Flu-ravaged Michael Nylander was the last one to arrive on the ice for the morning skate and the last to leave.
"I feel better, that's the good part," he said afterward.
But the Swedish center, who was ill in Game 4 and didn't practice on Wednesday or Thursday, is not 100 percent after catching the flu from sharing water bottles with his daughters while watching one of his son's youth hockey games in Connecticut. "That was not good," he said.
Once she felt under the weather, he knew what was coming.
"The kids at home, they all had the same, so it was just a waiting time for me."
But No. 92 will play tonight.
"He was sick, he didn't practice, but he survived," said Jaromir Jagr. "He did a great job. It's not easy to be sick and play at such a high level. Hopefully he's going to be healthier today."
Jagr, Lundqvist and Rozsival skipped the optional skate. C Jarkko Immonen made the trip in the event that Nylander can't go.
****
The Jagr moment of the day: One Canadian reporter asked if the team was changing hotels and pregame meals in order to break the pattern of not winning here.
"Why would we do that?" asked Jagr. "Maybe I'm just going to eat pasta."
"You don't eat pasta?" the reporter asked.
"No, just mashed potatoes," said Jagr.
****
Over on the Sabres side: C Paul Gaustad, who has missed three months with a severed ankle tendon, skated and has been cleared to play, but Sabres coach Lindy Ruff was at least publicly, non-commital.
Asked what the 6-foot-4, 230-pound Gaustad would bring to the table, Ruff said: "His strength down low in and around the net, his ability physically, because of his size, to garner some control. If he plays, it'll be nice."
"Paul is a guy who leads our team in that type of area," said Adam Mair, who said that Gaustad could help "wear down the defense and create space for our forwards." Drew Stafford will likely be a healthy scratch if, as expected, Gaustad dresses.
****
Ruff said he thought the power play would be better. "We have overplayed and underplayed some situtations," said Ruff. "We spent two days talking about it. I don't think it's about effort. Our power play was a bit about effort. I don't think we worked hard enough on our power play....We talked about effort, retrievals and getting pucks to the net. Those are the only changes we made."
****
"We always have pressure, the only thing you can control is how hard you work. Sometimes you're gonna get the bounces, sometimes you don't," said Daniel Briere.
Until the last half of the third period in Game 4 in New York, he said, "It was almost as if we'd forgotten how we can play and how we can skate. The way we finished, we can't wait to get it going again. I think everybody's gonna play with more desperation."
Two other loose ends:
When J-News scribe Sam Weinman blogged that I was "optimistically dressed", he was referring to me wearing shorts and sandals at the rink in Westchester the other day, so it was some type of weather reference, as in: "You won't be wearing those in Buffalo."
Actually, it's sunny and mid-60s here today, should have packed the shorts.
And Effigy, your playlist is still posted. Check again.
Comments (32)
It's sunny and 70 in BFLO. It will only get hotter after the roasting this evening ladies.
It's over....Go Sabs!!!
Oh yea, especially when you guys start burning things and realize your president trophy winning season was a hoax!
LETS GO RANGERS!!!
If the Sabres win tonight, this series is going to game 7.
If the Rangers win tonight, this is over on Sunday.
Honestly, I am not judging anything on whether or not the Rangers win tonight.
I am definitely not going to be deflated if we don't pull it out tonight.
I hear you Jim,
If the Rangers don't win tonight. This goes to game 7 and then it will be scary to be in our shoes.
No?
The weather is definitely nice in Buffalo.. I didn't really see too many people outside during lunch, and our hotel is in downtown Buffalo. Funny though, the few people we did see were decked out in Sabres gear - including the wait staff at TGI Fridays.
Time for a quick nap, then off to the arena! I heard there's a big party outside before games, so we'll be sure to hold off on putting our jerseys on so we can partake.
LET'S GO RANGERS!
-T
Hell yeah, but anything can happen in a game 7.
Back in early February when we were blowing 2 goal leads to Columbus at home, did we ever expect to be playing in May and taking the President's trophy winners to a game 7?
