With the Boston Bruins losing last night a Ranger/Devil first round match-up has been clinched. The only thing still up for grabs is home ice advantage...
John Dellapina at The Daily News reminds Ranger fans..."The last time the Rangers swept a season series with the Devils was 14 years ago. And it hardly mattered, as they required double overtime of Game 7 to beat New Jersey in perhaps the greatest playoff series ever played." In case you're not good at math 14 years ago was 1994.
Larry Brooks at The New York Post says Tom Renney might sit Scott Gomez with home ice advantage on the line..."with only home-ice on the line rather than the risk of a possible slide to sixth and a corresponding first round confrontation with Team Ovechkin, Tom Renney will consider whether it's in the team's playoff interests to sit Scott Gomez this afternoon."
Sam Weinman at The Journal News feels today's game will be close to a playoff game..."Add it all up, and the matinee game might not match the meaning of Game 1 of the first round either Wednesday or Thursday. But with a chance to open the playoffs at Madison Square Garden for the first time in a dozen years, the Rangers say it will be close enough that they don't want to be caught looking ahead."
Steve Zipay at Newsday says with the Rangers needing a regulation win to clinch home ice, Tom Renney might pull out the stops today..."The outcome of those games left the Rangers and coach Tom Renney with a basic mission: Target home-ice advantage, and if need be, pull out the stops.In fact, Renney said yesterday that he would consider sending out a sixth attacker in a tie with the clock winding down."
...to me home ice advantage against the Devils isn't that big a deal because they'll be so many Ranger fans at "The Rock" it won't matter.
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