (2) Bruins in 6

Conference Final

(4) Penguins over (1) Rangers in 6


WEST PREDICTIONS

Conference Quarters

(1) Canucks over (8) Kings in 5
(2) Blues over (7) Sharks in 7
(3) Coyotes over (6) Blackhawks in 6
(4) Predators over (5) Red Wings in 7

Conference Semis

(4) Predators over (1) Canucks in 6
(2) Blues over (3) Coyotes in 6

Conference Final

(4) Predators over (2) Blues in 5


STANLEY CUP

Nashville Predators over Pittsburgh Penguins in 7

Conn Smythe: Kris Letang, Penguins

2012 NHL Playoffs: Storylines

It all starts tomorrow when the Battle Of Pennsylvania divides a state with two rivals that hate each other must play one another in Round One due to the ridiculous seeding that elevated Florida to a third seed over the Pens, Flyers and Devils. The West has a similar dream match up with the Red Wings and Predators doing battle while the Hawks draw the Pacific's best, the Yotes. At least Phoenix played its way up and could be a sleeper.

Be that as it may, for 16 teams they get to dream big. Yes, even the Panthers who are in the tournament for the first time since Pavel Bure electrified crowds 12 years ago, can believe in destiny. The joke seen here and in other parts that they couldn't possibly make it due to peculiar GM Dale Tallon's NHL nomads philosophy is just that. So, Kris Versteeg, Brian Campbell, Tomas Kopecky, Tomas Fleischmann, Ed Jovanovski and perhaps Jose Theodore will try to prove Tallon right again along with mainstay Stephen Weiss, who finally gets meaningful hockey. While Adams candidate Kevin Dineen and his Cats try to stun the Devils (only in the NHL), the pressure is on the Canucks to deliver the Cup they fell short on against Boston, touching off more ugliness. Vancouver is the President's Trophy winner but that hardly matters against Vezina hopeful Jon Quick and the Kings, who aren't your normal eighth seed. How Daniel Sedin comes back from a concussion will play a pivotal role in their chances.

In the East, the Rangers were beasts, surprising everyone by winning the conference with 109 points on the strength of Henrik Lundqvist, Marian Gaborik, Ryan Callahan, Brad Richards and top D pair Dan Girardi and Ryan McDonagh. John Tortorella and Lundqvist have a lot of pressure this time with the goalie needing to prove he's championship caliber while the fiery coach wants to prove he can guide a team he molded into more than first round fodder. They'll get strong competition from another not your average eight in the Senators led by Jason Spezza, Erik Karlsson, Daniel Alfredsson and Milan Michalek. If they prevail, Martin Brodeur and the Devils could be waiting in a dream scenario. Ilya Kovalchuk expects his team to win. This could be Zach Parise's final go round in red and black. He'll want to make it special. While the Hudson rivals dare to dream, those in Boston and Pittsburgh expect greatness. The Bruins led by Zdeno Chara and a tough core that is aiming to repeat while the star loaded Pens boast Sid The Kid, MVP in waiting Evgeni Malkin, Marc-Andre Fleury and Kris Letang. They'll have to get past the Flyers who boast Claude Giroux, Jaromir Jagr, Scott Hartnell, Wayne Simmonds and Mr. Universe.

Playing the role of underdogs are Alex Ovechkin and the Caps, who'll hope Braden Holtby can become a household name while Nicklas Backstrom returns to form. Can they shock the world? Out West, it's original Cup selection San Jose playing underdog against surprising St. Louis, who powered their way to the second seed on the strength of David Backes, Alex Pietrangelo and goalie tandem Brian Elliott and Jaroslav Halak. The Sharks boast some bite in Joe Thornton, Joe Pavelski, Logan Couture and Patrick Marleau along with former Cup winner Antti Niemi. Is now the time?

All these questions and whether Mike Smith can backstop the Yotes out of the first round are great storylines as another Quest for the Cup begins.

Kovalchuk: Nobody Can Beat Us

Devil star Ilya Kovalchuk believes if his team plays up to par, they'll be tough to beat this postseason.

It's not often a star player speaks up before the playoffs. But that's exactly what Devil superstar Ilya Kovalchuk did yesterday when discussing his team's chances with Post writer Mark Everson. In his second season, the electrifying Russian forward paced the Devils with 37 goals and 83 points- helping lead them back to the postseason after missing last year.

“If we play our best, nobody can beat us," Kovalchuk told Everson as New Jersey prepares to play third seeded Southeast winner Florida with the series not getting underway until Friday. This will only be the former 2001 first overall pick's third playoff year with the prior two far from memorable. In '07, a Kovalchuk-led Atlanta club were swept by the Rangers. Three years later, he was dealt to the Devils who were ousted by Turnpike rival Philadelphia in five games. 

“I wasn’t successful at all during my career. It’s not enough for me,” Kovalchuk pointed out. “Everybody wants to be a winner.”

Despite being seeded sixth, the Devils enter red hot having won six straight. They boast five players who scored at least 20 with Kovalchuk, captain Zach Parise (31) and David Clarkson hitting 30-or-more. They finished with more points than the Panthers, who are making their first postseason appearance since 2000 when the eventual Cup champion Devils swept them in the same round. The Devils have enough experience to be the favorite despite not starting the series at home.

There will be two subplots with former Panther coach Pete DeBoer facing the squad that fired him. The other involves ex-Devil backup goalie Scott Clemmensen, who likely will get the call in net to go up against future Hall Of Famer Martin Brodeur. Another twist is former Cup hero John Madden facing off against the team he helped win two Cups.

Florida hosts the first two games on Friday and Sunday night before the series shifts to Newark starting the following Tuesday.

Playoff Preview: Rangers vs Senators

Ranger captain Ryan Callahan will be seeing a lot of Erik Karlsson and the Senators in the first round series which starts Thursday at Madison Square Garden.

Entering this season, the Rangers had higher expectations. Though nobody would've envisioned our team leading the East from late December on to finish with the top record, they overcame injuries and underachievers to finish with 109 points. Their most since '93-94 when some curse was lifted. Ironically, at least part of the path could be similar if they run into the Devils in the second round. Otherwise, despite the top seed, it likely runs through the Bruins and Pens, who we had issues with.

PRESSURE: There will no doubt be increased pressure on John Tortorella and Henrik Lundqvist to deliver the club's first series win since '08 over New Jersey. If last year, nobody was more scrutinized than Roberto Luongo, then the same holds true for Lundqvist, who established new career marks in wins (39), goals-against-average (1.97) and save percentage (.930). This is his seventh year (sixth postseason). At 30, King Henrik needs to have a big playoffs for this team to succeed. He'll be vying for his first Vezina but most importantly, will try to shed the label as a postseason disappointment. Albeit the teams he had before wasn't as strong. Lundqvist slumped down the stretch and will need to reestablish himself quickly against a dangerous opponent in Ottawa that had success against us, winning three of four during the season series.

FORWARDS: The Blueshirts were led by Marian Gaborik, who bounced back with 41 goals and 76 points to pace our team. Gabby showed a penchant for getting the uniform dirty and scored more on the road. He also was clutch putting our team ahead a lot. He'll team with Brad Richards (25-41-66), who finished strong after struggling to find chemistry. Richie was brought in for this situation with the former Conn Smythe winner having valuable experience. He'll get support from heart and soul captain Ryan Callahan (career high 29 goals, 13 PPG), who leads by example. He hates losing just as much as Lundqvist and has taken the mantle. Much of the team's aspirations depends on pups Derek Stepan and Carl Hagelin with both key components. They didn't finish strong but must pick it up. A positive is the play of Brian Boyle, who rediscovered his scoring touch and also takes big draws while providing energy on the penalty kill. He'll work with Brandon Dubinsky and Ruslan Fedotenko while Tortorella will start with a crash fourth line of Mike Rupp, John Mitchell and Brandon Prust. How Dubinsky, Artem Anisimov and Stepan perform could be the key. If Chris Kreider gets signed, he could see limited duty.

