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Hide the water bottles and hockey sticks.

In the third period of the Rangers' 3-2 win over the Senators on Monday night, Ottawa's Daniel Alfredsson had an outburst as he returned to the bench.

After being hit into the boards by John Mitchell, Alfreddson retreated to his bench and slammed his stick on the board. When he hopped into the bench area, he slammed his stick once again before throwing it on the ground. Later, he could be seen stomping a water bottle.

"I had pretty good control of everything until I got hit and then I just lost it," Alfredsson said, according to The Globe and Mail. "I can't explain it any other way."

He added: "It was bad. I'm definitely not proud of it and I think it's detrimental to the whole team."

Alfredsson missed the previous three games with a concussion that he sustained in Game 2. The paper reported that Alfredsson also exchanged words with his coach, Paul MacLean, and the two talked it out on Tuesday, two days before Game 7 at Madison Square Garden.

"He's just coming back from an injury he had and I think that was part of the frustration--that he got hit in that vulnerable position again," MacLean said, according to the paper. "I think that kind of led to it."

You can watch video of Alfreddson's outburst here.

Rangers coach John Tortorella said "No comment" in a conference call Tuesday about the incident between Ottawa wing Milan Michalek and defenseman Dan Girardi during Game 6, as well as Senators wing Chris Neil's warning to defenseman Michael Del Zotto.

In the third period of the Rangers' 3-2 win, CBC footage showed Michalek appearing to kick Girardi twice in the fracas in front of the net that led to Ottawa's controversial second goal. Players have been suspended for similar actions this season.

Following the game, Neil, whose hit gave Brian Boyle a concussion in Game 5, was not pleased with Del Zotto after the Rangers defenseman hit Neil in the third period. It took Neil a few minutes to get up before he skated off on his own.

"I'm sure I'll catch him with his head down one of these times," Neil said according to reports.

18 YEARS LATER: The Rangers will be hosting a Game 7 at Madison Square Garden for the first time since defeating the Vancouver Canucks in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final in 1994. It's the fourth Game 7 the Rangers are hosting at the World's Most Famous Arena.

"My thought is to win it," Tortorella said. "As far as the Game 7 in Madison Square in 1994, it doesn't affect anything we do. We're going into a Game 7 with the opportunity to win the hockey game based on our game last night. That's all we're concerned about."

To even force a Game 7, the Rangers had to rebound from a disheartening Game 5 loss at home and win in Ottawa. The Rangers rallied in the second and third periods to pick up the win and bring the series back to New York City for the final game.

"Our team has responded all year long," Tortorella said. "A lot of our game throughout the series has been very good. We just have not found a way to make a big play at a key time, a big offensive play especially at a key time. Last night, in the second period, we did. This group of guys, they have just gone about their business and that's the way we'll approach Game 7."

STRAIGHT OUT OF COLLEGE: Just weeks after winning a NCAA title with Boston College, Rangers rookie Chris Kreider scored a huge goal Monday, giving the Rangers a 3-1 lead in the third. The team needed that goal as Ottawa scored a second goal with less than a minute left that could have tied the game had Kreider not scored.

"The thing that impressed me the most about him right now in just a couple of days being with him is forget what's on the ice, it's how he's handled the situation," Tortorella said. "I'm sure there's a letdown after the college season is over. Not only coming into playoffs, but also an elimination game last night. I just don't think much fazes the guy and the mental mindset part of it. That's what's really interesting. I'm very impressed in the short term with him, I'm really impressed with that."

Senators tough guy Chris Neil is already a pretty unpopular guy in the Rangers' dressing room -- his questionable hit in Game 5 left Brian Boyle with a concussion -- and he certainly did not make any new friends Monday night with comments made following the Rangers' 3-2 win in Ottawa.

The gritty winger issued a thinly-veiled threat to Rangers defenseman Michael Del Zotto, whose hit in the third left Neil down on the ice for several minutes. He skated off on his own power and returned to the game, but was not happy when asked about it after the game.

"I'm sure I'll catch him with his head down one of these times," he said, according to several reports.

