John Tortorella post game presser...



Post game quotes from the great Rick Carpiniello at the Rangers Report...

Henrik Lundqvist:

"If we're in, I think everybody feels that this is a pretty good year. We've been winning a lot of games, we've been pretty consistent, we've been working really hard and it's been a fun year. If we're not in, we can't be satisfied, obviously. The amount of wins is pretty good if you look around the league. Maybe, if a couple more losses into overtime, that would be a big difference."

Chris Drury:

"The biggest thing was that we did get the win, whether I played two shifts or 10 shifts. To me it didn't matter. I just wanted to be here for the win. If it was two shifts or 10 shifts, do whatever I could to help out."

Vinny Prospal:

"I think the biggest thing about this team is the work ethic. Even though this is a really, really young team, the work ethic, the way that people got to know the New York Rangers this year is that they're going to come out, and we may not get the result, but there's not going to be too many games like the one Thursday against Atlanta because we come out hard. We go out and play with a lot of emotion, with a lot of grind in our game. And I think that is the identity of this team, how hard we play. That's what they're going to remember about us this year."

Brandon Dubinsky:

"We came out and did what we wanted to do. Obviously they got the 1-0 and 2-1 lead there, but we stuck to our gameplan, we played the game that we've been playing all year and been successful with and we've got a few to go. We did all we could and we've got to sit and watch, and hope for the best."

Ryan McDonagh on his first NHL goal:

"It made it sweeter that we got the win for sure. It was a good feeling. I've been thnking about it for a long time, when it was going to come. It turned out to be a game winner and it helped the guys out today."

Rangers vs. Devils game highlights...



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The New York Rangers (44-33-5) defeated the New Jersey Devils (37-39-5) by the score of 5-2, today. For a recap and box score go to Yahoo! Sports and newyorkrangers.com.

...i don't think there is any better word to describe this team than resilient. Whenever you think they are down and out, they pick themselves off the canvas and get the job done. And today's game was a microcosm of the entire year. Down early, you think it's all over and they respond quickly. Devils score a back breaking goal at the end of the first and again they respond. I am going to be really upset if this team doesn't get into the playoffs. They've worked so hard all year and earned my respect.

...Captain Clutch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Doesn't get any bigger than that goal to get the Garden crowd right back into it.

...with Gaborik doing his usual vanishing act, it was great to see the secondary scoring from players such as McD, Wolski, Prust and Prospal.

...god I love watching Brodeur get lit up.

...Avery should be happy he didn't play. At least he got a comfortable seat in the press box instead of MZA who sat on the bench for over 56 minutes.

...i don't think Prospal gets excited enough after scoring a goal. ;)

...#1 star in the biggest game of the year for a 21-year old defenseman. How pissed are Montreal fans?

...oh yeah, Let's Go Lightning!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

...and Hank as always there to lead the way.

...god I hope this isn't my last game recap of the season. I'm not ready for it to end.

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Update, 11:54 a.m.:
Torts pre-game presser (via The Blueshirts Blog)



Original Post:
The New York Rangers (43-32-5, 91 pts., 9th in East) host the New Jersey Devils (37-38-5, 79 pts., 12th in East) at MSG today starting at 12:30 p.m. For a preview go to Yahoo! Sports.

Rangers Game Notes

TV: MSG; Radio: 1050AM ESPN Radio, XM 204

Probable Lines:
Prospal-Anisimov-Gaborik
Dubinsky-Stepan-Fedotenko
Wolski-Boyle-Prust
Zuccarello-Christensen-Drury

Staal-Girardi
McDonagh-Sauer
McCabe-Gilroy

Goaltenders:
Henrik Lundqvist - 35-27-5, 2.28 gaa, .923 sv%, 11 so.

Martin Brodeur - 23-25-3, 2.40 gaa, .905 sv%, 6 so.

Opponent Notes:
- Zach Parise, who returned last Saturday from a five-month layoff caused by a knee injury, will not play in either game over the weekend as the decision was made to shut him down.

- Martin Brodeur has a 1.75 goals-against average in his last 28 games and hasn't given up more than three goals in any of them.

