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With no lineup changes, Rangers hope a change of scenery can turn things around

New York Rangers v Washington Capitals - Game Two

in Game Two of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals during the 2011 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Verizon Center on April 15, 2011 in Washington, DC.

Bruce Bennett

Things haven’t gone too well for the Rangers so far in the playoffs. Through two games they’ve scored just one goal and they’ve had major struggles dealing with the Capitals intense defense and shot blocking. While they went with Mats Zuccarello in Game 1 to give them some sort of offensive spark, they abandoned that in Game 2 opting to go with agitator extreme Sean Avery. That move worked out even less as the Rangers were shutout in Game 2.

With Game 3 at 3 p.m. ET on NBC today, the Rangers won’t be making any changes to the lineup meaning that Avery stays in as does Matt Gilroy on defense as opposed to Steve Eminger. Coach John Tortorella is sticking with the group that got them into the playoffs and hoping that playing on home ice in Madison Square Garden will be elixir to what ails them.

One thing that Tortorella is counting on is the team coming out fired up.

“After game one, there was not enough energy, not enough jam. Game 2 was better,” Tortorella said. “I won’t have to talk to the team about energy today.”

Getting that jump on the Capitals would do them a world of good. Getting the first goal and getting the Caps to have to play a little desperate sooner than not. Getting the Caps to loosen up their defense a little bit and turning it into a track meet of sorts might be dangerous to do with all the Caps offensive talent, but it might be the one way the Rangers can loosen things up enough to give them more opportunities to score. After all, the Rangers still have Henrik Lundqvist in goal and that gives them a major advantage should things get wild.

The Rangers might also benefit from trying to rattle Michal Neuvirth. With the rookie goalie playing in his first NHL playoffs, he hasn’t gotten much of a taste of what it’s like to get his cage rattled. The Rangers don’t necessarily have the forwards that play that brand of game but then again, there’s always Sean Avery. Regardless, getting that spark is necessary for the Rangers if they don’t want to be on the brink of being swept in Game 4.