Neil avoided any supplementary discipline for his hit on Boyle but may incur the wrath of the NHL's Department of Player Safety with his recent remarks.

• • • Milan Michalek may have also caught the eye of the league's disciplinary arm. CBC footage shows the winger appearing to use his skate to kick defenseman Dan Girardi twice during the goal-mouth scramble that led to Ottawa's controversial goal with less than 39 seconds remaining.

Similar incidents involving Carolina's Jeff Skinner and Anaheim's Bobby Ryan earned each player two-game suspensions.

It won’t be tough for Chris Kreider to look back and recall his first NHL goal, because it was one of utmost importance to a desperate Rangers squad hell-bent on avoiding elimination.

With the Rangers leading the Senators 2-1 in the second, Kreider buried a beautiful cross-ice feed from linemate Derek Stepan to record what would ultimately be the clincher in the team’s 3-2 series tying win over the Senators in Ottawa.

The monumental marker was a surreal moment for the recently-signed Kreider, who has continued to improve since his daunting transition from college hockey to NHL playoffs less than two weeks ago.

“I think I’ll look back on it and obviously be extremely happy and able to smile, but what’s important is we were able to come away with a win,” said Kreider, who signed with the Rangers two days after leading Boston College to a national championship earlier this month.

The 20-year-old winger was promoted to the team’s second line with Stepan and captain Ryan Callahan during Game 6 and held his own in 10:46 of ice time over 19 shifts.

Kreider has impressed his teammates and coaching staff with his quiet maturity in adjusting to a tough situation -- he was thrown into the fire to make his NHL debut in Game 3 with Carl Hagelin serving a three-game suspension -- and Monday he displayed a precocious finishing ability with his game–winner as well.

“I’ve been saying since he got here -- he has a high maturity level. It’s helped with this whole process,” said Stepan who led the team with a goal and two assists. “He’s been put in a role that he’s embraced and he’s using his legs, which makes it a lot easier for me and [Callahan].”

Part of Kreider’s adjustment curve has been adapting to the high standard of play at the NHL level and the expectations that follow. Monday he learned what that entails when a team is backed against the wall and facing elimination.

“It’s a cornered dog, I guess,” Kreider said of the mentality. “It’s definitely something you take a mental picture of -- the intensity that guys brought and the way they played.”

He may be new to the team, but if Monday’s comeback was any indication, he likes what he has seen.

“I had a general idea of how they played and what type of team they are,” he said. “but just being in the dressing room it’s hard not to fall in love with this group, just the way they work and the way they commit to each other.”

Recap | Box score | Photos

At a glance: Forty minutes removed from the brink of elimination, the Rangers rallied back from a 1-0 first-period deficit to tally three goals in the second period and push past the Senators for a 3-2 win at Scotiabank Place. Held off the scoresheet for the first five games of the series, Derek Stepan finished with a goal and two assists to tie the series 3-3 and ensure the Blueshirts return to Broadway for Game 7 on Thursday. The Senators scored to pull within a goal with 38.4 seconds remaining but couldn't complete the comeback.

Three-goal second: After falling behind 1-0 in the first period, the Rangers rattled off three straight goals against Senators netminder Craig Anderson. Brad Richards found Derek Stepan at the left post at 8:55 for the power-play equalizer and tallied his own man-up goal later in the period with Nick Foligno in the box for a goaltender interference call that ignited the ire of the Ottawa crowd. With a one-goal lead, rookie winger Chris Kreider recorded his first NHL goal, finishing a beautiful cross-ice pass from Stepan with less than 41 seconds to play in the second.

Angry fans: The hostile crowd at Scotiabank Place was livid after a goaltender interference call on Foligno that resulted in the Ranger’s go-ahead power-play goal. Sens fans taunted refs after the call, after Richards’ ensuing power-play marker and as the teams headed to the dressing room for second intermission.

Comeback for captain: Alfredsson returned to the Senators lineup after missing three games with a concussion sustained from Carl Hagelin’s hit in Game 2. The 39-year-old Swede was held off the scoresheet.

