PIT vs NYR

The Rangers won't just be attempting to defy history Thursday night. They'll have to do it without at least one and potentially three key forwards. And they'll be without one, sparkplug forward Sean Avery, for as long as they manage to survive.

Avery suffered a lacerated spleen in the first period of last night's 5-3 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Garden. Though Avery played the remainder of the game, the symptoms he complained of prompted team doctors to take him to St. Vincent's hospital, where he was admitted after a CT scan revealed the injury.

Though he is expected to make a full recovery from the injury, which won't require surgery, Avery will miss the remainder of the playoffs.

"I'm going to think about him and wish him the best," Rangers captain Jaromir Jagr said. "Hopefully, he's going to be OK. Our job is to win the hockey game."

3-0 series deficit

That job will be considerably tougher since the Rangers face the daunting task of trailing the high-flying Penguins, 3-games-to-zero, and probably also will be without centres Chris Drury and Blair Betts tomorrow night.

Drury suffered what coach Tom Renney called a "torso" injury - believed to be a rib cage injury - late in last night's first period. He also pressed on but had to miss the final 13:40 of the second period before returning to the third, when he could barely lift his arms.

Key penalty killers

Betts was struck in the left cheek by a puck and it was feared that he had suffered both a concussion and facial fractures.

Drury, of course, is a do-it-all centre and key big-moment performer upon whom the Rangers count heavily. And both he and Betts are front-line penalty killers whose presence will be sorely missed against a Pittsburgh team that has scored all three game-winning goals on the power play.