The Senators boast an explosive unit that's led by Jason Spezza (34 goals, 84 points). He is the best forward in the series and also has the top defenseman in Erik Karlsson, whose whopping 78 points (19-59-78) make Ottawa extremely potent. It's not just Spezza up front with Milan Michalek (career best 35 markers) finishing around the net and vet Daniel Alfredsson always a threat. Kyle Turris played well for the Sens after being acquired from Phoenix and lit the lamp twice in our last meeting. He'll have the pressure of helping support the top line, which is sure to get plenty of attention from our D. How Turris and young guns Colin Greening, Zach Smith and Erik Condra play could determine the outcome. Toss in agitator Nick Foligno and pest Chris Neil and Ottawa shouldn't be any picnic. Whichever team provides more secondary scoring should prevail.

Edge: Even

DEFENSE: Few D tandems were better at limiting opposing scoring lines than Ryan McDonagh and Dan Girardi. There's nothing they won't do to help the Blueshirts win. If it means blocking shots, both will sacrifice the body. Each can take the body if needed but are solid positionally. Particularly McDonagh, whose anticipation is off the charts for a second-year player. Will he slow down in the playoffs? Tortorella has the luxury of using Marc Staal with Anton Stralman on the third pair while Mike Del Zotto works with feisty Stu Bickel, who brings edge. Del Zotto paced our blueline with 41 points (10-31-41). He still doesn't shoot enough but is great at finding the open man backdoor. He must pick his spots in this series due to the Sens' countering style. It should be noted that McDonagh had 32 points and Girardi contributed 29. So, we're not just a one trick pony. But defense is the focus as they'll try to slow down the Sens, turning it into a physical match up.

Ottawa is led by Karlsson, who can do it all. Possessing a potent shot, unbelievable playmaking skills and great skating, he is the Sens' most important player because he's a game changer. Despite 19 goals, he only scored three on the power play. The Ranger focus will be on limiting time and space. Knowing where he is at all times along with Spezza, particularly on the man-advantage is a must. Karlsson can rely on vet Sergei Gonchar who returned healthy playing in 74 games while tallying 37 points (32 helpers). He's been around forever. So, the Rangers will try to be physical with him. Filip Kuba is another experienced D you have to account for as Ottawa boasts three blueliners with 30-or-more points. But Kuba and Gonchar's roles are mostly as set up men. Rookie Jared Cowan played all 82 and ex-Ranger Matt Gilroy will be looking for redemption. Our team must not allow the Sens back end to control the tempo. Pressuring the points is important.

Slight Edge: Rangers

GOALIES: As noted above, the Rangers will go as Henrik Lundqvist does. If on, our team arguably has the best goalie on the planet to backstop us through the tournament. That he's never been past the second round leaves a little doubt. The regular season and postseason are two different animals. Hank knows what's at stake. He'll have to be really good against the high flying Sens.

If there's a wildcard in the series, it's Craig Anderson. He's capable of stealing games and did so against us. Toss out the stats (2.84 GAA, .914 Save Pct.). He still won 33 games and recently returned from injury. The thing with him is that like most goalies, the more rubber he sees, the better he seems to play. So, getting traffic in front will be essential. Anderson can make the saves. It's about the quality. The Rangers must not get frustrated if they don't finish early on.

Edge: Rangers

SPECIAL TEAMS: In any series, how your power play and penalty killing unit perform can make or break you. The Bruins proved you could win without it. Our team isn't good enough for that even if they've attempted to drive our fanbase batty. Yes, the power play looked better at season's conclusion. Believe it or not, Callahan's 13 PPG are three better than Spezza and Michalek. Gaborik also notched 10 and Richards finished with seven. However, he and Stepan are the table setters with our unit largely dependent on Captain Cally and Gabby. Tortorella mixed it up late using Boyle with some success and Anisimov's game breaking speed provided some highlights.

For the Sens, it's simple. Contain Karlsson and Spezza and you have a great chance of nullifying their man-advantage. Michalek is skilled in front. Gonchar won't shoot a ton and neither will Gilroy. Alfredsson is always a threat and will enjoy going up against Swedish buddy Lundqvist. He loves to go high. Neil could see time as he has been known to make life difficult on Henrik.

Ottawa ranked 11th best at a 18.2 clip due to their skill as compared to our at times scary unit that finished 23rd (15.7). Of note, the Senators performed better on the road ranking 12th (18.9) while our team was 22nd at MSG (15.8). Ottawa placed 15th at home (17.4) while the Blueshirts were 19th best away (15.7). If there is one area to exploit, the Sens allowed seven shorthanded goals compared to our four. Our PK was fifth (86.2) and scored eighth SHG led by Hagelin and Prust, who shared the lead with two. Ottawa's PK finished 20th (81.6) but also was dangerous shorthanded as evidenced by nine shorties with Alfredsson's three pacing them.

Edge: Senators

COACHES: John Tortorella hasn't been past the first round in a while. There was the Cap debacle in '09 where he got suspended for getting into it with a fan. Our team then missed on the last day the following year. Last year, the Caps ousted us again in five. One noticeable difference in Tort is that he's stayed more grounded, opting not to kill the team when they have struggled. Despite an ugly finish Saturday, he accentuated the positives, indicating that our team can beat anyone. It's been proven. How he handles the bench is big. If someone's not going, he'll change it up. Just don't panic.

Paul MacLean has done a great job in Year One for Ottawa. Nobody had the Sens touching the postseason but he turned it around in one year. Why he doesn't receive more accolades for the Jack Adams is a mystery. It really should come down to him versus Kevin Dineen if we're being fair because Ken Hitchcock took over a more experienced team. MacLean's frantic pace has paid dividends with his best players buying in. They are a fun club to watch. It'll be a contrast of styles. We'll give Tortorella the edge due to experience which includes a Cup.

Edge: Rangers

INTANGIBLES: This should favor the Rangers, who boast enough players who are sick of losing early. Lundqvist, Callahan, Girardi, Staal, Boyle, Anisimov and Dubinsky should be hungry. Add Richards and there's plenty of incentive. The Sens have some experience too in Alfredsson, Spezza, Gonchar, Neil, Kuba and Anderson. But this is an area that should be to our advantage if it's tight.

Edge: Rangers

Prediction: Of potential opponents, this is the one I didn't want to face. However, the Rangers have to beat someone. All year, they proved they were good enough to finish atop the East in a loaded division. No small feat. Now, they'll have the target on their back as they try to continue the team mantra of Playing The Right Way. Anything less than victory would be a colossal disappointment.

RANGERS IN 6

Devils open the playoffs Friday night in Florida

After much suspense over who the Devils would wind up playing in the first round, it was finally determined last night that the Panthers would indeed be New Jersey's first-round opponent, by virtue of their 4-1 win over Carolina that clinched the Southeast division in the season's final hours. Florida finished 38-26-18 for 94 points during the season, while the Devils finished 48-28-6 for 102 points, yet that was only good for fourth place in a brutal Atlantic division. Each team beat the other twice in their four head-to-head meetings during the season, but the Panthers got one extra point due to a shootout loss.

Aside from the on-ice matchups, there is plenty of off-ice drama and intrigue given that almost a year ago, Devils coach Pete DeBoer was fired by the Panthers after three years in Florida. Not to mention the Panthers have former Devils Scott Clemmensen (who'll almost surely play a role in this series sooner or later) and John Madden on their side in this series. Plus the Panthers' last trip to the playoffs in 2000 was cut short thanks to a sweep by the eventual Stanley Cup champ Devils. We also have former Panthers Steve Bernier and Ryan Carter - picked up off waivers early this season.

However, this series will be determined on-ice. To that end, I'm not going to lie. Despite the seeding and the Devils' own lack of recent playoff success, they should beat the Panthers. After years of hearing complaining and moaning from Devil fans about how we always got the worst matchup the last few years, there are no excuses this time. Offensively, the Devils are clearly a deeper team as evidenced by their 216 goals this season, 21 more than the Panthers. While we have three 30-goal scorers and two other twenty-goal scorers, the Panthers' leading scorer is Tomas Fleischmann, who paced the team in both goals (27) and points (61)...ten goals and twenty-two points fewer than Devils' leading scorer Ilya Kovalchuk.

