Rangers ready for Ovi…?

#8 Alexander Ovechkin practicing one-timers during the warmups (Photo by Dan4th/Flickr)

By Jon Gabrielle

The big story out of New York this morning is what every media outlet in North America is reporting; Alex Ovechkin will play.

And as much excitement as that will add to the World’s Most Famous Arena when the Rangers and Caps go at it tonight, there will be more story lines than just Ovechkin.

For the Rangers, the absence of Brandon Dubinsky and Chris Drury continues to hurt an already anemic even strength offense, that now has scored only 9 times in their last 8 games while playing 5 on 5 hockey. Without being a math major, it would be an understatement to say the Blueshirts rely heavily on their power play, as one goal a game hardly wins you a point in this league, let alone a two.

Against Ottawa, the team once again leaned on Henrik Lundqvist who stopped 35 of the 36 shots he faced, including overtime. Then he outdid his counterpart in net to win the shootout.

So without scoring a single even strength goal, the Rangers escaped Ottawa with a win. That’s what I call living dangerously.

Head Coach John Tortorella seems undeterred as he was quoted saying, “I still think we can score.”

Does anyone think one regulation goal will be enough tonight versus the explosive Capitals? And that’s with the G8 one back in their line-up.

Now that we’ve “set the table,” shall we look for a high scoring affair? The Capitals like to open it up and go, go, go…so perhaps a wide-open tilt is jst what the Rangers offense needs?

Either way, it should be an exciting game at the Garden tonight.