Garth Snow is in a pickle. The New York Islanders’ general manager has $27.534 million to spend come July 1 and a crop of promising, young talent on which to build around but he’s missing the buzz. Empty seats, a run down enviorment, poor statistics and win record don’t help entice players to call Nassau Coliseum home. (i.e. Christian Ehrhoff: FAIL; Evgeni Nabokov: FAIL) A second showing of Michael Grabner, who was a Calder Trophy finalist this season, and Matt Moulson can get the ball rolling though.

Despite the grit and effort the 2010-2011 squad showed in the face of injury at times, they ended the season with a measly 73 points, putting them 27th in the league.

Needs:

• Number one goaltender. Injury plagued underachiever Rick DiPietro just isn’t flying. Sending Dwayne Roloson out the door proved to be a mistake considering he showed his potential in Tampa Bay’s run to the Eastern Conference final.
• Veteran presence. With Doug Weight officially retiring, the Isles need to find the right personality to hone the youth and get them believing in themselves. Mark Recchis don’t grow on trees, so it won’t be easy sifting through the duds.
• Battle tested defenseman with a knack for contributing on offense. Mark Streit and Mark Eaton might be question marks after missing much of last season with serious injuries.

There’s no quick fix. One good season, one close call to making playoff contention and out of the NHL’s joke pile basement is the best solution. They had five players on their roster score 20 or more goals last year. If they can clean up the back end, get gritty and determined, the light at the end of the tunnel may not be so far off.  Once that happens, Snow’s phone calls might be returned more frequently. (A definitive green light on the Lighthouse Project with a shiny new complex wouldn’t hurt either.) Come October, this will officially be coach Jack Capuano’s team. Capuano took over after Scott Gordon got the ax early season. He’s got a lot of work ahead of him.

This summer’s unrestricted free agent list isn’t chock full of sexy names to begin with but below are some players the Isles might find worth exploring, at least for the short term.

Defense: Anton Babchuk (Flames, age 27, 35 points, +14) or Andy Greene (Devils, age 28, 23 points, -23). Scott Hannan (Capitals, age 32, 11 points, +4) could be worth a try as well.

Offense: Erik Cole (Hurricanes, age 32, 52 points), Michael Ryder (Bruins, age 31, 41 points). Maybe a change of scenery and a sip from the Cup can get Ryder to take off that invisibility cloak he wears at times.

Goal: Dare I suggest J.S. Giguere or Brian Boucher to get a little healthy competition going and put some pep in DiPietro’s step? Risky, maybe flaky even, but could be the kind of game changers in net they crave.

Key Islander free agents: Josh Bailey (RFA), Blake Comeau (RFA), Zenon Konopka (UFA). If they don’t want to stay, let ‘em walk. No big love lost there. Konopka was good on faceoffs and on the grinding line, but he’s not irreplaceable. Radek Martinek and Jack Hillen are likely not to return as well since they still remain unsigned.

They’ve got depth and potential. Now they just need results. Then and only then will the buzz names consider Long Island.

Rangers’ General Manager Glen Sather is like a kid in a candy store each July when free agents hit the market.

He’s got a knack for putting his faith [and checkbook] in the wrong name brands though and instead brought bubblegum busts to Broadway at overinflated expense. Wade Redden, Scott Gomez and Chris Drury are just a mere sampling.

The Rangers have roughly $22 million to dish out for salaries this summer but also some important restricted free agents they need to lock up before venturing out to make a splash in the unrestricted free agent market. While the recent increase of the salary cap to $64.3 million ,the Blueshirts still have some bloated contracts on the books that should be shed in order for serious investment in the future to begin.

Here are some Dos and Don’ts that Slats should keep in mind come July 1.

Do lock up restricted free agents Brandon Dubinsky, Ryan Callahan and Michael Sauer. Dubinsky and Callahan are a perfect second line tandem. They also represent the blue collar future of the organization. Sauer wasn’t always noticeable last season..in a good way. The rookie seemed to blend in and protect Lundqvist’s net seamlessly while throwing his weight around.

Don’t give up on restricted free agents Brian Boyle and Artem Anisimov just yet. Although perhaps less pressing, both forwards have potential to get the puck in the net. Boyle has the right physical presence while Anisimov seems to click with Dubinsky and Callahan. If they can be locked in at the right price while leaving room for future deals, go for it.