I wanna win as bad as anyone, but I think this 2 day break has given me a chance to reflect a bit on what this team has actually accomplished since the mid season long doldrums we were in until March. It is rather remarkable we have come this far.
But, I am saying don't get too upset if we don't pull it off tonight, tonight is not the be all end all for us.
It is not over if we lose tonight, not by a long shot.
Have Fun TITO
Wish we were there with you, don't take no crap from the Buffalonians!
TJ,
Wear your stuff with pride and act right. Unlike the ones that were in our building with their cute little yellow pom-poms looking for trouble.
Enjoy and cheer like 18,200 of us!
I hear you Jim. Loud and Clear.
LETS GO RANGERS!!!
WIN!
the heck with it Jim - just win tonight and make it easier. no reason we can't with our leadership and The King.
LET"S GO RANGERS
Damn it's good to read all the positive thoughts on here for once! I agree with all that was said about tonight. I do believe they can pull it off in Buffalo though. Sorry Ron Burgundy. Go back to San Diego where you belong. Tito give 'em hell son. It's gonna be a great one.
Let's Go Rangers!
Why did you delete my earlier post about what happened at dinner? And yet, you leave posts about people calling others d*ckheads and a story by a Ranger fan that has numerous sexual references. Hypocrite.
it's because steven zipay deletes posts!!!! this has been well documented.
it seems i have caused a controversy, with my ridiculing islnader post. i thought i would get more positive responses to it (seeing most of u are ranger fans). to the offended, i apologize. however like don imus, it was in a HUMOROUS manner. so with that said..LIGHTEN UP OUT THERE PEOPLE!!
anyway i feel really nervous tonight, as usual. my left pinky is the last nail i have left...lol. it will be gone b4 gametime.
now to the rangers. as long as they stay within the system... skate, hit and shoot they will be in the game till the end. getting the 1st goal is HUGE!!!..keep up the stellar PK and no obvious turnovers by malik would be peachy. need the secondary scoring to chip in a bit. ie: avery, cully, cally.
i agree with the assesments that if we do lose, its not the end of the world. considering how good they been at home. buffalo has all the pressure right now, they're in a must win situation, not us.
LETS GO RANGERS!!
why the hell does chris russo talk like hes watched every game of this series. at most, he watched 4 periods total. my god, shut the eff up chris, you have no idea u idiot...perhaps FAN is where i should post this..lol
I might not know much about hockey, but I know dumb fans when I see em. You guys are the most ignorant fans next to yankee fans I have ever seen. EVER!
20 minutes.........
Dog-
I'll give you Ranger Fans as being stupid , but lay off the yanks - OK
oh god, the time has come...i got the shakes and sweats already...c'mon boys!!...just win baby!!
LETS GO RANGERS!
jagr looked a lil uncomfortable out there. this could be bad. bad penalty too, gotta keep ur cool
8 seconds left, OUCH!!...in the immortal words Joe Beningo, OTP..OH THE PAIN!!...please, if theres a god heaven, score the winner. som, any1!!!
AAAAAAAAAAAAHAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAHAAAAAHAAAAAAAAA
AHAHAHAHAAAHA
7.7 seconds
AAHAAHAHAHAHAHA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHA
LOL LOL LOL if the game was only 59 minutes and 52 seconds long then the Rags would be the best team in the league. hahaahhaahah losers!!!!!!!
I ran out of Kleenex, does anybody have anymore I can use? waaaahhh
my hip hurts
If only I could convert my 2 breakaways and not take a penalty in OT, then I might be a good player. But i'm not.
Its past your bedtime babies!!!!
The back of my neck is burned.
I score big goals and I make great magazine.
la la la la la la la la the Rangers Suck!
is this a 5 game series?...obviously this hurt, worst in a long time. they shown resiliancy all season. now they need it more than ever.
chris drury is definitely amazing.
i got a fan too..at least i've left my mark here..thx, t.j.
im here win or lose, so hit me your best shot
2nd Jagr moment of the day - him limping off at intermission - sniffling of course - only to come back in the third to play - nice act - but this isn't broadway!