Defensively, the Devils have also allowed 14 fewer goals than the Panthers (195-209) with a tremendous improvement in our second-half play compared to the first half of the season. And in goal, we have future HOF'er Martin Brodeur, while their goaltending situation is a bit unsettled after starter Jose Theodore lost his last seven games before the playoffs - and Clemmensen won two out of three down the stretch with the only blemish being a SO loss at Detroit. Not to mention despite our own lack of success in the postseason, we still have more experience than the Panthers as a whole, and DeBoer certainly has been around the block more than former NHL'er Kevin Dineen has - as a coach anyway.

Given all that, you would think I'm making the case it will be an easy series. Not so, especially if you watched the teams' four matchups this season. Of those, I attended two and watched one of the Florida games and saw just how closely the Panthers played us in each game. Yes, the Devils didn't have top centerman Travis Zajac for the majority of the season, and as DeBoer himself pointed out in the postgame last night, it's not a coincidence the Devils are going into the postseason with their longest winning streak of the season now that Zajac's back in the lineup.

Still, the Panthers do present some problems for us - starting in goal. While I have no great fear of Theodore, he was having a nice season until hitting a pothole late. My main fear however, is seeing Clemmensen at some point in the series given that he always gets fired up to play us - evidenced by his 4-0 record with a 2.05 GAA and .937 save percentage in five career starts against the Devils. That includes the two teams' final matchup in February, where Clemmensen made 27 saves including some key ones early as the Panthers eventually shut us down in a dreary 3-1 loss. Florida's blueline can also present problems for us, given the threat guys like vet Brian Campbell (49 assists) and breakout player Jason Garrison (16 goals) can present as well as young Dmitri Kulikov (28 points in 58 games, and recently returned off injury). In fact, Campbell and Garrison are the Panthers' fourth and fifth best point scorers on the season.

However, it's their top three point scorers that may prove to be our biggest issue - Fleischmann, Stephen Weiss and Kris Versteeg. Obviously the Panthers have heard the rap about being a one-line team before, and statistically it's true given the discrepancy between their point totals...61, 57 and 54 respectively, compared to their next highest forward Tomas Kopecky with just 32 in 80 games played. Actually, oft-injured vet Mikael Samuelsson may be their biggest threat up front outside of the top three with 28 points in 48 games. However, for the most part it really is true that if you stop the top line you can shut down the Panthers.

By no means is stopping their top line an easy task this season, though. Certainly it hasn't been for us, as the Devils gave up seven goals to that line in just four games, including all four in the teams' dubious first game this season in late November. That night, the Devils took a 3-0 lead in DeBoer's return to Florida, only to lose the lead in regulation, as Fleischmann scored the tie-breaking goal with just over two minutes left to give the Devils their worst loss of the season in many ways. New Jersey doesn't exactly have the shutdown defensemen of seasons past, though Bryce Salvador has been a revelation in his return to the lineup this season after missing all of last year due to injury. Not to mention Marek Zidlicky has played top-pairing minutes and also been a huge addition since we acquired him just before the trading deadline - and well after our season series with the Panthers ended.

Ironically, while the Panthers as a team don't have as much playoff experience as the Devils, many of their individual players do given that guys like Campbell, Versteeg and Kopecky were part of the Blackhawks' championship team just two summers ago and were imported by ex-Hawks GM Dave Tallon to give a young team some veteran stability, along with ex-Wing Samuelsson and of course, Madden who was a late-season addition and only played in the Panthers' final game against us. Weiss is the team's longest-tenured Panther, having been around for each of the team's playoff-less seasons before now. However, after breaking their decade plus long playoff drought, and winning their first-ever division title, the Panthers will clearly be pumped up to go into the postseason despite their recent string of losses to bad teams that nearly derailed their postseason train entirely.

I admit I kind of rolled my eyes when the crowd at the Rock started chanting 'We want the Cup!' as the final seconds ticked down on the regular season. I was just thinking to myself, I'd take a first-round win and not embarassing ourselves in the second round this year, even that's more than we've done since 2003 and would represent progress - though guys like Brodeur and Patrik Elias don't have many chances left. And captain Zach Parise may not be around for next season. So in some ways there is urgency to get things done in the playoffs this year. And with a beatable Panthers team coupled by an intriguing East draw where the 7-8 seeds have winning records this season against the 1-2 seeds, and the 4-5 series will be a war, you never know who could wind up making a deep run in the playoffs. Why not us?

I'll say we win this series in 6, finally giving us a series win at the Rock...if we don't at least win this series, there'll be major reprecussions on more than one front, especially since this is by far our deepest team of the last few years. Florida's happy to be here, but the Devils need to do more than show up and punch out after less than two weeks this time around.

First Round Schedule:
Friday, April 13, 2012: Devils at Florida, 7 p.m.
Sunday, April 15, 2012: Devils at Florida, 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, April 17, 2012: Florida at Devils, 7 p.m.
Thursday, April 19, 2012: Florida at Devils, 7 p.m.
*Saturday, April 21, 2012: Devils at Florida, 6:30 p.m.
*Tuesday, April 24, 2012: Florida at Devils, TBD
*Thursday, April 26, 2012: Devils at Florida, TBD

Devils locked in at six seed, will play Southeast champs in the playoffs

After eighty-one games and with one day left in the NHL season, all sixteen playoff teams have been decided. That sweet sixteen includes the Devils, who now know they will be the #6 seed in the East and play the Southeast division champs when the playoffs begin next Wednesday. Whether that team is the Caps or Panthers won't be determined until late Saturday night though, hours after the Devils play their final game of the regular season against an Ottawa team that can finish either seventh or eighth - also depending on the Caps and Panthers results later on.

With a five-game winning streak heading into Fan Appreciation Day tomorrow, the Devils are going into the playoffs on the right note, and have accomplished every reachable milestone in the season's final week - capped off last night by their first win in Detroit since 1996. New Jersey's 2-1 win over the Wings also gave Martin Brodeur his 30th victory of the season, as he set an NHL record by reaching that milestone for the fourteenth time, breaking a tie with boyhood idol Patrick Roy. Petr Sykora's game-winning goal in the third period gave the revived winger his 20th of the season, the eleventh time in his career he's hit that mark. And as a team, the Devils reached the 100-point plateau for the eleventh time in franchise history, no small feat in the NHL's toughest division.

Yes, you can say none of that matters come the middle of next week, but at least the team goes into the playoffs feeling good about itself. Confidence is something this team needs, after its one-year hiatus from the playoffs last year and three straight one and dones before that. Whether the opponent turns out to be Washington or Florida (still needing a point gained or a point lost by the Caps to wrap up its first-ever division title), the first series will provide its own set of challenges. At least the Devils have a realistic chance to advance this time around though, for the first time since the ill-fated Carolina series of 2009.

In some ways, I'd prefer opening on the road - given the Devils' poor home playoff record since moving to Newark (just 3-7, though a cynic might say three of those losses against the Rangers weren't real home games). Even if the Devils' road playoff record has been worse since the lockout. This year's team seems to have a toughness lacking in some of the past few seasons - evidenced by how they responded to slumps, the number of games they've come back in and how they've managed to fix issues that plagued them earlier in the season...from an alarming power play that couldn't score and gave up goals by the hatful, to bad third periods, and adding depth to the bottom two forward lines.

While the schedule won't be announced until probably early Sunday morning after all matchups have been set late Saturday night, odds are given the way the playoffs are spaced out the Devils will be playing Games 3 and 4 at home on Sunday and Tuesday. Mainly because the temporary co-tenant NBA Nets will be playing at home Monday and Wednesday, making that choice a seemingly easy one for the NHL. Figure on a Wednesday-Friday start, whether the series opens in Florida or DC. Odds still favor that matchup being the Panthers, despite their five-game losing streak. All they need is one point against the Hurricanes tomorrow, or one point lost by the Caps against the Rangers to win the division. And clearly Florida will be more relaxed now that they have broken their postseason jinx - clinching despite a loss in DC due to a Flyer win over the Sabres last night.

