N.Y. RANGERS ~ Seize The Night And Beat The Bruins

Three Games Remain In N.Y. Rangers Regular Season

TONIGHT

Eastern Conference Showdown

Boston Bruins

3rd Place ~ 44-23-11 ~ 99 Points

vs.

NEW YORK RANGERS

8th Place ~ 42-32-5 ~ 89 Points

N.Y. Rangers lead season series 2-1

Yesterday's Post-Game Reaction: Bigger Heart Wins Out Over Big Bodies

NEW YORK RANGERS:  Blueshirts Need To Claw Into The Bruins Tonight.

In order to maintain control of their playoff future, the Rangers simply must win these next three games at home.  And they just happen to be the last three games of the season.  The Blueshirts number is FIVE.  Five points in the final three games ensures the Rangers a spot in the playoffs.  The schedule makers have already given us an assist.  There are no more road games for us.  The Rangers must now slam this home. 

Don't confuse this season's situation with last year's dilemma.  This isn't last season.  We aren't trying to gain a spot in anything.  This season we have our post-season invitation in hand.  We are in a fight, mostly against ourselves, to prevent this playoff spot from slipping through our fingers.

Yesterday's shoot-out win against the Flyers was a season saver.  Before they drop the puck tonight, it's nice to remember how big of a game yesterday's win over the Flyers really was.  What they did yesterday to rebound from their abysmal performance against the Islanders was like everything else they've done this season; with hard, gritty work and discipline, and with dogged determination. 

Because of the quick turnaround, unfortunately there's no time to dwell.  The Rangers need to the bear down against the Bruins tonight for the second of back-to-back games against the upper teams in the Conference.  If you didn't spend ten minutes yesterday feeling good about the Rangers winning a big game against the Flyers, too bad.  Because there's no time for that now. 

There's really no time to ponder another consecutive start by Henrik.  There's really no time to try and figure out what Coach Torts will do with his line combos tonight coming after a game yesterday.  Although, I fully expect Sean Avery to get meaningful minutes simply because it's needed tonight.  But all that is just minutia.  There is one singular goal to challenge ourselves with; and that is to win.

Tonight demands a mind wipe, and reprogramming.  There is no yesterday.  Reboot the Blueshirt Machine again and let it rip Boys.  Yesterday is gone and today is just as imperative to our success as the next two games will be.  We can not falter.  We can not lose.  If we want to stay in control of our situation, we need to control our house.  We've improved our home record of late.  Now we must be better.  Now, we must win.

Ranger fans; This Is On You Too!  Madison Square Garden must become a very inhospitable place for our next three opponents.  The players have their job to do.  We have ours.

Let's get to work.  Beat Boston!

Let's Go Rangers