Blair Betts News

There are a lot of things that don't make sense in Rangers Universe right now. Above all, the pre-season schedule released last week induces nothing but head scratches.

You're never supposed to say never, so suffice it to say it's highly unlikely the Calgary Flames will ever match the richness of their 1984 draft harvest.

After reaching the second round for the first time in more than a decade, the Rangers enter the summer with a substantial to-do list.

“I'm going to think about him and wish him the best”

Posted in 2008 Stanley Cup Playoffs Blog Posted on April 30, 2008 05:00 PM The Rangers won't just be attempting to defy history Thursday night. via CBC News

“What if the Rangers win Game 5”

Posted by Dave & Aziz Nekoukar May 01, 2008 9:44PM If only they'd played the first three games that way... Everyone contributed. via NJ.com

“He won't be removed from there until it stops bleeding, and it hasn't”

The New York Rangers staved off elimination Thursday night in what they hope was the start of a monumental comeback, by beating the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-0. Jaromir Jagr's second-period goal broke a scoreless ... via STLtoday

“After the game, our [medical experts] looked at him and right away thought it was most prudent to get him to the hospital and have a little better look, and it was the right thing to do. There was contact of some kind, it was a hit obviously”

Rangers forward Sean Avery suffered a lacerated spleen during Tuesday night's game and will not play again this season, the team said in a press release this afternoon. via Newsday.com

“We had some great chances. We could have had more than one goal. The chances were there. It was a tight game and that's to be expected in the playoffs, especially against that team. For sure this was a well-earned win”

Sidney Crosby has returned to the playoffs, making his second straight appearance with the Pittsburgh Penguins . via ESPN

“It gives us a little more quickness, a little more speed, and I like the second and third effort.”

So much for the Prucha Impact. Rangers right wing Petr Prucha made his first playoff appearance yesterday, subbing for Colton Orr on the fourth line with Blair Betts and Fred Sjostrom. via AMNY

“Pittsburgh is a big, strong team, bigger and stronger than New Jersey”

Tom Renney will replace Ryan Hollweg with Colton Orr for tonight's Eastern semifinal opener against the Penguins, a move that represents the Rangers' first lineup change of the postseason. via New York Post

“But we've played well on the road during the year.”

Philadelphia , Pittsburgh, Montreal and Washington are potential second-round opponents for the Rangers . via AMNY

YOU were expecting, maybe, the Devils to go easily? Thinking, that as Sean Avery turned completely away from the puck during a second period Rangers 5-on-3 and waved his stick incessantly in Marty Brodeur's ... via New York Post

Brandon Dubinsky celebrates a first-period goal with teammate Christian Backman. via NY Daily News

“Again, we proved to ourselves that we're a really good third-period team”

The Rangers had the Devils down and appeared to be knocking them out - not just for the evening, but from the playoffs. via NY Daily News

“I told the ref I didn't kick it in. I was skating around (while they were reviewing it). We haven't been lucky lately. All kinds of weird things have happened. It was nice to get that break.”

For the first time in this playoff series the Devils scored the first goal, but they certainly wondered whether NHL officials in Toronto might take it away from them after a video review. via NJ.com

“Neither team wanted to back down and show a weakness to each other”

After more than 44 minutes of physical, emotional play against the desperate New Jersey Devils Friday night, the Rangers dropped the hammer in 23 seconds. via Newsday.com

Shanny back with Gomez and Avery Brendan Shanahan was back with Scott Gomez and Sean Avery in the limited line rushes the Rangers did during practice today. via New York Daily News

“Going through a Devils-Rangers series, you definitely know you're in the playoffs. I guess you couldn't have written it better.”

Scott Gomez now gets the chance to see how the other half lives in his first of three Battles of the Hudson waged from the eastern shore. via New York Daily News

“You can coach to save your job or coach to make guys better and see what you've got.”

The Rangers' patience with Christian Backman is beginning to show dividends. After his first game as a Ranger - a three-penalty mess - the only uncertainty regarding Christian Backman seemed to be just how long ... via New York Daily News

“When he's on his game, he brings some poise; he has a big body with a reach.”

The mystery is gone. The Hudson River playoff rivalry is set to resume. The Rangers will face the Devils in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs next week. via AMNY