NEW YORK -- Madison Square Garden underwent a recent $1 billion transformation, and yet it will have another completely different feeling once the New York Rangers hit the ice in the Eastern Conference finals. Roger Clemens Jersey . Gone will be the fear of impending doom that enveloped the club during its second-round comeback against Pittsburgh. Missing will be the nerves that any goal or loss could mean the end of the season. Suddenly, the Rangers are the front-runners against the Montreal Canadiens, and their fans now have the chance to celebrate the ride with them. "Having fan support is obviously huge," Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said. "Unconditional love, its something thats really beneficial to a team." New York is riding a five-game winning streak, but four of those victories came on the road -- two in Pittsburgh when the Rangers erased a 3-1 series deficit, and the first two in this matchup with Montreal. The Rangers will skate at the Garden on Thursday night with a series lead for the first time since Game 2 of the first round against Philadelphia 15 games ago. "Its a good feeling, but we know weve accomplished nothing yet," forward Martin St. Louis said. "Were trying to prepare for a Montreal team thats going to come out with a lot of energy. We know that. This is a big game for everybody. We know where the series is, and its a big opportunity for us." Nothing is a guarantee, but to take a 3-0 series lead would set the Rangers up for their first trip to the Stanley Cup finals since 1994. Since New York fell way behind Pittsburgh with a dispirited home loss in Game 4, the Rangers have been playing with a sense of desperation. It didnt reset once they eliminated the Penguins, and so far they have shown no signs they will let the Canadiens recover. "I feel every game is a must-win in the playoffs," St. Louis said. "You go into every game understanding what can happen with a loss and what can happen with a win. Its a lot of momentum shifting, a buildup in the playoffs, and you want to make sure you keep it as long as you can." The Canadiens mindset is to regroup and play the kind of road game the Rangers did by jumping on them. Montreal is still dealing with the loss of No. 1 goalie Carey Price, who was knocked out of the series by injury in the opener, but now is trying to rally around third-stringer Dustin Tokarski. The inexperienced goalie, who has played in only 11 career NHL games, got the surprise nod by coach Michel Therrien in Game 2 over regular backup Peter Budaj and was tabbed again Wednesday to start in Game 3. Struggled forward Thomas Vanek was dropped to the fourth line in practice on Wednesday alongside Danny Briere and Brandon Prust in another potential shake-up. "Dont read too much, OK?" Therrien said. "They might change tomorrow." Whatever the lineup looks like, the Canadiens have adopted a motto of no excuses as the series shifts to New York. "We lost the first two games. Weve got to do something different," Canadiens captain Brian Gionta said Wednesday in Montreal before the team flew south. "But at the same time, we had a pretty good game in Game 2. Weve just got to find ways to get more goals and get to them a little more offensively." They netted only two in a blowout loss in the opener, and then scored one on Monday in a 3-1 loss. The Canadiens grabbed what had been an all-important first goal, but they lost the lead just 17 seconds later and were trailing 2-1 before the first period ended. Henrik Lundqvist was the main reason the Rangers were ahead, holding off an early attack and then a third-period surge in which he stopped all 19 Canadiens shots. He made 40 saves overall. "We are down two, and we are going on the road," said forward Max Pacioretty, who scored the lone Montreal goal in Game 2. "Obviously, we would have liked to have Game 2, but we can only worry about Game 3. Weve got to be better. "We have to make life difficult for their goalie, and if we do that, I like our teams chances." Pacioretty, a Connecticut native, is also looking forward to the atmosphere at the Garden, even though he will be wearing an enemy sweater. "I love MSG," he said. "I grew up watching games there. I love going there. I havent played in the finished building yet, so this will be fun for me." One person who hopes to be back on the ice on Thursday is Rangers forward Derick Brassard, who was injured early in the opener and missed all of Game 2. He went through a full practice on Wednesday and was waiting to meet with the medical staff and Vigneault to see if he would rejoin the lineup. Fellow forward Benoit Pouliot sat out for a maintenance day. Luis Medina Jersey . Wheeler scored at 4:58 of overtime, with Scheifele getting an assist, and the Jets beat the slumping Colorado Avalanche 2-1 on Sunday night. Hideki Matsui Jersey . A lawmaker is hoping the buzz from California Chromes run for the Triple Crown might build support for a bill that would place the U. http://www.customyankeesjersey.com/custom-babe-ruth-jersey-large-114i.html . - A late-game interception by defensive back Malcolm Butler saved the Super Bowl for the New England Patriots.The four-team FXFLs first season is over, and the developmental leagues founder is eager to get started on Year 2.I think we had a great first season, given the accelerated timeframe we operated under, says Brian Woods, commissioner of the league. We are very pleased at the response from the public. This model has proven itself. We believe we have something that works, with utilization of minor league baseball parks and the sponsorships weve created.Two of the FXFLs four franchises, the Brooklyn Bolts and Omaha Mammoths, drew decent-sized crowds to such stadiums. The Boston Brawlers didnt