Rangers, Senators come in without any momentum

The last time the Rangers faced the Ottawa Senators in the postseason was 1930, and it was a two-game, total-goals series that the Blueshirts won, 6-3.

This time around, 82 years later, it's a best-of-seven series that begins Thursday at Madison Square Garden, and neither team has any momentum coming into the first round. The Rangers have lost three of four, including 4-1 to Washington on Saturday. The Senators have lost three straight. Each side wants to use the next three days to get back on track.

"I think work would be the first thing we could do," Ottawa coach Paul MacLean said after Saturday's 4-2 loss to the Devils. "And if we did that, it would make a significant difference in the outcome of a game. [We need to] be a little more mentally focused and sharper. We can't be giving away goals and expect to be able to keep up. I don't think we had any [structure] in the last three games."

Rangers captain Ryan Callahan said shot-blocking is one element to be fine-tuned. Several Capitals goals came on screens or partially blocked shots.

"That's something we need to correct," Callahan said. "We realize that. That's where we've had success all year and it will be there in the playoffs."

A win over the Capitals would have given the Rangers the Presidents' Trophy, but they were beaten out for that honor by the Canucks, who had 111 points to the Blueshirts' 109. Henrik Lundqvist, who was stung by two early goals Saturday, said he was "still disappointed about the loss, so I haven't really started to think about the playoffs. We have three days of practice to work on things and get better. It's been a fun year, but I hope and everyone else hopes the best is yet to come."