GAME ONE....TONIGHT....IT BEGINS

Almost all "experts" have the Capitals beating the Rangers. Most of them (including Melrose) have the Capitals making it all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals. We are on the road, we may be without our captain:

From espn:

Rangers coach John Tortorella would not confirm whether Chris Drury would play tonight.

"Chris is a game-time decision," Tortorella said after his team's optional skate. When pressed about Drury, he reiterated, "He's a game-time decision."

Plenty more from Torts today in the morning skate:

He was asked why he was so happy to start the playoffs on the road.

"I think there's a lot of pressure on the home team to win those first two games," said Tortorella.

Trying to get into the opposition's head, make them feel like they have to win the first two games, because the rangers have already prepared for the series like losing the first two is expected.

Comments on Hank and Theodore:

"I don't know a damn thing about goaltending," he said. "I just want them to make the saves. But I just like his fight [Lundqvist], and how he carries himself. And he does make some pretty good saves along the way. If we're going to compete in this series and try to find out a way, he's going to have to be our best player, just as [Jose] Theodore is going to have to be their best player. That's just the lay of the land in the National Hockey League, because goaltending is that important."

Really like that comment. Bring Theodore into the discussion with Hank. Try and put the pressure on theodore, let him know if he's not the best player, they will lose. (In reality, if he's their best player, they prob will lose)

Insiders say that the rangers to a man feel this team has a lot more fight in them under Torts, then they did under renney, said Torts about the club:

"I think we feel pretty good as a club," said Tortorella. "I think the way we're playing under our team concept is more instinctive. Again, it was a tough situation for some of the guys. We changed things. When Tom [Renney] was coaching, it was a different philosophy. I'm not saying Tom's was wrong, and I think Tom deserves a lot of credit for [the team] being here.

"But we have a little bit different philosophy. It took us some time in teaching that in a cram situation when we're in a playoff hunt. Now we've simplified it even more and I think it's more instinctive. That's the most important thing -- you don't want your players thinking. As I've said all along, I think as coaches we overcoach."

Torts is gonna have this team mentally ready, I have no doubts. All about whether we can match up to their physical skill.