Elsewhere in the East, the Rangers will be the top seed and are still playing for the President's Trophy tomorrow, the Bruins are locked in at #2, and the Civil War of Pennsylvania is confirmed as the 4-5 series of death between the Penguins and Flyers. A series ratcheted up by the teams' donnybrook in Pittsburgh last weekend, which led to a screaming match between Flyers coach Pete Laviolette and the Penguins' staff. Ironically, the Rangers have their own issues with the NHL's golden children now after Brooks Orpik's contreversial knee-on-knee hit with Derek Stepan. One thing you have to say about this Atlantic Division, it's no-holds barred warfare.

Out west, Vancouver's trying to hold off the Blues - proud champions of a Central division nearly as tough as the Atlantic, which could also have four hundred-point teams. Perhaps the only thing seperating the two divisions is the fact the last-place Islanders have still had a much better year than the Central's cellar-dwelling Blue Jackets. Erroneously, the home-and-home series between the Kings and Sharks in the Pacific has been labeled as a division showdown. It may wind up being that, but Dave Tippett's Coyotes (one point back of both teams, with a game in hand tonight) could have something to say about that too. While every playoff team out West has been decided, none of the seeds are locked in.

Despite the lack of sudden-death urgency tomorrow when all 30 NHL teams will close out the regular season, at least there'll be plenty of movement seeding-wise, especially in the West. And the local teams will finally know who they get to play in the first round (the Rangers would play either the Southeast loser or Ottawa). I'll probably rap out my playoff preview early next week, once the matchup is set. Hope everyone has a good holiday weekend!

Tort blows gasket on Orpik hit, Pens

John Tortorella didn't take too kindly to a Brooks Orpik knee on knee hit that injured Derek Stepan during tonight's 5-2 loss to the Pens. With under five minutes left and the Rangers trailing by two, Stepan who moments earlier took a clean hit and delivered one of his own tried to skate by Orpik at the Pittsburgh blueline. Unfortunately, as he was making his move the right knee was caught by the Pens' bruising defenseman. Orpik was tossed out of the game for a kneeing major, which is an automatic review by the league. I don't believe there was intent to injure. Just an unlucky play.

Tortorella fumed during a terse postgame, labeling the hit as "cheap and dirty." He then went on to rip the Pittsburgh organization, basically pointing out if the shoes were reversed, they'd whine about it while referencing Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, who both have come under fire recently. Both were involved post-whistle during the Flyer game last weekend that finished ugly due to Dan Bylsma sticking out his fourth line with the outcome decided. A clear message, which isn't supposed to happen. Not coincidentally, energizer Joe Vitale nailed Daniel Briere with a clean hit that injured him, causing two fights and a reaction from Peter Laviolette we don't usually see with the vet coach climbing the railing screaming obscenities at Bylsma, who let Tony Granato do his bidding.

During the same game, Vitale accidentally had a knee on knee hit on Flyer defenseman Niklas Grossmann, who remains questionable for the first round against those Pens. It's hard to come down on a fourth liner like Vitale who plays the game the right way. However, superstar teammates Crosby and Malkin in particular do get away with a lot post-whistle. So, it's easy to see Tort's point about the organization's hypocrisy. Given how Matt Cooke has transformed himself into a clean player, it's hard to believe his more successful teammates are the guys Flyer assistant coach Craig Berube called the dirtiest players on the Pens. If you follow their games, they push the envelope. I don't take issue with Crosby but could do without soon to be Hart recipient Malkin's repeated two-handers and cross checks which disrespect the game.

Whether I would've went off about what looked like an accident is another story altogether. Tortorella should've stopped short of going after the Pens, leaving the focus on Stepan's recovery. A positive was that he was able to skate to the bench but the Rangers were cautious, not using him at the end of the game. Hopefully, the second-year pivot will be alright for next week's first round.

High anxiety coming to MSG

It's been quite some time since there were meaningful games at Madison Square Garden. No. We're not talking about a .500 Knicks squad that's trying to make the NBA playoffs without it's starting point guard and power forward. This also isn't like the Rangers squeaking in and then teasing us. For once anyway, MSG's hockey club has made this a great season thus far, exceeding expectations.

Not in my wildest dreams did I see the Blueshirts winning the league's toughest division let alone clinching the top seed for next week's tournament. I still find myself questioning if it's real. New York Rangers. 2011-12 Atlantic Division Champs is unfamiliar territory. At least to many younger Garden Faithful who weren't around when a Curse was lifted. It's unfair to draw comparisons between that team chalk full of Hall Of Famers and this one, who even with Brad Richards' addition were picked to finish anywhere from fourth to eighth by experts.

So here we are with Game 81 against the big bad Penguins kinda meaningless. Unless you're John Tortorella who intends to play the final two hard like the other 80 that got his team in this position. The Rangers find themselves tied with the Canucks for the NHL lead with 109 points, challenging for the President's Trophy. Both have two left. Home ice throughout the playoffs could come in handy. But I can't think that far ahead. I'm more locked in on right now, which really is who will it be. The Caps, Sabres or even the Panthers. For now, we'll just have to wait and see. I don't have a preference. If you earn the No.1 spot as the Blueshirts have, it shouldn't matter who they face. It's up to them to protect their territory and use it to their advantage.

Maybe that seems a bit cocky but not in the least. One thing the playoffs have shown is that home ice isn't what it used to be. Don't take it for granted. That's my message for these Rangers, who have followed the team mantra Play The Right Way. As captain Ryan Callahan said the other night, this is what you play for. Henrik Lundqvist made sure to point out that it doesn't really mean anything if they don't move forward. It's about remembering the bad taste they've had the past couple of times they've made the postseason. If it's the Caps, there will be a daily reminder.

This year, the Blueshirts want to be taken seriously. Well, if they didn't have your attention before, they certainly have it now. Marian Gaborik is playing the best hockey of his career, delivering big goals and two-way hockey that would make Gordon Bombay proud. In Year Three on Broadway, he's gotten his nose dirty, which is what's required when the competition picks up. It took Richards a while to settle in and find chemistry with Gaborik but now that he has, they've teamed with tenacious rookie Carl Hagelin to form a dynamic line. Hagelin is the one you didn't see coming. The classic overachiever who makes good. Another Red Berenson product who will do anything to win.

Speaking of which, you can't bring up that in your face style without mentioning Captain Cally, who already has taken the mantle and run with it in his first year as captain. Nobody plays harder, gives more than the Rochester kid who leads by example. We're lucky to have him. If only he could get through between now and Wednesday to buddy Brandon Dubinsky. Duby's just as important if they're to go anywhere this Spring. So too is Artem Anisimov, who shows flashes of brilliance like his end to end power play goal the other night that killed the Flyers. Whoever Tortorella chooses to play with Derek Stepan better be ready because that's the line who must provide secondary scoring to relieve pressure on our horses.

On the back end, Dan Girardi has been the backbone logging significant minutes while successfully teaming with sophomore Ryan McDonagh, who is scary good for his age. I'll never comprehend what Bob Gainey saw parting with the former Badger in the Scott Gomez trade. One which will continue to be brought up in these parts for a long time. The instincts he has are rare. Anticipating where to be defensively, which makes him difficult on the game's best while knowing when to go so he can score and set up goals like Tuesday.

While the play of Danny G and McD have been crucial, Mike Del Zotto's resurgence and Marc Staal's return have been a big boost. Without Del Zotto's skill that's produced his first 10-goal, 40-point season, our blueline would lack a playmaking D. Even if he does drive us a bit crazy with his penchant for passing, it would be unwise to overlook his contributions. Del Zotto's recent two-goal, three-point game came at the right time which can only benefit the Rangers. They need him to be a factor. As for Staal, it's been a rollercoaster since returning for the Winter Classic. Some nights, he looks great while others, he struggles which is to be expected. Lately, Marc's played better which is a big piece to the puzzle. Since being paired with Anton Stralman, he's stepped up his play. Offensively and defensively, Staal's improving. The true test comes in the second season.