Don’t discount the value of veteran winger Ruslan Fedotenko. The unrestricted free agent (a $1 million cap hit) was a sparkplug at times last season and really embraced the “grind it out” mantra. A second serving could be in order.

Do set the captain on a new course. Jesse Spector of the New York Daily News does a fine job explaining [in English] what the Chris Drury buyout situation fully entails. Waivers, salary cap, no movement clauses, injury reserve and all. In a nutshell, no matter what, Drury won’t be hitting the ice in blue come October. The over paid and injury plagued captain hasn’t been able to live up to his $7 million salary bestowed on him.The Rangers should still be able to pursue Richards regardless of whether he’s bought out now or sent to the curb later. (Next summer he becomes an unrestricted free agent.) “If the Rangers buy out Drury, they will save $3,333,333 against the 2011-12 salary cap, including this summer’s offseason cap. If he is medically precluded from being bought out, his $7.05 million charge will apply all summer, but the Rangers will be allowed to exceed the regular-season cap of $64.3 million by that much once he is placed on LTIR at the start of the season.” – Daily News

Do whatever it takes to get defenseman Wade Redden’s yearly $6.5 million cap hit off the books. He spent last season in the AHL, so finding a taker will be difficult. But teams below the salary cap floor might be willing to take a chance on the veteran. The Florida Panthers took Brian Campbell off the Blackhawks hands via a trade last week. So it’s not impossible, just highly unlikely. Insert unhappy smiley emoticon.

Don’t waste any money resigning Bryan McCabe. The unrestricted free agent veteran acquired in a trade last winter was unimpressive on the power play and not particularly utilized on defense either. His minutes paled in comparison to the Staal/Girardi duo.

Do consider making a go at unrestricted free agent defenseman Tomas Kaberle. The 33-year-old could bring a touch of experience and offense to the blue line. He didn’t always look particularly comfortable after landing on the Bruins via a trade, but shined in the playoffs en route to the B’s Stanley Cup. A shorter term, non-Redden esque deal is worth a try.

Don’t lose sleep over restricted free agents Matt Gilroy and Steve Eminger. Neither defenseman was consistently impressive or given the trust of Coach John Tortorella to keep a spot in the lineup. Gilroy’s hefty $1.75 million contract just can’t stay on the books despite his jump in play during the playoffs. Set ‘em free to shine elsewhere.

Do prioritize getting a first rate center with skillful hands to get sniper Marian Gaborik and the power play going.

Don’t expect Brad Richards to be the answer. Throwing the 31-year-old — on the heels of a concussion and one awkward head hit away from an altered career — a long term, front loaded, overblown $6 million contract has déjà vu written all over it. He had respectable numbers last season, 28 goals and 49 assists in 72 games. And also won the Conn Smythe trophy under John Tortorella when the Tampa Bay Lightning won the Stanley Cup back in 2004. But can he handle the offensive-playmaking weight that will be thrust on his shoulders in the Broadway spotlight? As Ranger fans well know, all that glitters isn’t necessarily gold. A less risky and shorter term deal would be the best scenario but the most unlikely to achieve landing the most prized center this free agent summer has to offer.

Do invest in youthful starpower. If giving up some prospects, a piece of the core cake and some moola meant stealing restricted free agent and phenom forward Steven Stamkos right from under Tampa Bay’s nose, do it. He’s the kind of young forward of the future who can take the hits (i.e. returning to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference final after his nose got smashed by a speeding puck) that would be worth the cash. Next summer, buzz names like Patrick Sharp and Capitals’ winger Alex Semin become unrestricted free agents. While risky in his consistency and tendency to take bad penalties, Semin is another promising scorer the Rangers should keep on their radar and keep cash stashed under the pillow for.

Do keep eyes peeled for some scoring depth on the wing, especially if it’s possible to unload the invisible Wojtek Wolski. Perhaps sign Hurricanes’ Jussi Jokinen or make a run at Flyers’ Ville Leino on the cheap. Keep fingers crossed that it doesn’t turn out to be a Frolov or Zherdev experiment gone awry.

Don’t lose patience. The kids are alright. Ranger fans appreciate the hardworking, homegrown products that are now the core of the team. Keep developing the youth while shopping for the right skilled hands to man the top line.

