Five Questions The Rangers Need To Answer

As Animal Farm author George Orwell might have said about tonight's Blueshirts-Devils game: "All Rangers games are equal; but some are more equal than others."

This happens to be one of those "more equal" melodramas, not to be missed. The Maven tells you why:

1. BLUESHIRTS ARE THEY DEAD OR ALIVE? Old pal Sean Avery is preparing the NHL mortuary for them. Others aren't so sure because the recent win over Montreal – deceptive as it was – produced two points. If the home team wins at MSG it could be the start of something big. Remember, this is the roster that won the Presidents' Trophy in the longest (82 game) marathon in all sports. Tonight's game will tell a whole heckuva lot about who really has the goods.

2. WHO WILL JACOB TROUBA FIGHT THIS TIME? The glorious captain put up his dukes against the Habs. The long, grab-swing affair was, if nothing else, amusing. If you think it had anything to do with New York winning, then elephants fly and crocodiles go to dentists. Jake The Rake was selling his "toughness" to his next team, wherever and whoever that might be.

3. WHY RANGERS HATE DEVILS LIKE THEY DO ISLANDERS? The 1994 "Battle Of The Hudson" is Exhibit A. But, way before that classic, NJ kayoed NY out of the playoffs on the last night of the 87-88 season. Also, tough Dev Pat Verbeek beat up rookie Brian Leetch. Want more? Not that long ago Adam Henrique booted the Blueshirts into the Hackensack River. On the other hand, Garden Staters never will forget that naughty boy "Matteau-Matteau."

4; CAN BRITTLE CHYTIL SURVIVE HIS 2D IN A ROW? With one successful game under his belt, the oft-injured Czach is a key component to the Rangers' attack and one of the precious few who can awaken his mates out of the snoozes. The trouble is that one never knows whether Fiery Fil is working for the Madison Square Garden Corporation or Blue Cross. Evidence will be available tonight.

5. CAN IGGY BEAT A GOOD TEAM? The Shesterkin fellow has stumped the NHL's Humpty Dumpties with relative ease. But when it comes to "la creme de la creme", Igor's cream turns to buttermilk. Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier – among other testy Devils – would like to turn milk to mud. Then again, a big Rangers win – maybe a blank job – will have Iggy's agent demanding Fort Knox and today's NJ Turnpike tolls.

6. CAN THE GREAT ZIBANEJAD NOT HAVE A MINUS GAME? Marvelous Mika has turned into a very expensive skating dartboard. No matter that it's the Sweet Swede's own fault. Lately The Z Man has been the Blueshirts' answer to an oar-less rowboat in Central Park Lake. That said, we know that when his arsenal works -- could be tonight, don't laugh – Z could turn fellow Swede, Jacob Markstrom, into his favorite mark.

Stay tuned – as I know you will!