What's made this year so special is that the Rangers are a T-E-A-M. From stars such as Lundqvist, Gaborik and Richards to ultimate warriors like Brian Boyle, Brandon Prust, Ruslan Fedotenko and Stu Bickel, they are a complete roster who doesn't get by on talent. Rather effort, which has earned them the 51-22-7 record they bring into Pittsburgh tonight. When rivals have challenged them, they've stood up and excelled. This team plays better when the chips are down. If opponents want to run roughshod with our stars, expect a Prust, Bickel or Mike Rupp to be heard from.

Winning in the regular season is not easy but it's definitely not as challenging as the postseason. To have the ultimate success and bring home the franchise's first Stanley Cup in 18 years, they'll have to battle hard against whoever stands in the way. It's who's mentally and physically ready to win those battles that determines the outcome. Our Blueshirts get their jerseys dirty, sacrificing arms and legs to succeed. The hitting will be ferocious and so will the shot blocking that's become an art at Penn Station for a club that doesn't know the word quit. Boyle, Callahan, Girardi and McDonagh will do whatever it takes. So will Prust, who the coach must make sure he gives enough shifts to.

All year, Lundqvist has been the rock between the pipes. Whether he beats out Jon Quick for the Vezina pales in comparison to what he wants. Fair or unfair, King Henrik's won only two playoff rounds. Both came with No.68 and a D that wasn't as good as the current group. Outside of the five-game ouster of the Devils in '09, he's yet to really steal a series. We're not saying he has to be brilliant. These Rangers are stronger than the previous rosters who were only good enough for maybe a round. Hank only needs to emulate the performance in Philadelphia where he made money stops. He must be the difference. If he is, it's hard to see us losing early.

No doubt the pressure is on beginning next week. For True Blue like myself and the other blueseaters, this is what we live for. You're damn right there'll be high anxiety once the first puck is dropped. Are you ready?

Devils lose Josefson to injury - again

Last night's 3-1 win over the Islanders that clinched no less than the 6th seed for the Devils and gave them their fourth win in six games against their Long Island neighbors was marred by the news that young Swede Jacob Josefson fractured his wrist and would be gone at least 4-6 weeks, which is likely going to be the rest of the season including playoffs. While this is hardly the first time Josefson's been hurt - also missing 37 games with a broken clavicle earlier this year and 30 games last year with a detached ligament in his hand - in some ways this was the most discouraging. Apparently Josefson got hurt on a play where he didn't so much collide with Jay Pandolfo as he did bump into him. I'm sorry, when you break a bone on Pandolfo, that's about as brittle as can be.

Not to mention Josefson had been playing the best hockey of his young career before getting hurt, and had given the Devils a fourth line they could roll out consistently and actually get plus production from it for the first time in years. At this point though, you really have to wonder if the pivotman will ever stay healthy. In a contact sport, you can't be getting injured by guys who barely swat a fly - no offense to Jay (a long-time beloved Devil, and certainly did nothing wrong on the play), but the next hard check I see from him will be his first.

With Josefson done, what will coach Pete DeBoer do? Behind door number one is the garbage already on the NHL roster known as one-dimensional goons Eric Boulton and Cam Janssen, who shouldn't be anywhere closer to the ice than the press box during the playoffs. Door number two is guys who have shuttled between here and Albany all season like Brad Mills, Steve Zalewski and Tim Sestito. Those options aren't exactly appealing either, although I wouldn't mind another look at Zalewski, who wasn't terrible in his two games and did play double-digit minutes. Also, there's door number three, which is play a guy like Peter Harrold (who's been playing well on defense) at forward and have a de facto 11 forward, 7 defenseman lineup. You can't really start double-shifting Ilya Kovalchuk and Zach Parise in the playoffs though, especially with how much icetime they've logged this year on the whole and with the threat of multi-OT games.

Then finally, there's door number four which DeBoer has been loath to even step near this year - Vladimir Zharkov. Yes, the young Russian hasn't been able to provide much offensively but he's so much better at every other aspect of the game than the other guys who would be playing on the fourth line it's not even funny. And he has more potential offensively than any of them too. For some reason however, the Jacques Lemaire favorite has barely gotten a look under DeBoer, with one short-term callup earlier this season and no actual game action. The excuse that you need a physical presence on the fourth line no longer flies considering you're trying to replace a non-physical presence in Josefson anyway. Not to mention you just cannot be playing goons on the fourth line that barely belong in the AHL, let alone an NHL playoff game.

Aside from the bad news on Josefson, the Devils did manage to lock up at least the 6th seed last night, due to their win and Ottawa's regulation loss to Carolina. There's still a chance the Devils could move up to 5 and play the Pens in the first round, if the Flyers lose to Buffalo and Pittsburgh in regulation, while we beat Detroit and Ottawa. It could happen since Buffalo will need the game after their miraculous revival from the dead against the Leafs, and the Pens will be looking to send a message after their brawl-filled loss last weekend if they do play the Flyers in the playoffs. Not to mention the teams we're playing have little motivation themselves. Detroit could still get home-ice in the first round but don't seem as if they care about that with their play in recent weeks and Ottawa's already said they'll be resting guys since they're locked into the #7 seed.

If we do finish with the #6 seed, we didn't get any closer to finding out who the #3 would be after the Panthers' amazing choke job against Winnipeg at home last night - losing a 3-0 lead and dropping a point in OT that would have clinched their first playoff berth in a decade and their first division title ever. That result left the Panthers still needing one point the rest of the way to win the division, or having the Caps lose a point in their final two games. That could set up an interesting scenario Thursday in DC, where the Caps need a regulation win over Florida to have any shot at the division but can't do something drastic like pull the goalie at the end of regulation to go for it and risk losing both points because the Sabres are on their ninth life and still breathing down the Caps' necks for the eighth seed.

To sum it up, if the Devils win their last two and the Flyers lose two in regulation, the Devils get the 5th seed and play at Pittsburgh in the first round. Any other result guarantees the Devils the 6th seed and either Florida or Washington, depending on how they sort things out Thursday and potentially Saturday. The monkey in the room right now (that isn't quite a gorilla yet) is it won't benefit the Devils to win if the Flyers keep losing. Not if you have to face a recent Stanley Cup champ and an excellent team like the Pens in the first round.

That's not to say the Southeast winner would be a layup, especially if it turns out to be the Caps, who have a returning (from injury) Nicklas Backstrom. However, with the way we looked against a healthy Pens team the last couple of times we played, I'd prefer not to go down that road so early. If we can't beat the Caps or Panthers in the first round, we wouldn't beat anyone else anyway. This team needs to get some confidence in the postseason and win a playoff round for the first time in five years. Unfortunately, that task just got a little harder without Josefson.

Rangers wrap it up versus Cheesesteaks

Henrik Lundqvist is congratulated by Dan Girardi and Marc Staal after making 37 saves in the Rangers' 5-3 win over the Flyers that wrapped up the East's No.1 seed for the first time since '93-94.

The Flyers made it interesting late. But a four-goal first period onslaught proved too large for Philly to overcome. Ryan McDonagh, Brian Boyle, Artem Anisimov, Ryan Callahan and Marian Gaborik all scored as the Rangers wrapped up the East's top spot with a 5-3 victory- sweeping the Flyers for the first time in regular season history.


For the first time in 18 years, the Rangers will finish first in the conference. With two games left, they're still challenging Vancouver and St. Louis for the league's best record. At the moment, the Blueshirts' record of 51-22-7 for 109 points is two better than the Canucks, who have come back to tie up the Ducks after two periods. Meanwhile, the Blues trail by three. The final two won't be easy with a visit to Pittsburgh Thursday and then a pivotal match Saturday at MSG against potential first round opponent Washington. A lot depends on what happens when the Caps host the Panthers, who with a point tonight in a 5-4 overtime loss to Winnipeg, need only one point to clinch their first Southeast title. Washington also knows the pressure's on thanks to a miraculous come from behind win by Buffalo, who got a little help from the refs in a crazy 6-5 overtime triumph.

While that all gets sorted out, the Rangers can take solace knowing they were the East's best team during the regular season. Whether that translates to the postseason remains to be seen. As they found out tonight, no lead is safe and no game is over until the final buzzer. Even against a bitter rival they've dominated. With the 5-3 win, the Blueshirts won all six meetings against the Flyers, outscoring them 27-11. Still, Philadelphia put up a better fight after unraveling in a sloppy first where our team took full advantage of every Flyer mistake.

