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NEW YORK -- Whether the New York Rangers truly believed they could overcome a 3-2 playoff series deficit earlier this year doesnt matter now. Ray Lewis Authentic Jersey . The Rangers did it against the pesky eighth-seeded Ottawa Senators in the first round, giving them confidence they can pull it off again against the formidable New Jersey Devils and reach the Stanley Cup final for the first time in 18 years. The historical calendar is in line with the dates of New Yorks 3-2 comeback over the Devils the last time these division and area rivals met in the Eastern Conference finals in 1994. None of the names are the same for the Rangers, and only New Jersey goaltender Martin Brodeur -- and assistant coach Larry Robinson -- still have the same jobs as way back when. So the top-seeded Rangers point of reference as they head into Game 6 in New Jersey on Friday night isnt the history book but rather their shared experience of rallying past Ottawa. If they extend their season, they will be back at home on Sunday for a winner-take-all game. "You can draw off that experience, just the feelings going into the game," Rangers captain Ryan Callahan said. "Just stay even keeled about it. Weve got to go into an opposing building and win one game and get it back to the Garden. "Theyre going to be a desperate team, too, to close it out on their home ice. We need to find that next level, that extra desperation. Obviously, its a huge game, but we dont need to say that." New York has embraced desperation much more than prosperity this post-season. The Rangers have won two in a row in a series only once and have never enjoyed a two-game lead in any of their three matchups. However, they are 3-0 when facing elimination -- including Game 7 victories over Ottawa and Washington. "Weve been through these situations a lot this year, including in the playoffs," Rangers coach John Tortorella said Thursday after practice. "Im very comfortable as far as our mindset. Today was a good day for us. As we approach our game, Im very comfortable in where were going to go." That was not as easy to see Wednesday night in New Yorks 5-3 home loss to the Devils in Game 5. The Rangers fell behind 3-0 less than 10 minutes into the game, but managed to tie it in the opening minute of the third period. However, a goal with less than five minutes remaining by Devils fourth-line forward Ryan Carter finished the Rangers for good. The loss was New Yorks first in these playoffs in which it scored at least three goals. "Its a good group," Tortorella said. "Its a group that stays with it. Theres not a lot of panic there. They just go about their business, and were a pretty good hockey team." They were the best in the East over the 82-game regular season, and they tied for the second-most points in the entire NHL. All that will be an afterthought if the Rangers fail to get to a finals matchup with the upstart Western-champion Los Angeles Kings. If confidence can be conveyed in words, then the Rangers seem loaded with it as their season hangs in the balance. Tortorella said goaltender Henrik Lundqvist will rebound from a subpar performance in Game 5 and "play his best game tomorrow night." He echoed that sentiment for top-line forward Brad Richards, who also struggled on Wednesday. "Its tough when you go into a game like this. You want to win so bad, sometimes its more pressure than you need," Lundqvist said. "When youre out there, you try to focus on the things you always focus on. The challenge every time you play an important game is to find a good balance mentally, but Im trying to approach it the same way." Tortorella is a master motivator, whether it be with words of encouragement or a dose of tough love that often results in benchings within games. No one is immune from that, as leading scorer Marian Gaborik found out in the Rangers Game 2 loss. The coach also has been less contentious with reporters recently, making postgame news conferences calmer even as the stakes have risen during the East finals. Tortorella is no stranger to digging out of 3-2 holes. He coached the Tampa Bay Lightning to the championship in 2004, erasing such a deficit in the finals against the Calgary Flames. "I dont have to motivate the team," Tortorella said. "I think our team is motivated. I dont look at it as overcoming a 3-2 deficit. We need to win a hockey game. Were preparing to try to win one hockey game, and well see after that. "We prepare as we always do. Theres no magic. There are no special speakers coming in. There is none of that." Richards scored two goals in that Game 6 win for Tampa Bay, and Ruslan Fedotenko -- now his teammate again with the Rangers -- found the net twice in Game 7 to lock up the Cup for the Lightning. That experience would seem to be invaluable, but maybe not. "That was a really long time ago, and I had a concussion at that time so I cant remember really anything," Fedotenko said with a wry smile. "I remember winning, but that is basically it." Ray Lewis Purple Jersey . The Twins announced the deal on Friday before opening a series against the Kansas City Royals. Doumit was signed a one-year deal with Minnesota in the off-season. Jacoby Jones Jersey .J. -- The San Antonio Spurs were without their sparkplug for 38 days. http://www.nflravenssportstore.com/ray-lewis-jersey/ . Guyton started 32 games for the Patriots and has career totals of 4 1-2 sacks, three