After a surprisingly successful west coast trip, the Rangers are taking on the Washington Alexanders Capitals tonight. They will look to build on what has to be a confidence boost from last week: two wins in the LA area, and a dominant third period against the Sharks where they were one break away from tying the game.

Corey Potter was returned to Hartford, which points out that I clearly made a mistake when I said that players cannot be reassigned to minor league affiliates during the roster freeze. Apparently they can. With Potter in Hartford, I still won’t get my wish for Kalinin to get the Prucha treatment.

It also looks like Fritsche and Prucha will be the scratches, again. Fritsche hasn’t played since Nov. 30, and Prucha since Dec. 7. Combined they have played in 26 games this year. But considering the road trip, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. I have no qualms with the forwards playing tonight.

This has to be the slowest day of the year in the business world. I’m the only one on my floor (that’s right, floor) at the office today. I should be out early and home in time to do in game updates.

Update 7:08pm: Same lines as the last few games. No surprises there.

Update 7:12pm: You know, I was looking at that injury report, and I forgot that Tom Poti was on the Caps. I have to admit, as much as I didn’t like him, he got a raw deal in NY. He was touted as the next Leetch, and the Rangers gave up Mike York (fresh off a 30 goal rookie season) for him. In retrospect, that deal wasn’t so bad.

Update 7:13pm: Wow, what a pass by Zherdev. What a trade that is. I loved it from the beginning, and this kid is going to be a superstar. 1-0 Rangers, Naslund from Zherdev and Gomez.

Update 7:18pm: Hank looks strong tonight, nice save on that mini 2 on 0.

Update 7:22pm: You know, I have a bottle of Jean Paul Gaultier cologne, but after that commercial I don’t think I’m going to use it anymore. And Kalinin was on the ice for that goal. +1 for him! He’s now -15 on the season.

Update 7:25pm: Wow. What a shot by Rozsival. His play is picking up. He needs to shoot more. And as I write this, they score again! Theodore is not a good goalie anymore. The second goal was Rozsival from Drury and the third Callahan from Drury and Dawes. This is just a raping right now. But remember, the Rangers were up 4-0 on Philly earlier in the year and barely won that game. Goalie change. Johnson in net.

Update 7:36pm: The Rangers are just beating the Caps to every single loose puck. They look real hungry today. I like it. It looks like someone lit a fire under their ass.

Update 7:38pm: If not for a bad hop, that would have been 4-0. The Rangers are just all over the Caps so far. But let’s see if they can keep this up for the entire 60 minutes, which seems to be a problem for them. 3-0 Rangers, end of the first.

Update 7:57pm: Theodore back in net, apparently Johnson is sick. Just put pucks on net.

Update 8:02pm: Nice series by Hank. And on that Dubie shot, it looks like Johnson got his stick on it. If he did, that’s a real nice save.

Update 8:04pm: What great passing by the Rangers, and what a move by Callahan, that makes it two on the night for him. Callahan from Dawes and Drury again. That’s three assists for Drury.

Update 8:08pm: The Caps have now been outscored 11-1 in the past four periods. That can’t be good for morale on that young team.

Update 8:11pm: I agree with Micheletti, the PP does look so much better when Rozsival shoots. He has a cannon.

Update 8:18pm: That one deflects off Rozsival. Nothing he can really do about that. 4-1 Rangers. Ovechkin gets the goal, assisted by Backstrom.

Update 8:22pm: They needed that stoppage, they got outplayed for a long time. Let’s hope that was just a blip and not the usual 2nd period let down.

Update 8:28pm: Good kill by the Rangers. That was needed.

Update 8:30pm: 4-1 Rangers after two. Good period, they had a little blip in the middle, but recovered nicely with a good kill and then drawing a penalty at the end of the period. The PP carries over for about a minute.

Update 8:50pm: 4-2 Rangers, what a deflection by Fleishman. Fleishman gets the goal from Backstrom and Laich.

Update 8:53pm: Wow. Theodore just stood on his head. He just kept them in the game.

Update 8:57pm: Zherdev is playing a hell of a game. He is far and away the best Ranger skater tonight.

Update 9:02pm: So much for consistency. They look flat in this period. 4-3. This game shouldn’t be this close.

Update 9:05pm: Wow. What a save by Theodore. He looks like a different goalie this period. What did he eat in the intermission?

Update 9:07pm: This is real sloppy. That penalty was a good penalty to take by Girardi. And what a terrible pass to send Kozlov on the break.

Update 9:09pm: Huge kill by the Rangers there. They really needed that.

Update 9:12pm: Why am I not surprised that they blew this lead? Too many miscues. Bad pass by Dawes. 4-4, Ovechkin unassisted.

Update 9:24pm: The Rangers just gave a point to the Caps, that might loom large in April. What a terrible third period. To OT we go. Or should I just say shootout by now?

Update 9:27pm: I thought the Rangers were playing the Caps, not the Habs. Rangers give up 5 straight goals, and snatch defeat from hands of victory. That’s all for tonight folks.

Thanks to Mike A. from River Ave. Blues for the shout out tonight.

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