NEW YORK (Ticker) -- The New York Rangers have another chance to clinch the Atlantic Division title on the final night of the regular season. They hope goaltender
Henrik Lundqvist will be able to help.
Lundqvist is expected to make his first start since March 30 when the Rangers host the Ottawa Senators, who are battling with the Carolina Hurricanes for the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.
The gold medal-winning goalie for Sweden in the Winter Olympics, Lundqvist has missed New York's last seven games due to a hip flexor.
Kevin Weekes filled in and won three straight games, but then lost the next four.
Ironically, Lundqvist suffered the injury in a 4-1 loss at Ottawa on March 30, giving the Senators a 2-1 lead in the season series.
Related Info
The Rangers had a chance to clinch their first division title since 1993-94 - the last year they won the Stanley Cup - at Philadelphia on Saturday but lost to the Flyers, 4-1.
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</NOSCRIPT><!--- End Ad ---></TD></TR><TR><TD> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>New York leads the New Jersey Devils and Philadelphia by one point with one game left. The Devils play at Montreal and the Flyers visit the New York Islanders on Tuesday. The Devils hold the tiebreaker over the Rangers and Flyers due to more wins.
Ottawa needs a win and a loss by Carolina (112 points) at home against Buffalo to finish first in the East.
But like New York, the Senators are struggling. They have lost nine of their last 12 games, including a 5-1 defeat at Toronto on Saturday.
Ray Emery took over as Ottawa's starting goaltender after
Dominik Hasek was injured at the Olympics and went 12-2-2 in March. But Emery has lost his last five starts.
Dany Heatley,
Chris Neil and rookie
Patrick Eaves each tallied power-play goals in the Senators' 4-1 win over the Rangers in their last meeting.
New York's
Jaromir Jagr held the NHL lead in goals most of the season, but is now second with a club-record 54, two fewer than San Jose's
Jonathan Cheechoo. Jagr's total of 122 points also is second to San Jose's
Joe Thornton (125).