The New York Rangers (36-30-4, 76 pts., 8th in East) host the New York Islanders (27-32-11, 65 pts., 14th in East) at MSG tonight starting at 7:00 p.m. For a preview go to Yahoo! Sports.

Rangers Game Notes

TV: MSG+; Radio: 970AM The Apple, XM 205

Probable Lines:
Gaborik-Christensen-Prospal
Dubinsky-Anisimov-Callahan
Avery-Stepan-Zuccarello
Fedotenko-Boyle-Prust

Staal-Girardi
McDonagh-Sauer
McCabe-Eminger

Goaltenders:
Henrik Lundqvist - 28-24-4, 2.33 gaa, .921 sv%, 9 so.

Al Montoya - 7-2-3, 2.09 gaa, .926 sv%, 1 so.

Opponent Notes:
- The Islanders are 4-0-2 in their last six and 22-14-6 in their last 42.

- Blake Comeau, who has three goals and three assists against the Rangers this season, has three goals in his last four games overall.

- John Tavares has just two goals in his last 10 games.

- Al Montoya is 4-0-2 with a 2.10 GAA in his last six games.

- Tavares (25), Matt Moulson (29) and rookie Michael Grabner (28) have all surpassed the 25 goal mark this season. The Rangers have zero 25 goal scorers.

- Rick DiPietro (facial fractures, knee swelling) has resumed practicing and hopes to return this season after being injured in a fight with Pittsburgh goalie Brent Johnson on Feb. 2.

- Mark Streit (left-shoulder surgery) has resumed practicing but will be out until at least mid-March after having a torn labrum and a torn rotator cuff repaired on Oct. 1.

2010-11 Season Series:
Oct. 11 Rangers 4, Islanders 6 at Uniondale
Dec. 2 Rangers 6, Islanders 5 at Uniondale
Dec. 3 Rangers 2, Islanders 0 at MSG
Dec. 27 Rangers 7, Islanders 2 at MSG
March 15 Rangers vs. Islanders at MSG
March 31 Rangers vs. Islanders at Uniondale

Opponent Blog:
Islanders Hockey Blog

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I'll be talking tonight's Rangers/Islanders game on WCWP which is the internet radio home for CW Post University sports at 5:30 p.m. To listen click here and then on the microphone in the top right hand corner.

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Eric over at 5-hole.com (via Puck Daddy) gives us a glimpse of what MSG will look like next season including the lower bowl seats colored - gasp!!! - blue...


Eric also gives us a nice pic of the new seats and a breakdown of ticket prices.

...first they jack up the prices, now they turn the corporate seats into the new blues!!!! Talk about a slap in the face.

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Update, 12:25 p.m.:
Spector says based on yesterday's practice expect an Avery-Stepan-Zuccarello line tonight.

...pretty pumped to see that line. Should be a fun line to watch.

Update, 12:17 p.m.:
Boogaard tells Steve Zipay that while it was great to be skating again today it'll be tough for him to come back this season.

Meanwhile, Wolski is disappointed to be a healthy scratch tonight.

Update, 11:34 a.m.:
Jesse Spector tweets that both Wojtek Wolski and Matt Gilroy were skating laps after practice meaning they are most likely scratches tonight.

...if this is the case, I've got to say I'm shocked Torts would mess with the lineup that defeated the Sharks.

...having said that it's not like Wolski and Gilroy have been lighting the world on fire lately and I think Avery could thrive in a game like this.

Original Post:
Andrew Gross at Rangers Rants reports that Brandon Prust says he is good to go tonight against the Islanders.

Neither Prust nor Sean Avery were at this morning's skate. However, Derek Boogaard was.

...got to assume a second straight healthy scratch for Avery. Too bad, does anyone remember how effective him and Gaborik were against the Isles earlier this year?

...nice to see Boogaard progressing. We probably won't see him this year, but he'll be back next season. With the beating Prust has been taking by fighting larger opponents I feel that there is still a need for Boogaard on this team.