fare quite so well, and the Blacktips were a road-only team.Woods also was satisfied with the media reach the league had through regional sports networks and ESPN3. There were 80 million households who get those regional channels, and ESPN3 is available in about 90 million households.Most of the leagues players were cut by NFL teams before the season, and a handful wound up on NFL rosters or practice squads even as the FXFL was playing its short season. That, after all, was the idea in the first place.At the end of the day, we are a developmental league, Woods says. If some players needed current game film, they got it. There is real merit to having a developmental league.So much so that Woods envisions a bigger league in 2015, with more affiliations with minor league baseball teams and stadia. Hes targeting such cities as Memphis, Austin, Oklahoma City and somewhere in Florida. Woods also expects Brooklyn and Omaha to return.I want it to be a manageable expansion, ensure the product on the field will remain solid and something the fans will have an interest in, he says.OUT OF THIN AIR: Miami Dolphins defensive lineman Jared Odrick prepared for Sundays game at mile-high Denver with a hunting trip to Utah.Odrick and a friend shot coyote and hiked last weekend in the mountains near Randolph, which is at 6,300 feet — higher than Denver.Ive played in altitude before, Odrick said. It can be different if you want it to be. Its just another thing to overcome.Odricks mini-vacation was possible because the Dolphins had last weekend off following a Thursday night win over the Bills.CHAMPS TAKE: Although the only football Champ Bailey plays now is fantasy, he still has a scouts eye on the game he played for 15 seasons. He has faith in his former team getting right back on the Super Bowl Express.The Broncos (7-3) have lost two of their last three in large part because their makeshift offensive line cant keep Peyton Manning upright or jumpstart the ground game.Bailey, who officially retired this week, starting the countdown to his likely Hall of Fame speech, said angst-ridden Broncos fans should relax.Well, I think up front, theyre going to find something theyre comfortable with. They have to. Obviously, theyve made some changes. But theyll be good, Bailey said. I know the defence looks better than what we had last year. So, thats really the key: Dont turn the ball over, and get turnovers. They do that, they win. Too much talent not to.Theres never a good time for a slump, but better now than later, Bailey said.Its happened at the right time, not in the playofffs, Bailey said. Austin Romine Jersey. This league, its about as tight as it gets. I swear, six or seven weeks ago, youre talking about Seattle is the best thing you ever seen. Now, what do you think?New England was in trouble then, too.Exactly: Whats wrong with Brady? They cant keep plugging guys in, Bailey said. Its week to week. Cant get too high or too low — on anybody, I dont care who they are.Therefore, Bailey still likes Denvers chances to hoist the Lombardi Trophy, warts and all.Very good chances, Bailey said. There are a lot of teams with good chances, but if theyre playing the best they can play, they can win it, easily.PREPPING FOR SPEED: Tennessee defensive co-ordinator Ray Horton has never coached against Philadelphia with coach Chip Kellys fast-paced offence. So he tried something a little different to help prep the Titans for visiting the Eagles on Sunday.He went to the tape. No, not the coaches version with all the breaks between plays edited out. He showed them a copy of the TV broadcast, complete with Troy Aikman, from the Eagles 53-20 loss at Green Bay last week.So they get the tempo and how fast everything goes, Horton said. I think if you havent seen it, and I havent seen it in person, I think our guys now have an idea of what it is because theyve seen it actually like they were there just watching it on TV. They wont be surprised or shocked. I dont think they will be. I think we have a great game plan in how were going to do it and what we do and well be ready to go.Defensive coaches will watch a copy of the TV broadcast to pick up a quarterbacks cadence. But with the Eagles, Horton didnt care about the words, simply the speed and tempo that offence runs so none of the Titans are caught off-guard by just how quickly Philadelphia moves.But you still have to experience how fast it is, Horton said.ELI-TIKI TIFF: Eli Manning didnt like it a couple of years ago when former teammate Tiki Barber took a shot at him over his leadership abilities. And he didnt like it when Barber said in a recent radio interview that coach Tom Coughlin should be fired.Thats very nice of him, Manning said. Its good to hear from Ol Tiki.The Giants (3-7) have lost five straight games and are in danger of missing the playoffs for a third straight season.Manning said he didnt hear all of Barbers comments but got the gist of what he was saying, noting everyone has the right to his opinion.The 33-year-old Manning said the comment wont affect the players or the coaches.Well, I think it depends on kind of what your opinion of the player is, Manning said. I think that can make a big difference in how you react to it.Barber has fallen into disfavour with Giants fans for saying that Mannings leadership was somewhat comical. Barber later added that Coughlins tough coaching style led to his decision to retire, which he announced in the middle of the 2006 season.The Giants and Manning won Super Bowls after the 2007 and 11 seasons.___AP Pro Football Writers Barry Wilner, Teresa M. Walker and Arnie Stapleton, and Sports Writers Tom Canavan and Steven Wine contributed to this notebook.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL ' ' '