For the Rangers, Next Week Can Wait, the Playoffs Start Now

Some thoughts as we get ready for "playoff" (or is it "play-in"?) hockey:

I really hope Erik Christensen and Brandon Prust are going to be here for awhile. Wouldn't bother me to see Jody Shelley back next year either, unless they find someone better and younger to do the same job.

I like the Rangers chances at getting the two wins, I really do. I think Henrik will be the difference. But I sure would feel a lot better about it if Number 16 was playing. He is a difference maker against the Flyers.

I have a feel Marian Gaborik is going to shine tonight. Brandon Dubinsky too.

We've seen the Rangers come out flat more times than I care to remember this season. But if they come out that way tonight, as far as I'm concerned, they could melt a hole at center ice and dump the Rangers right into it. At home, playoffs on the line, Garden in full throat, Flyers on the other side of the ice. No excuse for not playing with emotion tonight.

Is it too soon to break out the playoff superstitions?

• If you could have written the script, you couldn't come up with a much better scenario for Mike Modano's last game. "Mo" scores the tying goal with 1:47 to go, and adds a goal in the shootout to lead the Stars to a 3-2 win. Incredible.
• You guys see the highlights of Andrej Meszaros getting hurt in the Lightning game? Painful watching him get off the ice.
• Speaking of the Lightning game, how about goalie Mike Smith dropping the gloves? Love seeing that.
• The Penguins had a ceremony for the last regular season game at the Igloo last night. Bryan Trottier was there, I wonder how much they had to pay him.
• I think the You Tube parodies of the NHL's "History Will Be Made" commercials are better than the real ones.
• NHL Network listed their "Top Ten Games of the Season" last night on NHL on the Fly. Gee, what a surprise, the number one game was Capitals vs. Penguins.