NEW YORK _ At his post-practice news conference Thursday, Rangers coach David Quinn was asked whether his rebuilding club could take inspiration from a team like Montreal, who finished last season and well out of the playoffs, with 71 points, but had bounced back in a big way this season to occupy the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, entering Friday.
"Absolutely," Quinn had said, going on to make a case that the Rangers were better than their record so far this season. "From the way we've played this year, we kind of feel like we deserve a little bit of a better record, but you look at what Montreal's done, look what the Islanders have done _ a couple changes, a couple tweaks and all of a sudden, your season turns into the season we're having, compared to what the Habs are doing and what the Islanders are doing. So, there is definite optimism on our end it."
The Rangers got an up close look at the Canadiens Friday night at Madison Square Garden, and saw the gap between them and the Habs may not be so big. Joel Armia had a hat trick _ the third goal coming into an empty net _ and Carey Price made 28 saves as the Canadiens held off the Rangers, 4-2.