“I love this, what a season,” former Conn Smythe winner Brad Richards beamed following a two assist effort giving him nine points (1-8-9) over the past six. “This is a great time of year. Yes, it’s going to be a grind, it always is, but we have a good team here, and we have the right pieces in place. It’s up to us.”

McDonagh got it started with a perfect pinch to finish off a Gaborik feed from behind the net for his first goal in 25 games. The play was made possible due to Carl Hagelin's hustle. After falling down, he wisely pushed the puck behind the net where Richards worked it to an isolated Gaborik, who quickly found an unguarded McDonagh for his seventh. A momentum swing came after ultimate warrior Brandon Prust didn't like Zac Rinaldo's antics against Gaborik. Prusty came off the bench and went with Rinaldo, beating him. I guess the Flyers didn't watch the tape of the line brawl. Our team plays better when opponents take liberties. Soon after, McDonagh set up Brian Boyle for his 10th. His third in five and fourth over the last seven.

Following a silly fight in which Mike Rupp got beat badly by Jody Shelley, the Flyers lost their discipline. First, Jaromir Jagr took an unnecessary hooking penalty in the offensive zone drawn by Anisimov, who ironically scored the third goal of the period in highlight reel fashion. He took a Dan Girardi pass inside the blueline and blew past Flyer defenders before going forehand deke on Ilya Bryzgalov. While making his move, Marc-Andre Bourdon hooked him and after finishing, an errant Pavel Kubina high-stick drew blood, leading to a double minor and five-on-three. Having had success once at Wachovia with three power play goals, the Rangers were on their way to duplicating it when Callahan got to a loose rebound in front and chipped it past Bryzgalov for his career best 29th from Brad Richards and Derek Stepan.

When the period ended, the usually boisterous Philly crowd was stunned. That also included a frustrated Wayne Simmonds, who couldn't believe his luck when Henrik Lundqvist flat out robbed him on the doorstep during a Flyer power play. Even though he allowed three, Lundqvist was outstanding with his stellar netminding ultimately the difference between the two teams. The Flyers never quit, making life difficult the last two periods. Lundqvist stood tall due to eight power plays, including a preposterous call on Callahan after Simmonds punched him. He finished with 37 saves with many off quality chances.

Part of the Flyers' strategy was to play dirty. Not literally. But there were a lot of extracurricular stuff after the whistle and even during play. They went after our captain, who gave it right back. The Simmonds undetected rough on Callahan ticked me off because somehow, the refs called it on our guy, who really did nothing except accentuate it. Perhaps it was an unsportsmanlike conduct. But Simmonds and teammate Max Talbot did everything they could to take our team off their game. Eventually, it worked cause the second period was ugly and third even uglier. That played more to Philly's style. A late hit from Brayden Schenn on Marc Staal during an icing gave us an opportunity to bury them. Instead, a Richards trip swung the momentum.

Soon after a Flyer power play expired, Jakub Voracek's second try was rewarded when his shot went off Staal's skate past Lundqvist, ending the shutout. It was his third goal over two with the ex-Jacket also notching a pair in their win over the Penguins. A Hagelin penalty put the hosts right back on the power play but they couldn't cash due in part to a sprawling Lundqvist, who robbed Claude Giroux. Even though they didn't capitalize, the Flyers came in waves, pinning the Rangers in and forcing Henrik to come up with tough stops. Their momentum stalled when Talbot got into it with Gaborik, getting sent to the sin bin for a high-stick, which really was a rough. Gabby made him pay thanks to a great keep by Staal, who then dished across to Anton Stralman, who also made a great play at the point to keep it alive before finding Gaborik all alone in the slot for his 41st. An absolute cannon that Bryzgalov had no chance on. Gaborik needs one to match his career high and two to pass it with two games to go.

“It feels good to beat them again, and complete the deal,” Gaborik noted following another big night with a goal and an assist, extending his point streak to six. “With the Winter Classic and all, we’ve been kind of linked together with them for a while.”

However, a Girardi hold with 13 seconds left got the Flyers back in it quickly when Simmonds jammed home a Giroux rebound with less than seven seconds remaining, cutting the deficit to 5-2. On the play, he won a faceoff to Kimmo Timonen and then one-timed a shot which a sliding Lundqvist somehow got a piece of, twisting around. But Simmonds got to the loose change for his 28th. 

The rest of the game saw our team hand the Flyers chances with uncharacteristic play. As Staal noted after clinching, they sat back too much which isn't how they want to play. Something that Callahan repeated in an interview with John Giannone. Stu Bickel went at Simmonds and picked up an additional two that put Philadelphia on another power play. They were dangerous all night despite technically only scoring once in eight tries. Lundqvist bailed his teammates out time and time again with money saves. This was the kind of game that if you didn't watch, you figured it hurt his Vezina chances against shutout leader Jon Quick. But the Flyers were all over him and he answered the bell every time.

Another bench minor (way too many lately) gave the Flyers more momentum. Sure. They didn't score with our PK getting the job done. But again, all the special teams killed us and allowed them to dictate. Giroux was everywhere. It seemed like he never left the ice. He wound up with three assists including his 64th on an innocent looking Andreas Lilja shot that must've changed direction because it was changed to Scott Hartnell, who now has a ridiculous 37 goals. Not bad for a super pest who is a royal pain to play against. People forget that the ex-Pred was a first round pick. He's been the Flyers' emotional leader as evidenced during the Pens game where he mocked someone during the circus who looked like Hulk Hogan's brother. Pretty comical.

With still 9:14 remaining, the Flyers threw the kitchen sink at Lundqvist but he never buckled. Not even after he came up hobbled on Simmonds' goal when he made that crazy dive. One thing about King Henrik. He's a lot tougher than he looked and absolutely hates giving up goals and losing. If this is going to be our year, he'll have to continue to be the man when it all starts for real.

“There were times where I wanted to say, `I’m outta here.’ But I got through it,” he said after establishing a new career high with his 39th win. “We’ll see how it is in a couple of days, see how it feels. Hopefully, I’ll be ready to go, but it was tough.”

If John Tortorella decides to give his horse tomorrow off against Pittsburgh, nobody would complain. Even if the Canucks shot their way past the Ducks to tie us.

“It’s been a long year for these guys, but they deserve the No. 1 seed,” Tortorella praised. “Now, in a couple of days, things will change. But I know our guys are excited for that.”

BONY 3 Stars:

3rd Star-Claude Giroux, Phi (3 assists-62, 63, 64, 3 SOG, 4 hits, 13-9 on draws in 27:13)
2nd Star-Ryan McDonagh, NYR (7th of season, assist, five hits, two blocked shots in 28:13)
1st Star-Henrik Lundqvist, NYR (37 saves, incl. 13/14 in 3rd-career best 39th win)

Henrik Lundqvist - Because It's The Cup

  

Another new tease of the new NHL 2012 Stanley Cup slogan Because It's The Cup featuring our Vezina candidate, Henrik Lundqvist. Top three in wins (38), shutouts (8), goals against average (1.92) and save percentage (.932), King Henrik looks to establish a new career best in victories for a regular season when he faces the Flyers tonight. It'll be his 10th consecutive start as the Blueshirts aim for the East's top spot and continue to battle the Canucks and Blues for the President's Trophy. 

Rangers - Because It's The Cup

                     

The NHL is advertising their new 2012 Stanley Cup slogan, Because It's The Cup. With the playoffs a week away, here is what the Rangers looks like. Seems pretty accurate. Our team plays for the logo and not for what's on the back of the jersey. They represent New York City with a hard nosed, rugged approach which New Yorkers identify with. Led by Ryan Callahan and Dan Girardi, the Rangers look to make their first significant run since 1997. With a win over the Flyers in Philadelphia, they can clinch the East's No.1 seed.

Blueshirt Notes

This is just a list of things I wanted to comment on regarding last night's loss to the Bruins.

BLUESHIRT NOTES

-The Bruins played like champs. They've been playing much better lately and served notice. Don't forget they'll be the 2nd seed and likely draw the Sens.