The New York Rangers might not be making a big splash at the 2011 NHL Entry Draft with a 15th overall pick. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and the other buzz names will all be scooped up early. But they still have the opportunity to land a scoring forward of the future to bring some depth. Rather than muscle, the Blueshirts should focus on hands, i.e. bringing in potential scoring talent. The blueline has so much promise, now it’s time to build up skill and playmaking.

Below are some projections from around the web on who could be pulling a Blueshirt over their head Friday night.

Via NHL.com ’s writers:

Adam Kimelman and Devin Persaud’s pick -> Boone Jenner, C, Oshawa (OHL) “Big center who does everything right, from scoring goals to killing penalties.” “Hard-working forward fits the mold of current Rangers Brandon Dubinsky and Ryan Callahan.”

Mike Morreale’s pick –>Mark McNeill, C, Prince Albert (WHL) “Tough and talented, 32 goals, 81 points in 70 games”

Steven Hoffner’s pick –> Mika Zibanejad, C, Djurgarden (SWE) “Rangers are in need of scoring, and Zibanejad is a forward with great hands.”

Via The Hockey News : Joel Armia, RW, Assat (FIN) ”Budding power forward from Finland is lethal with man advantage and not afraid to shoot the puck”

Via TSN ’s Pierre McGuire –> Mark McNeill, C, Prince Albert (OHL) “McNeill is one of those players that can do a lot of great things offensively. But if you look at his 57 point increase this year, you’re looking at a heck of a player.”

Via our own Corey Krakower of Pro Sports Blogging — > Mark Scheifele, C, Barrie (OHL) “Hard working forward, provides size and determination up front” –NHL.com

My pick – >Give Mark McNeill a chance to wear red, white and blue…assuming he’s not grabbed up by the Stars or Flames. At 6-2 and 210 pounds, the physical forward can make an impact fast and fits the black and blue style work ethic the Rangers want to maintain. He can be a happy medium between the grind it out grit and the put the puck in the net type the Rangers could utilize. He had 81 points in 70 games last season for the Prince Albert Raiders and six assists for Team Canada at the 2011 Under-18 World Junior Championships. He has the potential to be a playmaker with a scoring touch.

The Draft kicks off tomorrow night in Minnesota. Coverage beings at 7 p.m. ET on Versus.

Carpe diem — the Latin phrase meaning seize the day — was the answer the New York Rangers so desperately needed to advance in the playoffs. Their series with the number one seed Washington Capitals was also a series of moments and mistakes. Seize the moment, take the series. The Caps did just that as they went on to win 3-1 this afternoon in Game Five at the Verizon Center.

Brian Boyle and linemates Brandon Prust and Sean Avery got the Rangers off to a great start but after their shift was over it seemed to be all Caps from there. Alexander Ovechkin faked a shot and dished the puck to defenseman Mike Green who got the Capitals on board at 5:59 of the first period on the powerplay. Green converted after Rangers’ defenseman Bryan McCabe took an unnecessary tripping penalty.

Ovechkin later added salt to the wound with a highlight reel goal in the second period. He weaved around Marc Staal and got Henrik Lundqvist to drop low as he lifted the puck high into the net. Alex Semin capped it off at 16:23 of the third period to make it 3-0. The Rangers pulled Lundqvist for the hail-Mary empty net and Wojtek Wolski managed to notch one with seconds left in the game. Too little, too late.

Rangers’ goaltender Henrik Lundqvist captured it best in his televised postgame interview to reporters: “When you have that chance and opportunity, you need to grab it. We didn’t do that.”

He’s likely talking Game One and Game Four to be exact. The loss hurts because the Rangers lost by a few hairs and two losses in overtime.

They may not have had the talent to compete with D.C. gunners Ovechkin, Semin and Nicklas Backstrom but they had the willpower and potential to do damage. They had flashes of Cinderella story brilliance this season, a comeback never say die attitude. Each game of this series was tight, and hard fought. It could have went either way, but ultimately the better team won. Not better on paper but better at coming through at just the right moment.

Not in the stars: My Rangers in 6 prediction came with some qualifiers: “They’ll prevail only if: Lundqvist maintains his composure; Gaborik gets his act together; everyone works hard like blue collar Brandon Prust; the power play doesn’t consistently choke.” The powerplay went 1-for-20 in the series and Marian Gaborik remained elusive appearing long enough for one goal and an assist. The crew worked hard though, especially Dan Girardi who continued to use his body to deflect pucks away from Lundqvist. He reportedly dislocated his finger after taking a swing at Brooks Laich and may have injured his ankle after blocking a hard shot. That didn’t keep him off the bench for long though as he returned to play the rest of the game. Henrik Lundqvist became the heart and soul for the Rangers this series and gave them every opportunity to win. They just couldn’t seize the moment.

The Cally effect: There is no doubting that losing Ryan Callahan before the playoffs was not going to bode well for the Rangers. Callahan’s mere presence surely would have made a difference but he alone could not have solved the Rangers’ offensive issues.

Game Four was an emotional roller coaster. Words can’t possibly do it justice nor adequately explain. It was like watching a lively balloon spring to life, soaring high to the ceiling that slowly but surely sank lower and lower as it deflated.

The Rangers hit their home ice to a rocking Garden on the heels of Capitals’ coach Bruce Boudreau’s (overblown) jabs at MSG. The thunderous cheers were felt throughout the television broadcast, until the third period that is.

Ranger fans even got creative and added a “Can You Hear Us?” chant to go along with the endless “Boudreau” knocks. The Rangers responded in the second period. Artem Anisimov knocked in a “garbage goal” from behind the Capitals’ goaltender to make it 1-0. Brandon Dubinsky and Marian Gaborik scored seven seconds apart. Three to nothing equals jubiliation. Just 20 minutes separated the Rangers and the Garden faithful from a 2-2 series tie.

Where did it all go wrong:

• The power play was still a complete mess. The Rangers went 0-7. Once again, the lack of movement and the failure to get quality shots on net cost them. Defensemen Bryan McCabe looked uncomfortable with the puck and is quickly becoming more of a detriment rather than an asset at the point. It may be time to give the more physical Steve Eminger a shot in the lineup.
• A couple of “tickey-tackey” calls helped swing the momentum back to the Capitals who rallied for three goals in the third period to take the game to overtime. Alex Semin took advantage of a careless pass by Ryan McDonagh to get the Caps on the board. His first shot on Lundqvist was blocked but he came in to the net strong and chipped it in. Although Lundqvist thought he had it secured and pulled it from the goal line on the intial shot, the referee never blew the whistle to end play leaving plenty of time for Semin to drive it home. Marcus Johanssen notched the other two goals to make it 3-3. One came just as a power play for the Caps had ended after a questionable slashing call against Sean Avery. Just before the Rangers were called for the penalty, Ruslan Fedotenko appeared to be tripped up at the other end, but no call was made.
• They let the Capitals take back control. Instead of revving up to steal back a win in the third period, they waited passively for overtime. The first OT was a stressful chess match and the second was no better for blood pressures and fast beating hearts.
• An unfortunate miscommunication and mistake by Marian Gaborik and I would add Bryan McCabe tripped up Lundqvist from freezing the puck in double overtime. Jason Chimera fired a shot that McCabe awkwardly blocked. As it bounced toward Lundqvist, he was going in for the no-brainer to cover it. Gaborik tried to “help”, perhaps thinking he could chip it away, but instead it was stuffed into the net crowning Chimera the hero in the Capitals 4-3 victory. The Caps take a 3-1 series lead back to D.C.
• Missed opportunities. Plain and simple. A 3-0 nothing lead has to be held for 20 minutes, especially when Lundqvist is standing on his head making saves and playing through an obvious sorespot in his leg.

The heroes:

• The King took the loss hard. Rightly so after he stopped 49 shots. Lundqvist made what could have been a series changing save on Alex Ovechkin who flew down the ice alone with 8:58 left in the first overtime.
• Dan Girardi had Derek Stepan’s back and took some serious hits for the team. At 14:44 in the second OT, Stepan accidentally cleared the puck over the glass for a delay of game penalty. Girardi blocked three shots in such rapid succession he looked like Superman deflecting bullets. He blocked nine shots in total and led the team logging 39:45 minutes of ice time.

This one is going to sting for awhile — not because of the missed opportunities, the Gabby gaffe, or the Capital punishment “walk” to the Blueshirt fans “talk”. But because they had it and let it slip away like a balloon.

Here are some lessons to takeaway from the Rangers 3-2 victory over the Capitals at the Garden:

• New York finally realized they need to score in regulation in order to get by in a playoff series. Bravo Erik Christensen,Vinny Prospal and Brandon Dubinsky.
• Christensen has eagle eyes. His crazy angle shot from the side of the net slipped in the crack just over Michael Neuvirth’s shoulder and bounced right back out. It gave the Rangers a 1-0 lead in the second period and was their only power play goal.
• Marian Gaborik is irrelevant. Time to move on to a new story. He’s not scoring. Gaborik had three shots on goal. Boyle the “grinder” had nine. Secondary options need to step back up like they did during the regular season and find the back of the net, not the boards, glass and players around it.
• The creepy mustache is the new playoff beard. Brian Boyle and Dubinsky are rockin’ the 70′s black stache.
• The Rangers’ players and coaching staff need to reboot their power play game plan. Big time. It’s nauseating and almost physically painful to watch. The Blueshirts were 1-for-7 on the PP. They had two 5-on-3 chances which resulted in diddly squat. The staggering lack of movement and pass, pass, pass mentality is not going to cut it.
• Henrik Lundqvist really wants to win. He needs help.
• Sean Avery is most effective when he skates hard and skips the horseplay. But he is oh so clever. Check out how he gave the Rangers an extra few seconds to catch their breath after an icing. Nice stick work .
• NBC doesn’t know how to keep time or put together a replay. In the dieing seconds of the second period it appeared as though Ruslan Fedotenko could have given the Rangers a 2-1 lead. NBC kept showing an awkward angle with the time clock displayed showing .1 seconds remaining on the clock. The much clearer overhead view was shown without the time clock. The referees called the “War Room” in Toronto for the official no-goal ruling. It was not until late in the third period that NBC showed an overhead replay with the timestamp included. It seems their clocks are a tad off like their commentating. The late view showed the puck passing the goal line with no time left on the clock. The NHL assured everyone the time was at zero. I’m glad I got to watch The Voice commercial another 10 times.
• NBC thinks we have short term memory. An enlarged red square reminding us how Washington leads the series 2-0 sat next to the score at the top of the screen for the whole game.
• Tickey-tackey is my new favorite adjective to describe the officiating. Thanks Caps’ coach Bruce Boudreau.
• Ranger fans are a bi-polar lot. Whether we’re frustrated, elated, impatient, excited, hopeful, dejected — we bleed blue and we always believe.

Brandon Dubinsky bounced in the game winning goal to make the series 2-1.

All they had to do was clear the zone. Less than two minutes left in overtime stuck in a stressful 1-1 tie, they still had a chance to win. With a captain and an all star defenseman at the helm, that shouldn’t be hard right? But Chris Drury and Marc Staal weren’t able to and in overtime of the first playoff game of round one in enemy territory, one mistake, one bad giveaway is all it takes to drop a game.

Staal’s half hearted attempt to lift the puck out of the zone was thwarted by Jason Arnott who immediately dished the puck to Alex Semin securing the Capitals 2-1 overtime win.

It was worse than a punch to the gut; and worse than a blowout even. The Rangers had every chance to steal a game in Washington. The same issues nagged them though:no conversion on the powerplay and a lethargic offense.

After defenseman Matt Gilroy–the most unlikely of heros scoring in his first playoff game– got the Rangers on the board first in the third period, it almost felt like they had the win in the bag. Wojtek Wolski was looking good and Artem Anisimov was chipping in on defense and skating well. Henrik Lundqvist looked unstoppable and made save after save.

But lazy, hard and inopportune cross ice passes kept the Rangers 1-0 third period lead on edge. Marian Gaborik couldn’t finish. The game was a tight defensive match for 60 minutes with most shots getting blocked, especially Alexander Ovechkin’s. But OV kept throwing his weight around and chipped the puck through Lundqvist at 13:44. It appeared Lundqvist had possession of the puck but the referees hadn’t yet blown the whistle so the goal stood making it 1-1 and on to a very tense overtime the game went.

The Rangers looked more like they were hanging on, rather than pouring it on. Lundqvist gave them every opportunity to win it. Someone needs to find the back of the net and quick. This is going to be a long series.

Take a seat: Mats Zuccarello isn’t as effective in regulation as he is in the shootout. But there are no shootouts in the playoffs. Only big hits, bloody blocked shots and quick goals. It’s time for Sean Avery to get his game face on while the rookie sits awhile. Zuccarello took a bad penalty in the first period and had a hand in the too many men on the ice call earlier.

BS: The Rangers had 28 blocked shots, with Dan Girardi leading the way with 5. The more defensive minded Caps had 32, with Karl Alzner taking 8 hits for the team.

Move on: The Rangers have another chance to shake the Caps psyche on Friday night for Game 2.

The Rangers and Capitals are about to party like it’s 2009. The last time the Rangers made it to the postseason was 2009. They were the seventh place underdogs facing the second place powerhouse Caps.The Blueshirts rocked the red jumping to a 3-1 series lead after defeating the Caps in their own home. But the Rangers, known for their inconsistency lost control and the series.

Both these teams share a common desire: redemption. The Capitals will be looking to prove they can carry over their regular season successes through the postseason and make a serious run for the Cup. Last year they were ousted in the first round by the eighth place Montreal Canadiens.

The Rangers will be looking to get it right this time against their old foe. They also want to show they’re right where they belong. Last season they missed the playoffs by a point and watched the Philadelphia Flyers work their way into the Stanley Cup final.

Season Series: The Rangers went 3-1 against the Capitals this season. They won the last three games by a margin of 15 to 1.

Yo Gabby Gabby: Marian Gaborik didn’t score once in the final eight games of the regular season and spent most of the third period on the bench for the remaining games of the season. It’s make or break time for the struggling winger. Is he just having a tough year ready to bounce back or is he just another failed Glen Sather experiment that could be sent packing this summer? The power play has been atrocious going 1 for 27 over an eight game span. The sniper needs to do more sniping and less thinking.

Step it Up: Wojtek Wolski and Erik Christensen can’t hide in the shadows anymore. There’s not enough time in a series to selectively appear. Four games and you’re out. The crafty hand forwards need to help jumpstart the offense.

Watch Out For: Alexander Ovechkin’s been quiet this season for his standards, perhaps pacing himself for the playoffs. He can weave around defenders better than a spider weaves a web. Despite finishing the season with his lowest scoring totals since he entered the N.H.L. in 2005-6, he’s a major threat that Rangers’ blueliner Marc Staal will be called upon to shutdown and throw off.

Bright Spot: Henrik Lundqvist is the reason the Rangers squeaked their way back into a playoff spot when their offense went out for lunch. The Caps have some shaky goaltending to contend with. Varlamov and Neuvirth aren’t always sure things.

X Factor: Captain Chris Drury needs to make his presence known outside of the locker room and on the ice, just as he did in his return back after a long injury hiatus on Saturday. His offensive contributions have dipped each season, but his timely knack for chipping a puck into the net at the right time could get the Rangers out of a jam. He needs to win faceoffs, an area New York has struggled with this season. Without their future captain Callahan, Drury needs to steer the ship back on course.

Dubi dubi do: Can Dubinsky keep the points coming without his partner in crime Ryan Callahan? He led the team this season with 54 points and 24 goals.

Remember the time: Coach John Tortorella lost his cool after a Washington fan threw beer at him back in 2009 when the Rangers let the series slip right out of their finger tips. Caps goaltender Semyon Varlamov got hot at the right moment.

Prediction: Maybe it has an added element of wishful thinking, but the Rangers can win the series 6. They’ve unraveled Washington’s defense before and they have the potential to do it again, even without Callahan. They’ll prevail only if: Lundqvist maintains his composure; Gaborik gets his act together; everyone works hard like blue collar Brandon Prust; the power play doesn’t consistently choke.

They’re in. You can stop tugging your hair, let your heart get back to a stable pulse and stop chomping your nails down. The New York Rangers are headed to the Stanley Cup playoffs. New York’s spirited 5-2 win against the New Jersey Devils this afternoon coupled with the Carolina Hurricanes flatline 6-2 loss to the Lightning tonight clinched them a spot. Big thanks to Tampa Bay’s Marty St.Louis and Mike Smith on behalf of the Broadway Blueshirts. At the very least, an Edible Arrangements assortment is in order.

Thanks to the Canes defeat, the Rangers will be facing the first place Washington Capitals in the first round of the playoffs which should be a fun matchup. Remember Coach John Tortorella ’s  ”love affair” with the Capitals’ fans back in the 2009 playoffs? And how they returned with ponchos behind the bench?

The Rangers will need to carry the emotion and passion from today over into next week to pound the Caps. Captain Chris Drury surprisingly returned to the lineup this afternoon. He had missed the majority of the season first with a broken finger and then with a knee injury that required surgery. He’s had a tough time since signing with the Rangers in 2007 as Dave Lozo so aptly pointed out. If ever there was a time Ranger fans needed a “Captain Clutch” (especially in the wake of losing Ryan Callahan) it was this afternoon when the Devils broke out with an early 1-0 lead. On his first shift in months, Drury tied it up with a shifty backhand off a rebound . While he’s still in the doghouse with Ranger fans for his dismal numbers, his energetic effort this afternoon on the heels of the playoffs are a good sign. He won four of six faceoffs in 7:48 minutes of ice time.

If Drury’s comeback goal didn’t crack a full blown smile, the goals from the other unlikely “heros” had to. Rookie defenseman Ryan McDonagh scored his first NHL goal in style which was the game winner putting the Rangers up 3-2. Silent winger Wojtek Wolski got the Rangers rolling in the second period with the second tying goal to make it 2-2. Brandon Prust and Vinny Prospal sealed the deal. It was a true team effort with 14 different players recording a point.

 The Rangers got burned last year blowing a shootout and narrowly missed getting ousted this year because of winning too many shootouts. If Carolina had won, they would have been tied at 93 points with the Rangers but would have advanced to the playoffs because they had more non-shootout victories. Anything less than making the postseason would have been especially heartbreaking since the Blueshirts had 44 victories, three more than Carolina.

It’s time to sit back and enjoy.The playoffs start Wednesday and the schedule will be announced tomorrow night. They’re in.

Oh Brother Where Art Thou: Hurricanes’ captain Eric Staal couldn’t have been pleased with his team’s performance tonight to end their hopes for a playoff bid. His brother Marc on the other hand, the Ranger’s sturdy defenseman, must have liked what he saw. At least two Staals will be in the playoffs. Jordan’s Pittsburgh Penguins made the cut as well.

The Rangers had a golden opportunity last night to all but lock up a post season berth. An extra two points would have put them four points ahead of the ninth place dreamers chasing them. But the passionate Blueshirts were nowhere to be found. The Atlanta Thrashers silenced Madison Square Garden with a dominating 3-0 shutout.

After a deflating two goals in fifteen seconds by the Thrashers, the Rangers looked deflated. Not exactly the “Rally For Cally” Ranger fans were hoping for in the wake of the Ryan Callahan injury.

New York’s playoff destiny no longer remains in their hands. With one game left to the Carolina Hurricanes’ two, they’ll be scoreboard watching tonight. The Canes (89 pts.) play the Thrashers tonight. If the Rangers win their last game on Saturday, they can make the playoffs if Carolina loses one of their games (even in overtime) OR the Buffalo Sabres lose both of their games.

Marian Gaborik must step up if this team is to advance. One defensive lapse gets him glued to the bench, which is the last thing the offensively challenged Rangers need right now.

The New Jersey Devils would love to be spoilers on Saturday. The key to victory is simple. No urgency; no playoffs. The Blueshirts sure love to keep their fans guessing and biting their nails down to the bitter end.

In Prust They Trust: Ranger fans voted Brandon Prust the winner of the annual Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award. Check out a great article on the Rangers website about how he went from being an unknown to winning over New Yorkers with his gritty style of play. Better luck next time Brian Boyle. His cooled off scoring touch down the homestretch cost him what could have been a shoo in for the nod.

Potent Quotables via NHL.com: “We have been on a pretty good run but Carolina keeps on winning. Buffalo keeps on winning. It doesn’t surprise me at all that it takes 82. We will be ready to play Game 82.” — Coach John Tortorella

“As far as I know, we’re still in eighth place. Until something shows me otherwise, that is the attitude we’re going to have. We are going to do what we can and control what we can control. We have to do it like pros. I have said it before — we have to have a short memory.” – Brandon Dubinsky