Crunch time starts now for the Blueshirts

After a 5 day layoff that could either help them by giving their injured some much needed time to recover, or cripple them by making them extremely rusty, the Rangers return to the ice this afternoon for a 1 p.m. face-off against the Sabres at the Garden.

Henrik Lundqvist, fresh off the signing of his new 6-year deal worth $41.25 million, will get the start in net after having the last 2 games off in favor of Stephen Valiquette last week against the Flyers and the Capitals. Brendan Shanahan is also expected back this afternoon, after missing the last 5 games following a knee-on-knee collision with Dustin Penner of the Oilers back on Jan. 5th in Edmonton. Shanny played 10 games following the collision, and realized that it was a mistake and should've sat out right away, rather then force it, as favoring the injured knee caused him to also have problems with his hip, groin and hamstrings.

"To get two weeks off if you're not hurt is one thing," Shanahan said. "But when I went knee-to-knee with Penner in Edmonton, I probably just should have accepted that I had a sprained knee. But that's just not the way I've done things throughout my career.

"Maybe I've learned a little lesson with this one. I should have just accepted that it was a 10-day, two-week injury back then and I wouldn't have developed these subsequent problems."

Shanahan has been skating for the last 5 days now and says that his left leg is feeling much better.

Petr Prucha, skated yesterday at practice, but is not expected back as he is still nursing a bruise right shoulder. Marc Staal is day to day following a bout with the flu. Marcel Hossa is not expected to play, despite being cleared to play after missing 13 games with back spasms. Marek Malik had been cleared to play also, but it is unclear if he will.

Rangers.com has a pretty good game preview and the Post has a little blurb how about Lunqvist is key to the Rangers run down the stretch of the season. The boys are currently tied with the Bruins for the final spot with 63 points, but if the season ended today, they would be on the outside looking in because the B's have one more win. Boston also has 2 games in hand. Hard to believe, being that the Rangers were off for 5 days due to the moronic NHL scheduling (yes, I am gonna beat that like a dead horse).

So this is it folks. The time for talk is over, and it is now officially gut check time. March is going to be the month from hell for them as they will spend mostly all of it playing Philly, the Pens, the Devs and the 'Sticks. So they need to close out this month on a high note, need to kick it into high gear and they need to do it now!

I'll be back a little later with a recap and hopefully a preview of tomorrow's game.

Fingers and toes crossed, game on, LET'S GO RANGERS!!!