Bruins vs Rangers

NEW YORK -- The New York Rangers will attempt to stay perfect at home in the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs on Tuesday night in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Boston Bruins. Neither team is making any lineup changes.

NEW YORK -- More than a decade has passed since Bob Essensa played in an NHL game. But on Tuesday morning, the 48-year-old was facing shots again.

The Boston Bruins goaltending coach took Tuukka Rask's spot on the ice at Madison Square Garden for the team's optional skate prior to Game 3 of their Eastern Conference Semifinal series against the New York Rangers (7:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN, TSN, RDS).

One of the lighter moments came when Bruins defenseman Johnny Boychuk ripped a slap shot Essensa didn't even try to stop. He wasn't about to make any quick movements that weren't going to agree with his body.

"Anything I had to reach for … yeah," he said to reporters. "Just like the good old days."

NEW YORK -- The New York Rangers went 3-0 at Madison Square Garden in advancing past the Washington Capitals in their Eastern Conference Quarterfinal series.

Now, down 2-0 to the Boston Bruins entering Game 3 of their Eastern Conference Semifinal series Tuesday (7:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN, TSN, RDS), the Rangers will need that hometown advantage if they hope to get back in this series.

Just don't ask them to explain their remarkable record at home.

"Really, I don't know. It confuses me why some pucks go in at home when they don't go in in certain situations on the road. Who knows why?" Rangers coach John Tortorella said. "I think today's game is a lot different from back in the '70s, when there was a real distinct advantage to playing at home. I don't think there is [an advantage today]. But there must be. The record shows it."

NEW YORK -- Since being acquired at the NHL Trade Deadline from the Columbus Blue Jackets, New York Rangers forward Derick Brassard has done practically everything asked of him.

In 13 regular-season games with New York, he had five goals and 11 points. He then added nine points in the final five games of the Rangers' Eastern Conference Quarterfinal series, helping them rally past the Washington Capitals.

With New York down 2-0 in their conference semifinal series with the Boston Bruins heading into Game 3 Tuesday at Madison Square Garden (7:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN, TSN, RDS), Brassard may have his most difficult task yet: Bringing the Rangers' dormant power play back to life.

Brassard briefly played the point on the Rangers' first power-play unit in Game 2 and continued to practice his point play with New York's defensemen in an optional skate held Tuesday morning. It's not the first time he's quarterbacked his team's power play, but he admits the dynamic of playing the point with the man-advantage is a significant change from playing down low.

NEW YORK -- Boston Bruins coach Claude Julien said he would be surprised if defenseman Dennis Seidenberg would be available to play Tuesday in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden (7:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN, TSN, RDS).

Seidenberg did take part in the team's optional morning skate but apparently is not ready to return to action. He has been out since sustaining a lower-body injury on the first shift of Game 7 of the Bruins' first-round series against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Seidenberg is one of three injured veteran defensemen doubtful or out of the lineup. Wade Redden and Andrew Ference have been out since Game 6 of the first round. In their places, rookies Dougie Hamilton, Matt Bartkowski and Torey Krug have helped the Bruins take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-7 series.

"Probably not Seidenberg; Redden, we'll see," Julien told reporters Tuesday morning when asked if either would participate in Tuesday's pregame warm-ups. "They're skating this morning, but I don't think [Seidenberg] will be in. If he is, it'll be a surprise to me as much as you guys."

Here is the Bruins' projected lineup for Game 3:

NEW YORK -- Defenseman Marc Staal and forward Darroll Powe, neither of whom has played for the New York Rangers in their Eastern Conference Semifinal series against the Boston Bruins, were among 14 players who participated in an optional team skate Tuesday. However, it remains unlikely either will play in Game 3 Tuesday at Madison Square Garden (7:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN, TSN, RDS).

Staal played 17:17 in New York's 4-3 win against the Washington Capitals in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference Quarterfinal series but has not played since. Following an optional skate that wasn't overly strenuous, Staal's locker stall remained mostly empty.

Powe hasn't played since a collision with Washington's Joel Ward in Game 3.

"I feel good," Powe said. "It's good to be back out on the ice skating with the guys. I'm just trying to do skating, work out and try to get back in the lineup. It's all part of the process, just getting back on the ice and playing hockey again. That's where I'm at right now."

BOSTON -- After a mediocre performance in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Boston Bruins' penalty kill has been flawless against the New York Rangers in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

The Bruins, who lead the series 2-0 heading into Game 3 on Tuesday at Madison Square Garden (7:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN, TSN, RDS), have killed all eight Rangers power plays. In the first round, Boston killed 16 of 21 Maple Leafs man-advantages, for a 76.2-percent success rate

Despite their 100-percent efficiency rate in the second round, the Bruins see room for improvement as they try to prevent the Rangers from emerging from their 2-for-36 slump.

"I think it's better. We've got to keep that going," center Patrice Bergeron said. "They're moving the puck well, so we have to make sure we keep having some good sticks and staying in the shooting lanes and being aggressive on them. If we give them time, they have the players to make the plays."

BOSTON -- Boston Bruins coach Claude Julien might be one step closer to having a couple difficult lineup decisions on his hands.

Injured defensemen Dennis Seidenberg and Wade Redden both joined the team for practice at TD Garden on Monday. Julien said both players will be game-day decisions for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the New York Rangers on Tuesday at Madison Square Garden (7:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN, TSN, RDS).

Neither player, in addition to Andrew Ference, has played yet in this series. In their place, rookies Matt Bartkowski, Torey Krug and Dougie Hamilton have proven to be more-than-capable replacements.

GREENBURGH, N.Y. -- New York Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist is on the ice for practice Monday at the team's training facility one day after saying he felt discomfort in his shoulder following a 5-2 loss to the Boston Bruins in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

Lundqvist appeared to hurt himself reaching to cover a loose puck in the slot with 4:52 remaining in the third period Sunday at TD Garden. He needed extra time to get up and once he did he was seen waving his left arm up and down as he skated back-and-forth through the crease.

All of the Rangers who dressed for Game 2 are on the ice for practice. They trail the Bruins 2-0 in the best-of-7 series. Game 3 is Tuesday at Madison Square Garden (7:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN, TSN, RDS).

BOSTON -- New York Rangers coach John Tortorella isn't letting an overtime loss in Game 1 affect his lineup for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals on Sunday at TD Garden against the Boston Bruins.

Like the Bruins, New York isn't making any changes to its lineup for Game 2. The forward lines and defense pairs the Rangers showed in pre-game warm-ups were exactly the same as they were in Game 1 as well as for the last two games of the conference quarterfinals against the Washington Capitals.

What may change is the Rangers' personnel on the power play. Although Tortorella repeated used the word "stinks" to describe Carl Hagelin on the power play on Saturday, he did offer the possibility that he would use the speedy left wing in that situation.