Early lead: With Mike Rupp in the box for roughing, the Senators took a 1-0 first-period lead with Chris Neil’s power-play marker. Neil was camped out in front of Henrik Lundqvist, where he got a piece of Sergei Gonchar’s blast from the point at 7:05. After failing to secure a lead in regulation in the first four games of the series, the Senators scored the game’s first goal in the past two contests.

Playing to the crowd: Presumably in retribution for Neil’s hit on Brian Boyle that left the key center with a concussion in game 5, Rangers tough guy Brandon Prust goaded Neil to drop the gloves 15:10 into the first period. Neil played the role of showman, waving his arm toward the crowd to rile them up both during the fight and on his trip to the penalty box.

At a glance: The Rangers have to win Monday in Ottawa to avoid elimination by the eighth-seeded Senators in what would be a major upset in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals. Ottawa has captain Daniel Alfredsson back in the lineup as they aim to finish off the first-place Rangers and advance to the second round. The Senators have the chance to become the second eighth-place team to knock off a 1-seed in two days -- the LA Kings downed the Vancouver Canucks with a victory in Game 5 on Sunday -- while the Rangers try to become the second team in franchise history to come back from a 3-2 series deficit.

Alfredsson back: After missing the last three games of the series with a concussion suffered in Game 2, Alfredsson will make his return in front of a revved-up home crowd at Scotiabank Place. The 39-year-old said he feels “physically fine,” although he has not played in over a week. The Senators hope he gives them the needed edge to close out the series and punch their tickets to the conference semifinals.

Missing Boyle: Senators fans will have to find someone else to boo Monday night. The series’ breakout star, Brian Boyle, will not play because of a concussion. The 27-year-old center sustained the head injury on a hit from Ottawa’s Chris Neil in Saturday's 2-0 shutout loss to the Senators. Neil was not penalized on the play and he avoided any supplementary discipline from the league.

Rookie return: The void created in Boyle’s absence will be significant for the Blueshirts, but they’ll add a component of speed with rookie Carl Hagelin’s return to the lineup. The 23-year-old winger sat out the last three games while serving a suspension for the hit that concussed Alfredsson. He is expected to play on the team’s top line with Brad Richards and Marian Gaborik.

Even-strength woes: The Rangers have not tallied an even-strength goal since Boyle’s game winner in Game 3, a span of 135:07 minutes. The team recorded two man-up goals in Game 4 and were blanked by Craig Anderson’s 41-save effort Saturday.

Young guns: Sens prospect Mark Stone, 19, made an impressive NHL debut when he set up Jason Spezza’s first-period goal on Saturday in his first game since making the jump from junior hockey to the Stanley Cup playoffs. Ottawa has another blue-chipper for Monday’s game as well. Swedish winger Jakob Silfverberg, 21, is a possibility to play since joining the team after claiming MVP honors in the Swedish Elite League playoffs.

The Rangers head into Game 6 against the Senators Monday facing elimination without their most consistent forward of the series, Brian Boyle.

Concussed in Game 5 on a hit from Chris Neil, Boyle did not make the trip to be with the team. His absence will be a big one for the Rangers. Beyond his offensive contributions -- Boyle tallied three goals in the first three games of the series -- the 6-6 center has played a huge role on the team's penalty kill and taken key faceoffs.

"It's a big loss," said captain Ryan Callahan. "Everybody knows the type of playoffs he's having. But at the same time, somebody else has got to step up."

With the Senators leading the series 3-2 and relishing the opportunity to close out the series at home Monday night with captain Daniel Alfredsson back in the lineup, the Rangers know they cannot afford to dwell on Boyle's absence. They'll have to rally around the loss and deliver a performance far superior to that in Saturday night's 2-0 shutout .

"No matter who's in the lineup, we have to play our best game of the year," said alternate captain Brad Richards.

Rangers rookie Carl Hagelin also returns to the series Monday after serving a three-game suspension for his hit that forced Alfredsson in Game 2.

With the chance to close out the series at home against the Rangers, the Senators will have captain Daniel Alfredsson back in the lineup.

