Game Preview: Rangers v. Capitals – Game 7 – Do or Die, Bitches
This is pretty much how I feel - part excited, part fired up, part blehhhhhh. Plus I thought this picture was funny. (REUTERS/Ray Stubblebine)
The Rangers are on the road tonight to take on the Washington Capitals in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. The series is tied 3-3. The puck drops at 7pm and can be seen nationally on Versus. DON’T FORGET: LIVE BLOG, HERE, AT 7PM!!!
Just like the title of this post, tonight it’s do or die for the Rangers. They have to be better. The offense has to step up and put up – Drury, Gomez, Antrovpov, Naslund: I’m lookin’ at you. Hank has to be superhuman again. Torts has to keep the troops in line, which means no attacking fans. Avery has to find the balance between pre-lobotomy Sean and post-lobotomy Sean, and he has to do it FAST – he’s either non-existent or on the verge of blowing it for the whole team – he can’t be either tonight.
The Rangers have not been good lately. They’ve been downright awful. This makes me wonder whether or not I even want them to win tonight. I can’t decide what’s more embarrassing: becoming the first Rangers team to lose a playoff series after being up 3-1, or the absolute obliteration that awaits them in Boston, should they advance.
As a Ranger fan, I have to root for them to win, but if you’ll recall our Series Preview, I predicted the Caps to take the series in 7 games. I would really hate to be right.
I won’t get into the terrible officiating that has permeated this series. Good teams can overcome bad officiating. Tonight we’ll find out just how good the Rangers really are.
Notes:
-This will be the first Game 7 the Rangers have played since the Cup Finals in 1994.
-Donald Brashear will not play tonight, since he is serving a 6-game suspension for both pre-game contact with Colton Orr, and a late, high hit to the head of Blair Betts.
-Blair Betts will be out of the lineup with a broken orbital bone and a concussion, from the aforementioned hit from Donald Brashear.
-Brandon Dubinsky will be in the lineup, apparently not suffering any lingering effects from the tetanus shot he required after being bitten by Capitals defenseman Shane Morrison.
-Rangers Head Coach John Tortorella will be back behind the bench after serving a 1-game suspension for having contact with a spectator during Game 5.
-Artem Anisimov has been called up from Hartford and will be in the lineup tonight.
-Aaron Voros will be in the lineup tonight – Colton Orr will sit.
-Henrik Lundqvist will be in goal for the Rangers.
-Simeon Varlamov will be in goal for the Capitals.
-Rory will be drinking heavily during this game.
For more, visit:
Rick Carpiniello’s Rangers Report
Steve Zipay’s Blue Notes
Andrew Gross’ Ranger Rants
Rangerland.net and the Rangerland Forum
Official New York Rangers Game Preview
About the author: Rory is a recent college graduate from central New Jersey majoring in History and PR. A Ranger fan all her life, the bane of her existence is the New Jersey Devils, and she harbors a severe hatred for Martin Brodeur. Her favorite current Rangers are Henrik Lundqvist, Sean Avery, and Steve Valiquette, and her favorite all-time Rangers are Mike Richter and Jeff Beukeboom. Related posts:
