rangers report: second half edition...

The Rangers return to action tonight after the Olympic hiatus and start off the final push to the playoffs against the team nipping at their heels in the standings. They will go into the game without Peter Prucha (who is about 10 days away from returning to the line up) and Kasparitus will be questionable, though the Flyers may be missing Simon Gagne who injured his knee in Torino. The Rangers recalled top Defensive prospect Thomas Pock from Hartford in the case that Kaspar can't go. Blair Betts will be back in action for the first time since he sprained his MCL in early January. Betts will be welcome back in the line up as a center who can win draws. That has been one weakness in the Rangers game this season. Tom Renney has indicated that he might go with Kevin Weekes in net to buy Gold Medal winning Lundquist some more time while resting after the Olympics.

The Rangers have won both games in Philadelphia, including an opening night 5-3 come-from-behind victory and the more recent 4-3 OT win, also a come-from-behind win. The Rangers are 2-0-0 at the Wachovia Center this season.

Expectations for this team have skyrocketed from the start of the season and now they are being considered as Stanley Cup Contenders. On a side note, the last time that Sweden won the gold medal was 1994 - the spring that the Rangers sipped out of Lord Stanley's Cup. It
will be an exciting spring and I look forward to sharing some Rangers moments with each and every one of you in the coming weeks. With the Knicks down and out the Rangers have brought a little bit of sports excitement to the Garden.