-Marc Staal had one of his better games, looking more confident with and without the puck. He was involved offensively, leading the rush and made smart decisions. He has played well since a sitdown with Tort.

-Anton Stralman continues to play with Staal on the third pair with Steve Eminger out and Tim Erixon sitting. While I do get the reason Tort wants a more experienced guy in in the puckmoving Stralman who's been working harder defensively, I hope he keeps an open mind about Erixon, who did nothing wrong since his recall.

-The way Artem Anisimov played yesterday is how he must play all the time. There are too many nights when you barely notice him. Artie is too talented for that. It's up to him, Brandon Dubinsky and Derek Stepan if we're to make a deep run.

-The Rangers got owned in the circle with the Bruins doubling us up 32-16. Most of it was Patrice Bergeron (17-2), who won more than half his team's draws. Sick. Faceoffs are so important in the playoffs because it allows you to have puck possession and dictate. Our team chased the puck too much.

-Most games are going to be like that when it all starts in 10 or 11 days. Playing the Flyers, Pens and potential Round One foe Washington is good preparation. It'd be nice to clinch in Philly tomorrow and sweep. Just don't expect it to be easy. Flyers are playing much better and just beat Pittsburgh twice. How about our team send a message to the Pens on Thursday. Pitt's taken the last three meetings.

-At times, Ryan Callahan looked like the only one playing. When our team was dead in its tracks, there was Captain Cally who also took home the Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award, playing his butt off that included one inspiring shift that woke everyone up. He already is a good leader. Having him as captain gives me confidence because he hates losing as much as King Henrik. We can't afford to have lulls when the playoffs begin. As they know, it's a different animal.

-Speaking of Steven McDonald, I really wish I could've caught his speech. I can't remember the last time I missed it. Not being there or even watching it killed me. He is such an inspiration for everyone. A guy who sacrificed for so many. Shot in the line of duty and in a wheel chair. But the enthusiasm and passion he exhibits every year is remarkable. If anything, I want this team to do it for him. It's been a long time since our team was in this position. They better put on the hard hats and go to work. It's high time the Rangers are the big story over all the nonsense that gets covered in this town. Outside of the Giants, our team's the best story. Play like you WANT it!

-For what it's worth, I voted for Dan Girardi cause without him, there is no season. The unbelievable effort he's put in when Staal was sidelined and our D was in shreds, is what defines a New York Ranger. Danny G deserved to win. It's easy to vote Callahan because he exemplifies everything that's right about the sweater. I love Captain Cally but it would've been nice to see Girardi recognized cause we all know he won't even finish in the top 5 for the Norris.

Thomas, Bruins spoil the party

It was all there for the taking. Earlier in the day, the Penguins had lost to the Flyers 6-4 in gruesome fashion, blowing a two-goal lead and giving up five straight before a chaotic end thanks to Dan Bylsma's boneheaded move. I guess it's okay when his team dishes it out. I have plenty of thoughts on another message sending incident when the outcome was decided. Of course, Bylsma doesn't expect to hear from the NHL. Why would he or any other Pen when they got Mario Lemieux? Some league.

Be that as it may, the Rangers went into last night needing one point to wrap up the East's top seed and home ice for the first three rounds. However, Tim Thomas and the Bruins had other ideas- upstaging the party with a convincing 2-1 win at MSG. They bounced back with a strong second, riding goals from Dennis Seidenberg and do everything leader Patrice Bergeron, whose power play goal stood up as Boston finally got a win versus our team.

Initially, the Blueshirts came out strong taking the play to a weary Boston club who played the night before. That included a highlight reel Marian Gaborik opening goal for his 40th in which he got to a loose puck and blew by Zdeno Chara, neatly going five-hole on Thomas. It's been by far Gabby's best year on Broadway due to how hard he competes in all facets. He's a more complete player, doing whatever it takes to help this team win. If it means scoring ugly, he has. If it means blocking shots or coming back hard defensively, Gaborik has done it. He really has bought in, which is encouraging. We're going to need a big postseason from our offensive leader. Right now, the chemistry he and Brad Richards finally have along with Carl Hagelin make them a dynamic trio. The game breaking speed, skill and grit is something to behold.

While much of the focus will be on them, the newly constructed Brian Boyle line with Brandon Dubinsky and Ryan Callahan just might provide more balance as could a third line of Derek Stepan, Artem Anisimov and Ruslan Fedotenko. They all generated chances, including a dominant shift from the Stepan line early that had the Bruins pinned in for a good minute, leading to cheers. In the second, Anisimov also had a great opportunity to make it two when he took a Marc Staal feed and coasted past Boston defenders. But his deke went off the post, proving to be a turning point.

If the first 10 minutes were controlled by the Rangers, the middle portion was all Bruins as they adjusted well. So much of how these teams play is based on the neutral zone. Boston owned it for much of the night and was able to get their aggressive forecheck going. Henrik Lundqvist (19 saves) didn't face a ton of shots but made some key stops that kept us ahead after the first. In the middle stanza, Julien's scrappy bunch turned up the physicality with Brad Marchand, Milan Lucic and Chara stemmind the tide. They'd already begun to come on late in the first. The B's possess bigger, stronger players that can wreak havoc. Marchand in particular was outstanding, creating chances just off the combination of speed and grit. He really is a good player as is big bruise Lucic, who drives you batty with his smashmouth style.

On the tying goal, it was the work of Chara that caused a problem. He had already taken over the game by getting more involved, transitioning from D to offense in a jiffy. It's amazing what big Zdeno is capable of. His reach is so scary. And he floats out there. Not literally of course. Chara got the puck in and everyone went to him, forgetting about Seidenberg who used a moving Bergeron screen to beat Lundqvist high glove. He didn't pick it up until it was too late. Once they leveled it, Boston came hard with their cycle, banging everyone. One sequence saw Mike Del Zotto muscled off the puck by Lucic while Looch also threw his weight around on Callahan, sending our captain flying. When he plays like that, it is a sight to see. There also was a dumb penalty later which Anton Stralman suckered him into when our team was down. But predictably, the power play reverted.

With the game tied, Del Zotto picked up the first penalty for interference. It looked like our PK was up to the task but an unfortunate sequence led to Bergeron beating Lundqvist on a stuff-in. The play was symbolic of how much the Bruins dictated. They got the puck in and three of our guys couldn't move it out. That included a sprawling dive by Ryan McDonagh to deny a chance. But the puck stayed in the corner to Lundqvist's right. Bergeron was outnumbered but Dan Girardi made a foolish decision trying to move it up the middle. A Bruin got a stick on it deflecting to Bergeron, who stunned Lundqvist with a wrap right through the wickets. Just an awful play all around. Our No.1 D and Vezina candidate beaten by some hustle. Credit Bergeron, who dominated in the faceoff circle going a ridiculous 17-and-2, including 10-for-10 at one point. The guy deserves to win the Selke. He has been tremendous all season. Chalk it up to a bad goal by Lundqvist on a forgettable play.

The Bruins continued to carry the play until a determined Callahan shift with four minutes left in the second woke up his teammates, who followed suit with a strong shift that got the crowd back in it. Boyle, who nearly got into it with the towering Chara, got Shawn Thornton to take a silly penalty with under a minute left, giving the Rangers a power play. He really has played well. Unfortunately, he wasn't used enough on it. If the PP was effective tallying twice against Winnipeg and Montreal (not exactly defensive powerhouses), it was the polar opposite. The ineptitude that included an abbreviated five-on-three thanks to a Lucic interference was mind numbing. Sure. Boston aggressively came after us, which is a good strategy. But simple passes turned into adventures and there was no fluidity. It sucked the life out. Another game where a power play goal could've been the difference between winning and losing. Coincidentally, our team has a great record when they score one. Something like 24-0-1. But we're talking out of 79 games! Gee wiz. Three more games till the playoffs.

Nearly as predictable was that Boston sat on the lead, which led to New York outshooting them 16-3. Even though we had the edge territorially, there wasn't enough grinding necessary to get it tied. Thomas saw every shot and stopped them all except for Gabby's lightning strike way back in the first. Sure. He made some nice sparklers but never had to stand on his head. If our team had gotten traffic in front, there's no doubt the game gets tied. He was letting out rebounds. There also was a funny play where he ventured out and nearly paid for it but calmly backed his way back to glove Stepan's try.

