Thursday, April 3, 2008

Isles Will Be Looking to Play Spoiler

Steve Zipay at Newsday writes...

"As the Rangers bid to clinch a spot in the Stanley Cup playoffs tonight at Nassau Coliseum, an injury-ravaged but spirited Islanders team awaits them.

Although eliminated from the post-season, the Islanders - who are expected to start Wade Dubielewicz in goal in the first of the home-and-home - would like nothing better than to deny the Rangers the two points they need to guarantee a berth in the Eastern Conference's top eight for the third consecutive season.

The importance of tonight's game grew last night, when the slumping Carolina Hurricanes routed the Tampa Bay Lightning 6-2. A Hurricanes loss would have allowed the Rangers, with 93 points, to secure a spot, relieving some of the pressure on a team that has been scrambling for points in the last month."

...Ted Nolan will have his troops fired up tonight, so the Blueshirts better be ready.

...despite not clinching through a Carolina loss, we did get some good news last night with the Bruins losing in overtime (although they did lose to the Devils which makes it bitter sweet) and the Flyers losing in regulation to the Penguins.

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