ore rallying to not only make the playoffs, but win the Grey Cup at B.C. Place Stadium — the same field where the big game will be held in November. That doesnt mean they want to take the same route in 2

GREENBURGH, N.Y. -- Instead of getting ready for Game 6 of the Stanley Cup finals, in what would surely have been a rocking Madison Square Garden, the New York Rangers quietly packed up their lockers and headed toward summer vacation. The pain and disappointment of Friday nights season-ending loss to the Los Angeles Kings was still palpable Monday as players went through exit interviews at the teams suburban practice facility, but one by one they took positive looks back on their unexpected post-season. After all, it had been 20 years since the Rangers played with the Cup on the line. "Its a little early," star goalie Henrik Lundqvist said. "I am proud of the team and what we did and how we overcame different challenges -- not only in the past couple of months but throughout the entire season. "We have a lot to be happy about, but right now youre still disappointed about not winning." Had they been able to score in overtime on Friday or in either of the first two games of the finals in Los Angeles -- which were both decided in overtime -- New York would have hosted Game 6 on Monday night. The series would have been 3-2, one way or the other, and Rangers fans would have been firmly behind their club as it moved closer to a championship. "The last two or three days have been even worse than today," forward Carl Hagelin said. "Now its kind of faded off. Its enough crying now. You cant cry much more. "It couldve been a game tonight, but were going to have to live another day." The Rangers have reached the conference finals in two of the past three seasons, and now have taken it a step further. Only a few veterans in their room, such as Brad Richards and Martin St. Louis, had gotten to the finals before this run. The collective experience they now share as a group could bode well. "Its hard to swallow right now, but give it a couple of weeks," forward Derek Stepan said. "I think well look back and well see how much fun we had as a group and be able to look at it and say, Hey, we played some really good hockey. "Weve got a good balance of guys. The organization did a good job of building this team, getting the young guys and getting the old guys. Weve got a good blend." As is always the case at the end of the season, changes will be made before the team gets back together for training camp in about three months. One player who likely wont be there is Richards, who has become a prime candidate to have his contract bought out by the Rangers to give the club much needed salary cap relief. New York has one remaining amnesty buyout available, and it must be used by July 1. The cap room that would be saved by getting Richards contract off the books could go a long way to signing potential free agents the Rangers have and others who could come in from other teams. "Were going to work on putting a good team on the ice, but every year is different," Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said. "Next years team is going to be different, and youve got to go through the same process. Its going to be a challenge to make the playoffs, and then you take it one series at a time." Richards took on a bigger leadership role after captain Ryan Callahan was traded to Tampa Bay for St. Louis in March. His voiced carried in the room even as his play declined as the playoff run got deeper. Vigneault limited his ice time to fourth-line minutes in the final two games against Los Angeles. "If you look at Brads overall season he had a real good year," Vigneault said. "In the final series, I dont know if it was a combination of some other guys might have been playing a little bit better than he was, but we had some decisions to make in Game 4 and Game 5." No decision on Richards status had been made by Monday afternoon, and he didnt speak to reporters to discuss what might lie ahead for him, either. Vigneault excelled in his first season as coach, after he replaced the fiery John Tortorella, and he will also be looking to win that elusive championship. The Rangers havent hoisted the Cup since their last finals experience in 1994. Vigneault took the Vancouver Canucks to the final step, too, only to fall to Boston in 2011. "Each year you play, your drive gets bigger and bigger," Stepan said. "This group has been close, and certainly that drive is going to be there for next year." Cheap Ecco Shoes Online . Five straight losses (and six in the past seven) now dot the schedule – matching their longest skid of the year – after they fell again in New Jersey on Sunday night, topped 3-2 by Cory Schneider and the Devils. Cheap Ecco Shoes . CEO Steve Koonin on Tuesday told the Hawks flagship radio station that he made the decision to discipline Ferry but allowed him to keep his job managing the team. He did not say what the punishment was, but noted that he relied on a law firms three-month investigation of Ferry and him describing Deng as someone who has a little African in him. http://www.cheapecco.us/.Hammel pitched inside more and it helped him get into the seventh inning as the Colorado Rockies beat the San Diego Padres 3-2 on Friday night. Ecco Shoes Wholesale .The Los Angeles