With a 4-1 series win over the Tampa Bay Lighting in the Conference Semi-Finals, the Rangers find themselves watching and waiting for a Conference Finals opponent. This comes as uncharted territory for the Rangers organization and fan base who have never made it past the Semi-Finals. Their opponent will be decided in a Game 7 winner takes all between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Philadelphia Flyers. This poses the question of which team the Rangers prefer to play for a chance at a berth in the Finals.

“I don’t think we really have a preference” said GM Westacott. “Both are really good teams that will make a tough opponent to get past. The Leafs are the defending champs and have the experience of knowing what ti takes to win it all, and the Flyers have battled with us all season long for the top seed in the conference. At this point we are just taking the extra days to keep a close eye on the series and make sure we know both of those teams inside and out and that we have the best game plan in place for whichever one we end up facing.”

The fact that the Rangers made fairly quick work of the Semi-Finals poses the age old question of whether the extended layoff between series provides more of an advantage of being well rested going forward, or more of a hinderance in breaking momentum.

“We haven’t really put much thought into it. We don’t believe that we are here because of momentum but because we are that good. Everyone in that locker room believes that we are good enough to compete at this level and good enough to win it all. The extra time off gives us a chance to tighten up in a couple area we felt that we could improve from the previous two series but other than that we havent really though much about it. We are just eager to get back out there and earn a berth in the Cup Finals.”

Regardless of who their opponent is, with the trade of Shea Weber and the expiring contracts of Hudler and Callahan, the feeling within both the Rangers organization  and their fan base is that the Rangers time to win is now.