NEW YORK -- The last time the New York Rangers had a game to forget, they responded with five straight wins that put them on the cusp of the Stanley Cup finals. They are still there, and the Montreal Canadiens arent going away without a fight. New York needs one more victory to reach the championship round for the first time in 20 years. The Rangers know that Game 6 at home on Thursday is their best chance to get it. They returned home from Montreal on Wednesday, one day after a wild 7-4 loss cut their series lead to 3-2. If New York doesnt end it Thursday, the Rangers will have to go back to Montreal for a deciding Game 7. New York, which went the full seven games in each of the first two rounds of this years playoffs, will be playing its 20th post-season game. No team that played a pair of seven-game series before the conference finals has reached the Stanley Cup finals. "Its an opportunity to win the game to go to the Stanley Cup final," Rangers forward Brad Richards said. "I think everybody is alert and ready that way. We were talking about it all (Tuesday) how excited we were to get on the ice and start playing. "We had some mental breakdowns, but I dont think it had anything to do with (fatigue). Weve had a lot of rest this series. The opportunity that faces us right now, were pretty excited about it. I dont think there is too much letdown." In the second round, a poor performance at home in Game 4 against Pittsburgh dropped the Rangers into a 3-1 series hole. But New York won Game 5 on the road, took Game 6 at home, and won the clincher back in Pittsburgh to set up the matchup with Montreal. Now that the Canadiens have staved off elimination once, the Rangers are wary of giving them any more hope they can turn the tables. "You learn a lot from it. Thats why experience is experience," Richards said. "You go through many situations. (Tuesday) night was a bad feeling, but today were getting on a plane to go back to our city, and we get to play in front of our fans. "Its always, forget as quick as possible and try to remember the good things that were doing. It was one bad night, but weve been doing a lot of good things in this series." The Rangers won the opening two games in Montreal and then split a pair of overtime decisions at home. Even though they have had success on the road and in recent Game 7s, they know that going the distance again works against them. "Its a desperate time," Richards said. "You dont want to go back to a Game 7 where anything can happen. We want to get this done. Theyre a good team anywhere. "Were going to have to be a lot better, and we will be." This is as far as New York has advanced since captain Mark Messier led the club to the 1994 Stanley Cup title -- breaking the Rangers 54-year drought. The Garden will be ready to celebrate again Thursday. After the Rangers lost Game 4 to Pittsburgh, the loyal fans thought they might not see their team again until next season. That will be the situation again if the Canadiens pull off another victory. "You win a game, and things change in your locker room and you start feeling better about yourselves," Rangers defenceman Marc Staal said. "We know how it feels coming back in a series, but it doesnt change anything in our room. We are as confident as ever going into our building, and looking forward to it." So are the Canadiens. They know that if they wouldve scored in overtime of Game 4 as they did in Game 3, they wouldve had a two-game sweep at the Garden and would be the ones looking to advance Thursday. "Well be ready for one of those tight-checking games," defenceman Josh Gorges said Wednesday after an optional practice in Montreal. "Im sure it will be again one of those hard-fought games that well have to make sure that were even better than we were last game." Montreal will have rugged forward Brandon Prust back in the lineup after he served a two-game suspension for a late hit on Derek Stepan in Game 3 that broke the Rangers forwards jaw. Stepan returned Tuesday and scored two goals while wearing a full faceguard. The Rangers will be without defenceman John Moore. He was suspended for two games Wednesday after receiving a match penalty Tuesday night for a hit to Montreal forward Dale Weises head. Henrik Lundqvist will be back in goal for the Rangers after he was pulled in Game 5 on a rare off night in which he allowed four goals on 19 shots in less than two periods. He avoided the loss when New York rallied from a 4-1 deficit to get even. Backup goalie Cam Talbot gave up two goals in relief. "(Tuesday) night was probably the best game weve played in this series," Canadiens forward Lars Eller said. "If we keep doing a lot of those things, I think the end result will be good." Wilson Chandler Nets Jersey . But Paul Osbaldiston, Hamiltons assistant special teams and kicking coach, said the team still relished the championship game workout. Kyrie Irving Nets Jersey . -- Jake Peavy arrived at Bostons spring training complex on Monday with a large white bandage covering his left index finger, the result of a weekend accident. https://www.netsrookiesshop.com/Deandre-Jordan-City-Edition-Jersey/ . 4 jersey of former defenseman Rob Blake this coming season. The ceremony will take place prior to the Kings January 17 game against Anaheim. Drazen Petrovic Nets Jersey . He was 26. Edwards, the Supercup Championship leader, was in the passenger seat as an instructor for a private training session at Queensland Raceway at Willowbank, outside Brisbane, Porsche Motorsport said. Kenneth Faried Jersey . -- Maple Leafs captain Dion Phaneuf has been suspended two games for his hit from behind on Kevan Miller of the Bruins.What is it about the Whitecaps and spectacular goals to salvage games that end 2-2? Saturdays stunning howitzer from Uruguayan marksman Sebastien Fernandez will go down as one of the great finishes in the Caps short MLS era. A monstrous tackle from Steven Beitashour kept the game alive, when it seemed referee Kevin Stott was ready to blow for time. And like a basketball player whose internal shot clock was down to 0.5, Fernandez took a quick look up before unleashing a 35-yard rocket that even Nick Rimando couldnt stop. The scenes at Rio Tinto stadium were as contrasting as youll ever see in a regular season game; the Whitecaps and their staff leaping and hollering like 12-year-old kids whove won an imaginary World Cup, while a devastated Real Salt Lake team lay strewn about the pitch in disbelief. Its not the first time a stunning strike has rescued a point for the Whitecaps in a 2-2 game. They did it a week ago against LA, when it was Kekuta Manneh who bombed home a cracking equalizer in the 86th minute. Late last year, in a wild affair with Portland, Camilo Sanvezzo sideways scissored a goal of the year winner, only sseconds after the Whitecaps had fallen behind.dddddddddddd And in June of 2011, Eric Hassli should have earned goal of the year honours for his late, sensational volley that dropped into the top corner past Kasey Keller, only moments after the Whitecaps had fallen behind in Seattle. Four point-earning goals with aesthetic beauty, individual brilliance, against Western rvals, all while the Whitecaps were trailing. But there was something extra special about the rally at Real. It was executed by kids. The midfield and forward six combined to average 22.6 years of age. The RSL team that tried to hang on averaged 29.45 years, among them captain Kyle Beckerman, who sarcastically sneered a good luck making the playoffs in Darren Mattocks direction. As Carl Robinson continues to shape his squad and older players move on, you just wonder how the young Whitecaps will look when they learn how to start games the same way theyve been finishing them. In the meantime, another 2-2 scoreline, which seemed improbable until the 86th minute will be savoured by a Whitecap fan base that has already been spoiled by late-game dramatics. ' ' '