Lakers star passed Michael Jordan for third on the NBAs career scoring list Sunday night in a 100-94 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Ecco Shoes Sale Outlet . Both had to wait out a rain interruption lasting nearly five hours before taking comprehensive third-round victories to join Carling Bassett-Seguso (1983, 1986), Patricia Hy-Boulais (1996-97) and Daniel Nestor (1999) as Canadians who made it into the second week of a major.SURREY, B.C. - Kevin Glenn wants everyone to take a deep breath. Despite guiding the B.C. Lions to a sluggish 0-2 start to the CFL season — including an anaemic offensive performance in last weeks 24-9 road loss to the Montreal Alouettes — the clubs veteran quarterback is confident things will turn around soon. For a team that has designs on playing in the Grey Cup game set for its backyard, they better. "I wouldnt push the panic button just yet. Its a long season," Glenn said after Tuesdays practice. "There is a sense of urgency and I think everybody understands that around here just because of the nature of our profession. We dont have to panic. We just have to go make sure we understand whats going on and we go out and execute in the game." Starting in place of injured No. 1 quarterback Travis Lulay, Glenn has thrown six interceptions and has been sacked nine times through two games. Its a small sample size, but also a troubling trend for a team that has a new offensive co-ordinator, a new scheme and a rebuilt offensive line in 2014. "Theres no excuses around here," said Glenn. "Weve just got to believe in each other, believe in the systems and what were doing and just get this thing turned around." In truth, the Lions offence has been ravaged by injury early in the season, with both the receiving corps and line taking major personnel hits. B.C. head coach Mike Benevides is hoping to get receivers Marco Iannuzzi and Emmanuel Arceneaux back for Saturdays visit to Regina to take on the Saskatchewan Roughriders (1-1), but its clear everyone on the roster has to be better. "I think what it has come down to, and I have told the players this, is making plays," said Benevides. "Its different if we just cant get squat done. But theres points where theres a throw to be made into the end zone, lets make it. Theres an interception to be made, lets make it. Theres a ball on the ground ... lets all run to the ball and get the ball. "Every single one of us, and that includes us with the whistles, we just have to find ways to make some plays. We have go gain confidence and we have to get better right away because right now its not good enough at all." The offensive line lost three starters to retirement in the off-season and new starting left tackle Andre Ramsey went down to injury in the season opener. The Lions brought in Ryan Cave last week, but he was victimized by Montreals defence in the first half after taking part in just two practicees with his new teammates.dddddddddddd Still, Benevides said Glenn — who has just two touchdown passes to go along with a 58.5 per cent completion rate — has to make the right decisions in crucial moments. "Five sacks (against the Alouettes) are too much. The hits are too much. We have to fix that right away, but there are certain plays he has to make himself and he knows that," said Benevides. "Two weeks in a row there was a play to be made in the end zone without pressure, lets make that play. He knows that." In his first season with B.C. after being acquired at the CFL draft in a trade with the Ottawa Redblacks, Glenn has been through his share of ups and downs in his career and said the Lions are still a confident bunch. "Weve got a lot of guys here that believe in each other and I think thats the biggest thing," said the 35-year-old. "If you still have guys that believe in each other and know that its going to get done ... its going to get done." Answering questions about early-season struggles is something many of the Lions have had to deal with in the not-too-distant past. The 2011 team started 0-5 before rallying to not only make the playoffs, but win the Grey Cup at B.C. Place Stadium — the same field where the big game will be held in November. That doesnt mean they want to take the same route in 2014. "At the end of the day weve got a lot to build on. Our foundation is still solid and everybody still has confidence in the locker-room. We just have to apply it to the field," said veteran defensive back Ryan Phillips, before cautioning: "Everybody should be concerned to some degree. We cant go off the past and say weve been here before and things like that. "Our backs are against the wall right now and thats the reality of it. Youre only as good as your last game." On top of looking for their first victory of the season this weekend in what is sure to be a hostile environment in Regina, the Lions will take on a Roughriders team that ended their season in 2013 before capturing the Grey Cup. "We are pissed off, weve lost two in a row. They are going to play at home," said Benevides. "Its loud and its hard to play there. Our guys have done it before and challenged them really well. I really dont care about the opponent. Its about us performing better. "There is no need for any extra motivation right now. We suck. We havent won two games in a row and we have to win right away." ' ' '