- The Devils are 27-10-3 since Jan. 8 which is the best in the East.

- Ilya Kovalchuk scored his 30th goal of the season Wednesday night.

- Patrik Elias has four goals and four assists during an eight-game point-scoring streak.

2010-11 Season Series:
Oct. 24 Rangers 3, Devils 1 at MSG
Nov. 5 Rangers 3, Devils 0 at New Jersey
Dec. 29 Rangers 3, Devils 1 at New Jersey
Feb. 3 Rangers 2, Devils 3 at MSG
Feb. 18 Rangers 0 vs. Devils 1 at New Jersey
April 9 Rangers vs. Devils at MSG

Opponent Blog:
Running With The Devils

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Update, 11:25 a.m.:
Looks like Brooks, as usual, has the inside scoop as Drury, Zuccarello and Gilroy are in while Avery and Steve Eminger are healthy scratches.

Original Post:
Larry Brooks at the New York Post reports that unless Chris Drury's 'scoped left knee swelled up overnight as a consequence of practicing with the club in his seventh straight day on the ice, he is expected to return to the Rangers line-up today against the Devils for the first time since Feb. 3.

Brooks says with the recall of Mats Zuccarello, Sean Avery and Matt Gilroy are the likely scratches.

...this would be shocking. Both Drury and Torts said yesterday he wasn't playing and assistant coach Mike Sullivan said on NHL Live the other day that Drury wouldn't be back until the playoffs if the Rangers made it.

...i hate to questions Brooks because he is known, more than any other beat writer, to have the inside scoop.

...i'd normally be upset with Avery being scratched against a Devils team he notoriously does well against, but Avery isn't Avery anymore and I'd doubt he'd have a positive impact today.

Brooks also says today could conceivably mark Marian Gaborik's final game as a Ranger.

...this i've got to question. Which team would be willing to trade major assets for an injury prone, $7.5 million a year player coming off a bad year. Plus could the Rangers get equal value for a player of Gaborik's skill set? Doubtful.

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Rangers prospect Carl Hagelin (2007 - 6th), a senior at the University of Michigan, will be playing in the NCAA National Championship Game tonight against Minnesota-Duluth at the Xcel Energy Center starting at 6:00 p.m. The game will be televised on ESPN.

Hagelin had an assist in Michigan's 2-0 win against North Dakota in a semi-final game Thursday night.

For more on the Frozen Four click here.

Hagelin has 18g, 31a in 43 games this season.

Yesterday, Hagelin was selected to the Old Time Hockey West All-America second team.

...if Hagelin and his Michigan Wolverines are victorious it will be the second straight year a Rangers prospect has won the National Championship as Chris Kreider and Boston College took home the hardware last year.

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Bergen Record - Rangers on the brink

New York Post - Playoff destiny out of Rangers' hands

New York Post - Blueshirts have been do-or-die before

Daily News - Rangers face Devils... and possible doom

New York Times - Tweaks Aside, Rangers Can Only Wait and See

Wall Street Journal - Rangers Have Been Powerless on the Man Advantage

Newsday - Rangers must win Saturday, get help

Newsday - Hurricanes beat Atlanta to inch toward playoffs

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The Rangers again find themselves getting no help as both the Buffalo Sabres and Carolina Hurricanes won tonight.

The Sabres 4-3 OT victory over the Flyers clinched a playoff spot for themselves, while the Canes 6-1 win over the Thrashers tied them in points with the Rangers at 91, but put them in the eighth and final playoff spot due to the tiebreaker.

So what does that mean for the Rangers? In order for the Rangers to make the playoffs they need to beat the Devils at MSG tomorrow afternoon and then hope that John Tortorella's former team the Tampa Bay Lightning can beat the Hurricanes at home later that night.

The Rangers can also get in with an overtime loss and a Hurricanes regulation loss.

If the Rangers do get in they can only get the 8th spot and can only play the Washington Capitals who have clinched the #1 seed.

...can you imagine how depressing the post game "Shirts Off Our Backs" ceremony is going to be if the Rangers lose. Each fan chosen win receive a jersey and an official apology from a Rangers player.

