THE SECOND SEASON

Starting Thursday night, the Rangers' second season will start. The Rangers finished the season with the East Division's best record and the number 1 spot in the playoffs. They will play the number 8 seed, Ottawa Senators in a best of seven play-off. The word is that the Rangers need to worry about this Senator team because the Rangers have lost the season series to them.

You have to take every team seriously when it comes to chasing the Stanley Cup. These play-off series are more intense than the regular season and everyone is coming to play.

This year's New York Rangers team is a different team than in the past. I know that they have lost the season series with the Senators but it always appears that the Rangers step it up a notch when they need to.

If the Rangers play the type of hockey that got them to this point, I see them moving to the next round. The Rangers need to continue to block shots, play defense and allow Henrik to be Henrik. The Senators are an offensive team that can be slowed by big hits and tenacious forechecking.

Thursday can not come fast enough for the second season to start.