Can the retooled Rangers take out the Washington Capitals? The Rangers lost three of the four games between the two teams, but that was before John Tortorella took over as coach. It was also before Nik Antropov, Derek Morris and Sean Avery joined the team.
Of course, the Rangers offense has been dreadful all year. Washington's Alexander Ovechkin is a talent the Rangers can only dream of. With a dreadful power play and shaky scoring at even strength, the Rangers will be relying on Henrik Lundqvist to carry them as far as they go. Anything's possible, but the Rangers have their work cut out for them.
Across the Hudson River, the Devils start a series against the Hurricanes as a favorite. New Jersey didn't miss a beat this season despite losing Martin Brodeur for most of the year with a biceps injury. He came back in fine form and set the NHL career record for wins. A late-season hiccup cost the Devils some playoff seeding, but they have recovered in time and appear poised for a deep run. Brodeur and the rest have been there before.
