Articles: April 28th
NY Post: RANGERS, ‘KING’ HAVE CHANCE TO ADVANCE
And if the Blueshirts somehow manage to pull it off, if John Tortorella’s team can rebound from three dismal performances in their last four games to upset their vastly superior opponent in this winner-take-all, then tonight will also surely be known as a Miracle on Ice.
NY Post: ‘TORT’ MAKES BAD SITUATION WORSE
OK, here’s one: What does it say about a man who, supposedly concentrating on directing the work in front of him, becomes distracted enough to respond childishly, then refuses to apologize for behavior just as self-indulgent as that for which he was benching Sean Avery that very night?
NY Daily News: John Tortorella confident as Rangers get ready for Game 7 against Capitals
“I woke up this morning, and yeah, you’re upset you blow a 3-1 lead in the series and it’s 3-to-3. But we come to the rink today to prepare to play Game 7. We’re still not dead,” Tortorella said following what he described as an intentionally “loose” practice Monday in Greenburgh. “We go into their building, and we won two games there (earlier in the series).
“Home-ice is important in Game 7, but it’s funny what happens with the pressure of it all. They’re supposed to win. There’s no pressure on us. … Everybody thinks we’re done.”
The Journal News: Despite it all, Rangers aren’t done yet
That no matter how much of a mess they’ve made of this series, in which they were once up 3-1; no matter how much of a circus they’ve created with benchings and suspensions and a general lack of discipline in terms of both laughable offensive and defensive play and doing stupid pet tricks, they still have a shot.
NY Times: Caps’ Lose Enforcer Brashear as Rangers’ Tortorella Returns
The Rangers enter Game 7 without Blair Betts, who was injured 9 minutes 54 seconds into the first period Sunday on a blindside hit by Donald Brashear. The N.H.L. suspended Brashear on Monday for six games: five for what it said was a late hit on Betts, delivered with a shoulder to the head of an unsuspecting player, and one game for jostling with Colton Orr during pregame warm-ups.
Newsday: Tortorella on Game 7: There’s no pressure on us
“I woke up [yesterday] and yeah, you’re upset that you blow a 3-1 lead in the series and it’s 3-3, but we’ve come here to prepare for a Game 7. We’re still not dead,” said coach John Tortorella, who will return after a one-game suspension. “And we go into their building and we won two games there. They have the advantage. Home ice is important for Game 7, but it’s funny what happens with the pressure of it all, too. They’re supposed to win . . . There’s no pressure on us. That’s the key to Game 7 because everybody thinks we’re done. So it falls back on them. They deserved that seventh game, but it’s funny what can happen.”
