Boston tonight, Rangers tomorrow, and after Travis Zajac’s overtime goal gave New Jersey a 3-2 win over Florida yesterday, the Devils now have the pleasure of playing their deciding game against the Panthers on Thursday night.  How exciting for the common hockey fan!  If my favorite team’s fate wasn’t the meat in the sandwich of this winner-take-all trilogy, I’d be pretty pumped to see it all go down.  Nothing in sports breeds excitement like a Game 7, not even Greg Mackleson pitching a triple crown on Super Bowl Masters Sunday.  As it is though, I’m a nervous wreck.  One crappy outing and this whole season simply ends in an instant.  All three fan bases know the feeling having just played a Game 6 with their backs against the wall, but now that they’ve each taken that first step towards survival it would be an even bigger shame to fall just one win short.

Obviously I want the Rangers to win.  Preferably big.  I want them to score so early and so often that by the end of the second period we’re already thinking about their next round opponent.  But who that would be depends entirely on the Bruins’ showing in Boston tonight.  Win and we’re on a path for Philly or New Jersey, lose and we’re working for the chance to take out Washington.  The Blueshirts match up much better against the Atlantic teams than they do against DC so I have to admit that I’m pulling for beantown here.  Does that bother you, Boston fans?  That I’m rooting for your team because I’m in no way afraid to face them, hockey gods willing, in the conference finals?  Because it’s the same reason I want Florida to win their all-or-nothing showdown.  Let the less threatening survive, the better matchups for the Rangers despite what success they had to have to win a round or two.  Because let’s face it Bruins fans, you can’t repeat.  It’s damn near impossible so don’t even bother entertaining the idea.  It’s much more likely that you’re just a pawn in the future champions’ chess game, taking out a dangerous piece or two and then stepping up for slaughter at just the right moment.  So go Bruins.  It may be condescending in nature, but I’m still rooting for you… @Osgood_StoolNYC

PS – Trolling Boston fans, it’s all I can do to stave off the stress from our own Game 7.  Someone get me a Xanax stat!