Al Montoya is questionable for tonight's game after suffering cramps after his last start against the Devils.

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Tickets for tonight's Rangers/Islanders game can be found for almost 20% below market value, according to TiqIq.

The ticket program TiqIQ that I have a widget for on the right hand side has found these tickets at StubHub, Ebay and other ticketing sites.

I'm also seeing Rangers fans getting ridiculously cheap tickets through EBay auctions. A word of caution on the EBay auctions, please make sure you research the seller. There are a lot of scam artists out there and the last thing you guys need is to be taken for a ride.

Just another service provided by The New York Rangers Blog.

To check out all the deals click here.

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Newyorkrangers.com reports that Rangers prospect Christian Thomas (2010 - 2nd) who reached the 50 goal mark this weekend has been named the Ontario Hockey League Player of the Week for the second time this season.

Thomas, who now has 54 goals, led the entire OHL with nine points in three games during the week that ended on Sunday -- scoring a league-high six goals -- including his 50th of the season -- while adding three assists.

...i keep hearing this kid could be ready to push for a spot on the Rangers next year, but that would be a huge jump for anyone not to mention someone as vertically challenged as Thomas. I hope I'm wrong, but he probably won't be ready for another year or two.

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In ESPN.com's latest power rankings they drop the Rangers three spots to #19...

19. Rangers - The Rangers' win against San Jose on Saturday was monstrous, what with the Rangers being pursued by a pack of teams just outside the Eastern Conference playoff bubble. Still need more from Marian Gaborik if they're going to avoid dropping out of the bracket.

CBS Sports (17) and TSN (9) also released their rankings.

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Steven Marcus at Newsday reports that former Rangers first round pick Al Montoya is revelling in his opportunity with the Islanders and has no resentment towards the Rangers...

"I had no hard feelings. It was great to be drafted by such a great team," Montoya said of the Rangers. "But at the same time, this is where I am now."

On whether he has something to prove...

"Oh, sure," he said. "Every day you step on the ice. A lot of those guys are my former teammates. It will be good, but once you get down to it, you are playing just to win another game, basically."

Montoya is 7-2-3 in 13 games played for the Islanders, with a 2.09 goals against average and a .930 save percentage. He is expected to start tonight against the Rangers.

...i know Montoya was a bust for the Rangers and is now playing for their rival, but for the same reason I still root for a guy like Malhotra, he was a first round pick that I was hoping would be the future of the Rangers in goal, unfortunately for him a little known guy named Henrik Lundqvist stole the show. If Montoya can keep this up I think it will have worked out for all involved in the end. Sadly that means for the Islanders as well.

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Bergen Record - Rangers can learn from Bryan McCabe

New York Post - Rangers must harvest wins at Garden

New York Times - N.H.L.’s New Concussion Protocol Requires a Physician’s Review Off the Ice

Newsday - Rangers just trying to hang on at home

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On the eve of the latest chapter in the Rangers/Islanders rivalry, Andrew Gross at Rangers Rants had to explain the meaning of the "Potvin Sucks" chant to Ryan McDonagh...

"...I asked McDonagh if he'd heard the Madison Square Garden chanting "Potvin sucks" at every game. McDonagh said he had heard it but didn't know the meaning.

He said he figured it had to do something with "the goaltender."

I told him, no, it was not that Felix Potvin sucks. It was that Denis Potvin sucks and that it came from the Islanders defenseman putting the Rangers' Ulf Nilsson out for the season with a hip check on Feb. 25, 1979.

Of course, that was almost 10 years and five months before McDonagh was born."

...i hate to kill the Rangers on this, but shouldn't they give the rookies a little course on the Rangers history and the chants they may hear at MSG. I'd love to hear McD's thoughts on Dancin' Larry.

...nice try by McD with the Felix Potvin guess. At least he was an Islander.

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