The best chance came with under a minute left with Lundqvist on the bench for an extra skater. Anisimov, who was one of our best forwards all game, had a glorious chance off a broken sequence. The kind where you were expecting them to find a way to tie it. That's how relentless our team was late. Anisimov got to a loose puck from 15 feet away and had the tying goal labeled but Thomas somehow got a pad on it to push it wide. From there, the Bruins held on for the win.

BONY 3 Stars:

3rd Star-Ryan Callahan, NYR (5 SOG, 4 hits, tried to carry team in 23 shifts-21:19)
2nd Star-Zdeno Chara, Bos (assist in 35 dominant shifts-26:36)
1st Star-Patrice Bergeron, Bos (game-winning PPG-22nd of season, 17-2 on draws, +1 in 18:09)

Devils clinch playoff berth in style

Last season is now officially a distant memory for the Devils and their fans, as Jersey’s Team is back in the postseason for the 20th time in 22 seasons with a convincing 5-0 win in Carolina last night. Just like Thursday and much of the season, everyone contributed as Martin Brodeur pitched a shutout and five different Devils scored goals, with each line contributing to the scoresheet. Maybe it was coincidence that the Devils clinched with John MacLean in the building, after his failed stint last year doomed the team to a top four draft pick. It was definitely symbolic as the final exorcism of last season, though.

A process that started last season under Jacques Lemaire has continued this year under Pete DeBoer with a more offensively friendly system. While at times it hasn’t resulted in goals, there are games like the last two where you can see the depth and talent on this team. Honestly, the last time the Devils had three lines that could score and four lines capable of playing NHL hockey was before the lockout. Not to mention Marek Zidlicky giving this team an element from the blueline it hadn’t possessed in a long time. Finally, the Devils have an NHL power play for the first time since 2006 and he’s the most offensively talented defenseman we’ve had since Scott Niedermayer – yes even more so than one of my favorite Devils, Brian Rafalski.

Even with the team’s great second half last season, this year has been a continual evolution for the Devils. Opening Night against the Flyers was about as low as it could get for a first game of the season, given that Philly kicked us all over the rink. Since then however, all of the problems that reared its ugly head at some point this season have been dealt with. Our PP was a nightmare in the first part of the season, but Lou Lamoriello addressed it – first with Kurtis Foster, then with Zidlicky (a much better two-way player). Giving up shorthanded goals was also an epidemic in the first half of the season, however as the PP has gotten better offensively it’s also cleaned up the mistakes on the back end. Melting down in third periods and giving up multi-goal leads was a problem in the first 50 or so games of the season, but I can’t remember the last time that happened either. Faceoffs have been an issue for much of the season, but getting Travis Zajac back has helped in that regard.

Also, the team’s star players have improved (other than Patrik Elias, who has been pretty steady throughout, though he’s faded a bit late) throughout the season. After a nightmarish first half, Brodeur has looked like the old Marty again in the second half, as opposed to an old Marty. New captain Zach Parise really struggled for the first fifteen or twenty games coming off of missing nearly an entire season due to injury, but he’s picked it up and has put together another 30+ goal campaign. Ilya Kovalchuk was giving away pucks left and right in the first two months of the season, but since then has played his best as a Devil both offensively and defensively, all while playing serious PK minutes for the first time in his career and at a relatively new position on the right wing.

Yet, the role players and unsung heroes have been just as much a part of this team as the stars have. No matter the situation, backup goalie Johan Hedberg gives a professional effort – whether he has to start several games in a row due to injury, or sit for multiple weeks when Brodeur’s on a roll, his play has remained constant throughout the whole season. On defense, nobody expected Bryce Salvador to return, let alone be the key presence he’s been for much of the year. Amazingly, Salvador is one of the few Devils to have played every game this season after missing all of last year with concussion-like symptoms due to an inner ear problem. Players like shot-blocking extraordinaire Anton Volchenkov, Mark Fayne and Andy Greene have helped steady a defense that looked unsettled early in the season but has played much better in key spots in the second half, even while teen prodigy Adam Larsson’s had to endure some hard knocks (literally and figuratively) learning on the job this season. Recently, unheralded Peter Harrold has stepped in and done a credible job as the #6 defenseman, as did Matt Taormina before that.

Up front, aside from the big three of Kovy, Parise and Elias, the Devils have gotten surprising contributions on a number of fronts. With Zajac hurt, someone had to step in and fill the void at center, and it turned out to be Adam Henrique, who did a terrific job not only centering Kovy and Parise for much of the season but also becoming an ace on the PK. Although Henrique probably won’t win the Calder trophy, Devil fans can rest assured he’ll be a key man for a long time to come here. Ironically Henrique only got the chance to fill in due to an injury to Jacob Josefson, but since the young Swede has come back, he’s settled in nicely on the fourth line and even added some offense to his game as of late. Unlike fellow second-year players Nick Palmeri (since traded) and Mattias Tedenby, Josefson’s continued to show progress this year.

If Salvador was the best comeback story among players already on the Devils, Petr Sykora was the best story in camp – as the former Devil was a non-roster invitee and not only won a job, but got important goals throughout the season and also helped rejuvenate Elias – who had his best season in at least three years. Czech buddies Sykora and Elias, along with Danius Zubrus combined to form the team’s best line early in the season and the trio has been reunited lately as the playoffs approach.

Even though he’s been here a number of years now, Zubrus has easily had his best season as a Devil this year. Usually the Devils have one or two guys that could play any position and any role and fill in nicely (think Sergei Brylin). Zubrus has become that guy for this current team, playing center, right wing, PP, PK and everywhere from the first line to the third line this season all while chipping in double digit goals. In addition to being a key linemate of Elias and Sykora early in the season, he was also on a very effective line with recent acquisitions Alexei Ponikarovsky and Steve Bernier a few weeks ago.

Ponikarovsky’s another vet who’s come in and found a role here he can excel in, while Bernier’s added much-needed depth to the back two lines. So has Ryan Carter, a waiver pickup early in the season who is one of the few guys that played for coach DeBoer in the past, and Carter even showed a surprising ability to fight in his last couple of games against the Rangers in addition to chipping in with the odd goal or assist to help the offense.

Yet, none of the above has had as surprising or as redeeming a season as has David Clarkson. Before this year Clarkson’s career high in goals was 17 and he hadn’t even been on that level as a player since Zdeno Chara fractured his ankle with a slapshot two and a half years ago. Dismissed as overpaid and a mental midget by most Devil fans (most of whom wanted him traded, I was in the minority in that I didn’t) who would never be able to do anything other than fight, try a wraparound, toe-drag or falling down, Clarkson’s been reborn again under current and former juniors coach DeBoer. Clarkson beat his career high in goals with months to go in the season, and even then it was preposterous he was keeping pace with Kovy and Zach for the team goal lead.

Even though I knew he always had 20-goal talent in him, I didn’t think he would keep that pace up…but he has, all the way to getting his 30th goal last night (and still only three behind Kovy for the team lead) – which turned out to be the playoff clincher for us. Clarkson attributes his uptick in goalscoring to using a shorter stick, as well as some unusual puck luck. Still, he’s played key minutes on the PP, even taking faceoffs there and when you go to the net, good things can happen and they’ve been happening for Clarkson all year. He’s even improved his passing a bit in recent weeks after not being able to spot the opposite end of the rink with a compass for most of his career. Plus I’m sure it helps playing for a coach who believes in you and will use you in key spots. And Clarkson certainly hasn’t abandoned the physical element of his game either, as evidenced by his 100+ PIM’s, he’s just picking and choosing his spots more wisely.

Clarkson’s play is symbolic of the team the Devils have become this season. As our GM would say, your best players have to be your best players and they have. With role players and younger players chipping in, this Devil team has the talent to finally do some damage in the playoffs again. Whether they will is another story, especially with the East getting more muddled by the day. At least now they’re heading in the right direction again as the playoffs approach.