...i am so distraught that the Rangers allowed it to come down to the final game for the second straight season. The ultimate cruelty will be if the Rangers win in the afternoon and Carolina clinches a playoff spot in a shootout that night.

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Rich Carpiniello at the Rangers Report has numerous quotes from John Tortorella and players on tomorrow's game from practice today...

Tortorella on the short memory his team has had:

"It's got to be really short. We play at 12:30 tomorrow. Listen, this team has bounced back from clunkers that we've played, from injuries, from a lot of different things this year. And we have full trust that we will be ready to play. Again, like I said, we lose control as far as losing last night. But you wake up today, you go to work and you need to look what's ahead of you here. They've bounced back in a lot of different situations this year. They'll do it tomorrow."

Marian Gaborik on tomorrow's game...

"We have to stick together and focus on this one last game. Whatever happened last game, it happened. We don't want to look back to it. We really just want to focus on this last game. It's do-or-die, so we're going to approach it that way and everybody's going to be ready."

Gaborik did not want to talk about being benched after his horrific defensive play (or lack thereof) against Atlanta.

...weak.

Brandon Prust on playing the Devils...

"We've got to be loose tomorrow. You know, this is it. We can't lose. So we've got to throw everything at them. We've got to stay patient at the same time. We've got to play our game, play the way that's made us successful and we'll be alright."

Chris Drury on if he'll play tomorrow...

"I don't think that's really even in the equation. I skated hard today and the whole goal of skating is to have a good 12-24 hours after. We've had that. So, I just want a good rest of the day and see how it feels tomorrow."

Brandon Dubinsky on Game 82 being a motivator...

"Yeah, I mean, obviously we've got to have that fire. We've got to come in with that urgency and that fire. The feeling after that game, I can still feel it. Obviously it was a year ago, but you don't forget the way that feels. So we've got to make sure we take care of ourselves. And we're pretty confident we're going to get help from some other teams."

Henrik Lundqvist on tomorrow's game...

“We have to see this as a Game 7, playoffs. If we don’t get it done tomorrow it probably will be over, so we don’t room for any bad games now. We just have to go out there and do our best. We can’t put too much pressure on ourselves. We just have to go out and enjoy it and see it as an exciting game and a great challenge. That’s usually when you play your best.”

...amazing job by Carp getting all these quotes. Click on the link above for more.

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Update, 1:43 p.m.:
Andrew Gross reports that Marc Staal had a maintenance day today.

Update, 1:41 p.m.:
Chris Drury and Tortorella both say Drury is not likely to play tomorrow.

Update, 1:30 p.m.:
John Tortorella says Zuccarello was called up in part due to his shootout success...

"crazy that that figures into your thinking now, but it does"

Original Post:
The Rangers announced that they have recalled Mats Zuccarello from the CT Whale.

...wonder if someone is hurt. Hope they just brought him up to infuse a spark into the offense.

...most likely just an admission that Gilroy at wing isn't the answer.

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Jesse Spector at the Blueshirts Blog has this on Marian Gaborik being benched for the final 15:41 last night against the Thrashers...

"Gaborik getting beat up ice by Eric Boulton, of all people, was just the last straw. The $37.5 million right wing now has gone without a goal in his last eight games – his second such drought of the season – and his invisibility, with one shot on goal in 13:44 that included four minutes of power play time, was particularly conspicuous given his place in the lineup: the spot where Callahan usually skates on the right wing with Brandon Dubinsky and Artem Anisimov."

...to be honest Gaborik has been so invisible lately I didn't even notice he was being benched.

...having said that, despite his struggles he is the only legitimate scoring threat on the team and to bench him with the season on the line to me doesn't make much sense. And as we've seen in the past with Gaborik he's not a player who responds well to a benching.

...i have to say I am in complete shock at the struggles Gaborik has had this year coming off such a dominating performance last year. I don't want to make excuses for the guy because if you're in the lineup I expect you to perform but his shot has looked woefully weak this year and I have wonder if his shoulder injury ever properly healed.

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