The 39-year-old veteran missed the past three games with a concussion suffered in Game 2 after a hit from Rangers rookie Carl Hagelin. Hagelin will also return after serving a three-game suspension for the hit.

Although Alfredsson's return has been confirmed, Senators coach Paul MacLean did not reveal the rest of his lineup; he said he is still "considering" his options.

One of those will be top prospect Jakob Silfverberg, who recently joined the team after earning playoff MVP honors in the Swedish Elite League. The 21-year-old winger finished with 24 goals and 30 assists in 49 games for Byrnas of the SEL.

MacLean also has another top prospect at his disposal in Mark Stone, who made an impressive NHL debut against the Rangers Saturday. The 19-year-old Winnipeg native, only weeks removed from finishing his junior hockey season with the Brandon Wheat Kings of the Western Hockey League, set up Jason Spezza's first-period marker to record his first NHL point in the Senators 2-0 win at Madison Square Garden.

The Rangers are on the brink of elimination -- and history is not on their side.

The Rangers have trailed 3-2 in a best-of-seven series 17 times in their history; they’ve come back and won a series just once (1994 Eastern Conference Finals vs. New Jersey). And since the NHL lockout, teams that are down 3-2 have come back to win the series just six times in 31 opportunities.

“Whoever’s gonna win has to win four [games], and no one’s done that yet,” center Brad Richards said. “For us to win, we’re gonna have to go seven games, that’s the difference.”

If the Rangers are going to win two straight, they’re going to have to score some goals. In the last three games, they’ve scored just three times; four times in the last five.

On the power play, the Rangers have converted just three times in 22 opportunities during the series.

It makes you wonder what would’ve happened had GM Glen Sather decided to meet the Blue Jackets’ steep demands for sniper Rick Nash. At the time, it seemed very risky.

But given what has transpired, maybe it was a risk Sather should’ve taken.

The Rangers came into the postseason with the No. 1 seed in the East and high expectations. Now, they’re on the brink of an early exit and the criticism that comes with failing to meet them.

Rangers coach John Tortorella wanted no part of talking to the media after Sunday’s optional morning skate. He answered three questions with a combined four words and left.

“You know it’s gonna be tough in the playoffs,” speedster Carl Hagelin said. “But all we can think about now is the next game and trying to win.”

Are you happy that Sather didn’t pull the trigger on a Nash deal? Or do you wish he had? Weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section.

Rangers rookie left winger Carl Hagelin, who was suspended for the last three games, is “excited” to be back, and reiterated that he’s “not a dirty player.”

Hagelin was suspended by the NHL for injuring Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson with an elbow in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinals series.

“Nope,” Hagelin responded after participating in Sunday’s optional skate when asked if he’s going to have to alter his game light of what occurred. “What happened, happened. I’m going to keep playing my game. I’m just gonna go out there and work hard.”

Alfredsson is “hopeful” that he can play in Game 6.

“I don’t want to comment on anyone on their team ... but if he’s good [to go], that’s a good sign for him,” Hagelin said.

The Rangers could certainly use the Swede’s speed and puck chasing ability in their lineup.

The 23-year-old Hagelin had one assist in the first two games of the series. He had been playing on the team’s top line with center Brad Richards and right winger Marian Gaborik, but coach John Tortorella has since broken Richards and Gaborik up.

It is unknown what the Rangers line combinations will look like in Game 6.

Following Game 5 Saturday night, New York Rangers head coach John Tortorella revealed that Brian Boyle sustained a concussion on a hit by Chris Neil and is out indefinitely.

Boyle had been one of the Rangers' most important players down the stretch and in their series against the Ottawa Senators. Here's a look at his game-by-game production in the playoffs.




Boyle has played, and performed, in all man-power situations in the postseason. On the penalty kill, he's seen nearly 14 minutes of ice time and allowed just 5 scoring chances against, while generating one shorthanded scoring opportunity. And of course, his three goals have made him a huge -- and unlikely -- secondary scoring source. But production aside, Boyle's position alone may make him extremely difficult to replace.

While the blueshirts will get Carl Hagelin back from suspension and Tortorella was impressed by Chris Kreider's continuing adjustment to the NHL after Game 5, the absence of Boyle deprives the Rangers of its checking line center. And options seem to be limited and/or not particularly desirable.

Though it's all just speculation at this point, Brandon Dubinsky may be best suited for the role, but that would mean breaking up the Dubinksy-Brad Richards-Ryan Callahan line, easily the Rangers' best unit in Game 5. Derek Stepan is another option, but while he has been showing a little more of his physical game lately, his build makes him more of a Scrappy-Doo to Boyle's hulking Chewbacca. Not to mention the fact that the skill of Dubinsky and Stepan may be better deployed trying to ignite the Rangers' struggling top point producers. Ultimately, fourth-line center John Mitchell could be bumped up a peg for even strength shifts.

In any case, it's a less-than-optimal situation as the Rangers try to fight for playoff survival on enemy ice Monday night.

With Vezina-caliber goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, the Rangers are rarely out-dueled in net, but the team could not solve Sens netminder Craig Anderson in the team's 2-0 shutout loss in Game 5 at Madison Square Garden Saturday.

Anderson was outstanding in a 41-save effort to earn his 4th shutout of the season and 20th of his career. His stellar performance frustrated an already goal-hungry Rangers squad and led his Senators team to a 3-2 series lead with both clubs heading back to Ottawa for Game 6 on Monday.

"He played well. He's been playing well in the series," said Lundqvist, who was also stellar in turning away all but one of the Senators 29 shots. :It's a challenge for us to win this. We have to keep working, have to keep pushing ourselves to play even better and get a little more involved in front of the net."

The Rangers generated plenty of offense, but did not establish much of a net presence to force Anderson from his comfort zone. When asked if the Rangers did enough to create traffic in front of him, alternate captain Brad Richards answered tersely:

"We didn't win, so, no."

Since yielding four goals in the team's 4-2 loss to New York in Game 1, Anderson has let up only five in the last four games, three in the last three. His efforts have put the Senators in the driver's seat approaching Game 6. Only once in franchise history have the Rangers surmounted a 3-2 series deficit to stave off elimination and advance to the next round.

"You're going to run into hot goalies and some good defense in the playoffs," said captain Ryan Callahan, who was denied by Anderson on a third-period breakaway, "It just comes down to one game and we have to go to Ottawa and win the hockey game. We have a resilient group and we have confidence. We have to win that one and come back here and see what happens."

Recap | Box score | Photos

What it means: The odds are now against the Rangers, who suffered a pivotal 2-0 loss at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night. Only six teams in the post-lockout era have rebounded to win a series after dropping Game 5.

Ottawa's Craig Anderson was incredible in earning his fourth shutout of the season. En route to his 41-save effort, Anderson blanked the Blueshirts on a turning-point power-play late in the third.

Jason Spezza tallied both goals for Ottawa, including an empty-netter with less than a minute left in regulation. With the Senators now leading the series 3-2, the Rangers head back to Ottawa facing what would be a shattering elimination and stunning upset.

They will have to do so without their series MVP Brian Boyle. The gritty center suffered a concussion from a third-period hit by Ottawa's Chris Neil that will likely be reviewed by NHL's Department of Player Safety.

Rare lead: The played with their first lead of the entire series after Spezza's first-period marker at 9:18. The Senators have trailed the Rangers in regulation in all four of the previous games but rallied twice to beat New York in overtime.

Big jump: Making his NHL debut just weeks after finishing his junior season in the Western Hockey League, Mark Stone didn't seem fazed by being thrown into the fire. The 19-year-old prospect, who finished with 41 goals and 81 assists in 66 games for the Brandon Wheat Kings this season, set up Spezza's first goal of the 2012 playoffs. Stone replaced an injured Jesse Winchester in the lineup.

Tough crowd: The sellout audience at Madison Square Garden ushered the team off the ice with boos after a forgettable first period. The Rangers fell behind 1-0, but elicited the crowd's disgust after their third failed power-play opportunity.

Acting as captain: Taking exception to Colin Greening's hit on Marian Gaborik late in the second period, captain Ryan Callahan went after the Senators forward, drawing a roughing penalty at 17:23. The Rangers bailed out Callahan for his minor with a momentum-mounting penalty-killing effort to close out the period.

Down a man: Despite the emphasis on discipline-- a penalty-riddled Game 4 sapped the team's energy en route to a 3-2 OT loss in Ottawa -- the team spent six minutes of the second period down a man. Before Callahan's roughing minor, the Rangers were forced to kill off penalties to Ruslan Fedotenko (high-sticking) and Mike Rupp (charging).

Paging Shanahan: The league will likely review Chris Neil's third-period hit on center Brian Boyle that left the Rangers center slow to get up. Boyle played one shift on the penalty kill following the hit but was ruled "out" with a concussion after the game.

Up Next: Game 6: Rangers at Senators, 7 p.m. Monday.

At a glance: Tied at 2-2, the series returns to New York for a pivotal Game 5 at Madison Square Garden between the Rangers and Senators. So much for what was expected of a 1 vs. 8 match-up – the series has been as even as any throughout he first-round of the NHL’s Stanley Cup playoffs. The Rangers hope to reclaim momentum before heading back to Ottawa on Monday while the Senators aim for yet another upset without captain Daniel Alfredsson.

OT woes: Should Saturday’s contest head into overtime, the odds are not in New York’s favor. The Rangers have dropped both sudden death sessions this series and have failed to record an overtime win since April 29, 2007. Their mind-boggling skid stands at seven straight playoff overtime losses.

Separation anxiety: Marian Gaborik and Brad Richards appear to be separated once again. Although the tandem combined on the team’s top line during the second half of the regular season and the beginning of the playoffs, they were severed once again in Game 4.

Skipping stones: All indications are that Senators prospect Mark Stone is set to make his NHL debut Saturday. Should he be in Ottawa’s lineup for Game 5, the 19-year-old Winnipeg, Manitoba native is in for a daunting leap. The former sixth-round draft pick just recently finished his fourth season with the Brandon Wheat Kings of the Western Hockey League and would be making the jump from junior hockey to the NHL’s Stanley Cup playoffs. Welcome to the show, kid.

Alfie update: Daniel Alfredsson will miss his third straight game after suffering a concussion in Game 3, but skated Saturday back in Ottawa and “made progress” according to Senators coach Paul MacLean. MacLean reported no changes to the status of injured forward Jesse Winchester.

Hang on, Hagelin: Carl Hagelin will serve the last of a three-game suspension for his hit on Alfredsson that forced the Senators captain from the game last Saturday. The Rangers have sorely missed Hagelin’s speed and forechecking pressure in the pair of game he has missed.

It appears Senators prospect Mark Stone is headed for a monumental jump. Should he make his NHL debut Saturday against the Rangers, the 19-year-old Winnipeg native faces a daunting transition: going straight from junior hockey to the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Senators coach Paul MacLean would not tip his hand on tonight's lineup, but the 6-3, 200-pound Stone skated with the team and sounded ready to get his first taste of NHL action.

"If I get in tonight, it will be something special for me and I'm excited to do it," said Stone, who recently finished his fourth season with 41 goals and 82 assists in 66 games for the Brandon Wheat Kings of the Western Hockey League.

With both captain Daniel Alfredsson and Jesse Winchester out for the Senators, Stone may provide a welcome shot in the arm for the team heading into Game 5 with the series tied 2-2.

"I think he brings some life and excitement," said Senators forward Nick Foligno. "We're excited to have him in the lineup."

Alternate captain Jason Spezza had a similar experience to Stone back in 2003, when he appeared for the Senators in the playoffs as a rookie, and said the situation is a "no-lose" for the former sixth-round pick. Essentially: little pressure and great opportunity.

"You have the chance to make good things happen."

• • •

Alfredsson, who did not make the trip with the team to New York, skated back in Ottawa and "made progress" according to MacLean. There were no changes to report on Winchester's status.