interceptions and three fumble recoveries. Terrence Cody Jersey . In a news release Tuesday afternoon, the school said tests have determined the tumour removed last week from Williams right kidney was an oncocytoma, which is a benign growth often indistinguishable from kidney cancer on X-rays that doesnt spread like a cancerous tumour would. Anquan Boldin Elite Jersey . Thats when he got his first lesson. "Its CHOWDA, Shane!" Red Sox centre fielder Jacoby Ellsbury corrected him. "That was the first real message from Jacoby for Boston," Victorino said Thursday at a news conference to announce the $39 million, three-year deal he agreed to at the winter meetings.BARCELONA, Spain -- Formula One leader Lewis Hamilton is looking to capitalize on his triumph in Montreal and break the unprecedented run of seven different winners in seven races with another victory at this weekends European Grand Prix. Besides keeping his eye on the most wide-open field of challengers ever seen, Hamilton will have to fend off Fernando Alonsos improved Ferrari and two-time defending world champion Sebastian Vettel, going for his third consecutive win at Valencia. Hamilton leads Alonso overall by two points, and Red Bulls Vettel by three. "The intensity of this years championship means theres so little breathing space. We may have won in Canada, but theres an enormous amount of pressure to keep racking up good results at every grand prix," said Hamilton, who has finished runner-up three times in the four years the race has been held in the Mediterranean coastal city. Even though this season is proving to be the most competitive in the series history, Hamilton enters the event at the sinewy Americas Cup harbour course in top form. The English driver finally broke through with a commanding win two weeks ago at the Canadian GP when his McLaren team outfoxed Ferrari and Red Bull with a well-timed pit stop to give Hamilton the fresh set of tires he needed to overtake Vettel and Alonso and claim his first win of 2012. Hamilton believes the season will be tightly contested to the end. "I think that consistency, rather than individual strong results, will be the key to winning this world championship, so we need to back it up in Valencia with another strong result," he said. "Im only two points ahead of Fernando, which is nothing, particularly when there are a handful of really strong drivers all separated by a couple of points, so theres still everything to play for." Pirellis tricky tires have kept teams guessing for the best setup and pit-stop strategy and the outcome in doubt through the first seven races of the year. The Valencia street circuit is notoriously tough for passing, so a strong qualifying run on Saturday and smooth teamwork in the pits should play a critical role to determine who celebrates on the podium come Sunday. Last year, Vettel beat the second-place Alonso by more than 10 seconds after speeding away from pole. The German also recorded the fastest lap on the 5.4-kilometre (3.4-mile) course that features 255 turns. Torrey Smith White Jersey. Vettel said the circuit was both one of the fastest and most demanding. "In Valencia, we drive an average of more than 200 kph, which means its one of the fastest street circuits in Formula One," said Vettel. "Overtaking is possible, but only with some risk. The reason is that the air turbulence created by cars driving closely behind each other doesnt disappear as it normally would due to the high walls around the track. You lose grip and, in some extreme cases, you have to lift the throttle." It appears that at least both man and machine wont have to deal with last years blistering temperatures. Forecasts call for a reasonable 30 degrees (86 F) over the weekend as opposed to last year when temperatures reached a stifling 46 degrees (115 F). Alonso, who has never won in front of the home Spanish crowd at Valencia, left the Canadian GP ruing the risky decision to try and maintain his lead on worn tires late in the race, only to see his pace falter and end up finishing fifth. But, after a slow start to the season, Ferrari has revamped its car and given the two-time world champion a vehicle it believes capable of winning on any track. "Its all down to a huge amount of work, from a large number of people, with particular emphasis on aerodynamics, design and production," said Ferrari chief designer Nikolas Tombazis. "Its been intense over the past few months resulting in a big improvement in car performance." Hamiltons teammate, Jenson Button, and Vettels teammate, Mark Webber, will also be looking for that elusive second win of the season, along with Pastor Maldonado of Williams and Nico Rosberg of Mercedes. Rosbergs partner, Michael Schumacher, will be hard pressed not to improve this round. The record seven-time champion has failed to finish five races this year and has yet to place better than 10th. Yet given the unpredictable nature of this campaign, an eighth different winner in the eighth race cannot be ruled out. Either Lotus driver -- 2007 world champion Kimi Raikkonen and second-year pilot Romain Grosjean -- or Sauber driver Sergio Perez could be due a first-place finish. Grosjean and Perez came in a respective second and third at Canada, masterfully managing their tires towards the end, while Raikkonen has made the podium twice this season, his first back after a two-year hiatus from F1. ' ' '
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