NEW YORK -- The last time the New York Rangers had a game to forget, they responded with five straight wins that put them on the cusp of the Stanley Cup finals. Jordan Clarkson Jersey . They are still there, and the Montreal Canadiens arent going away without a fight. New York needs one more victory to reach the championship round for the first time in 20 years. The Rangers know that Game 6 at home on Thursday is their best chance to get it. They returned home from Montreal on Wednesday, one day after a wild 7-4 loss cut their series lead to 3-2. If New York doesnt end it Thursday, the Rangers will have to go back to Montreal for a deciding Game 7. New York, which went the full seven games in each of the first two rounds of this years playoffs, will be playing its 20th post-season game. No team that played a pair of seven-game series before the conference finals has reached the Stanley Cup finals. "Its an opportunity to win the game to go to the Stanley Cup final," Rangers forward Brad Richards said. "I think everybody is alert and ready that way. We were talking about it all (Tuesday) how excited we were to get on the ice and start playing. "We had some mental breakdowns, but I dont think it had anything to do with (fatigue). Weve had a lot of rest this series. The opportunity that faces us right now, were pretty excited about it. I dont think there is too much letdown." In the second round, a poor performance at home in Game 4 against Pittsburgh dropped the Rangers into a 3-1 series hole. But New York won Game 5 on the road, took Game 6 at home, and won the clincher back in Pittsburgh to set up the matchup with Montreal. Now that the Canadiens have staved off elimination once, the Rangers are wary of giving them any more hope they can turn the tables. "You learn a lot from it. Thats why experience is experience," Richards said. "You go through many situations. (Tuesday) night was a bad feeling, but today were getting on a plane to go back to our city, and we get to play in front of our fans. "Its always, forget as quick as possible and try to remember the good things that were doing. It was one bad night, but weve been doing a lot of good things in this series." The Rangers won the opening two games in Montreal and then split a pair of overtime decisions at home. Even though they have had success on the road and in recent Game 7s, they know that going the distance again works against them. "Its a desperate time," Richards said. "You dont want to go back to a Game 7 where anything can happen. We want to get this done. Theyre a good team anywhere. "Were going to have to be a lot better, and we will be." This is as far as New York has advanced since captain Mark Messier led the club to the 1994 Stanley Cup title -- breaking the Rangers 54-year drought. The Garden will be ready to celebrate again Thursday. After the Rangers lost Game 4 to Pittsburgh, the loyal fans thought they might not see their team again until next season. That will be the situation again if the Canadiens pull off another victory. "You win a game, and things change in your locker room and you start feeling better about yourselves," Rangers defenceman Marc Staal said. "We know how it feels coming back in a series, but it doesnt change anything in our room. We are as confident as ever going into our building, and looking forward to it." So are the Canadiens. They know that if they wouldve scored in overtime of Game 4 as they did in Game 3, they wouldve had a two-game sweep at the Garden and would be the ones looking to advance Thursday. "Well be ready for one of those tight-checking games," defenceman Josh Gorges said Wednesday after an optional practice in Montreal. "Im sure it will be again one of those hard-fought games that well have to make sure that were even better than we were last game." Montreal will have rugged forward Brandon Prust back in the lineup after he served a two-game suspension for a late hit on Derek Stepan in Game 3 that broke the Rangers forwards jaw. Stepan returned Tuesday and scored two goals while wearing a full faceguard. The Rangers will be without defenceman John Moore. He was suspended for two games Wednesday after receiving a match penalty Tuesday night for a hit to Montreal forward Dale Weises head. Henrik Lundqvist will be back in goal for the Rangers after he was pulled in Game 5 on a rare off night in which he allowed four goals on 19 shots in less than two periods. He avoided the loss when New York rallied from a 4-1 deficit to get even. Backup goalie Cam Talbot gave up two goals in relief. "(Tuesday) night was probably the best game weve played in this series," Canadiens forward Lars Eller said. "If we keep doing a lot of those things, I think the end result will be good." Shaquille ONeal Jersey . Each day, TSN.ca provides the latest rumours, reports and speculation from around the NHL beat. Defensive Depth TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun is reporting the Toronto Maple Leafs have considerable interest in unrestricted free-agent defenceman Dan Boyle. Terrell Brandon Jersey . Watch the announcement live on TSN.ca at 12:30pm et/9:30am pt. This years honourees will be recognized at the 2014 Hockey Canada Foundation Celebrity Classic, scheduled for June 23-24 in Vancouver.Sky Sports football pundit Paul Merson is back with another round of Premier League predictions. Merse went up against his son, St Albans Sam Merson, with his predictions last time out, with the Magic Man picking up four results and one perfect score. Sam registered just two correct results.Heres how they got on... Last time out... Result Paul Merson predicted Sam Merson predicted Liverpool 6-1 Watford 3-1 3-0 Leicester 1-2 West Brom 2-1 1-1 Arsenal 1-1 Tottenham 3-1 3-1 Hull 2-1 Southampton 0-2 1-1 Swansea 1-3 Man Utd 1-2 0-1 Bmouth 1-2 Sunderland 2-0 2-0 Burnley 3-2 Palace 2-1 1-2 Man City 1-1 Boro 3-0 2-0 West Ham 1-1 Stoke 1-1 0-1 Chelsea 5-0 Everton 2-0 2-2 Manchester United v Arsenal (Saturday 12.30pm, live on Sky Sports 1)I think this will be a draw. Arsenal thought they could turn up in February and win, and ended up getting beaten 3-2.Wenger is moaning about Alexis Sanchez and Chile, I think hes just starting to make excuses already. Arsene Wenger goes up against Jose Mourinho on Saturday Really, Arsenal should win this game on form, but with Jose Mourinhos record against Wenger, I think he has a hold over him. Im going 1-1.I think Mourinhos record over Wenger makes a big difference. People arent really expecting United to win this, with Arsenal playing well, but Im going one each.PAUL PREDICTS: 1-1 (Sky Bet odds 5/1) Man Utd vs Arsenal November 19, 2016, 11:30am Live on Get Sky Sports Get a Sky Sports pass Middlesbrough v Chelsea (Sunday 4pm, live on Sky Sports 1)Boro have turned the corner. To pick up five points from their last three games - away at Arsenal where they should have won, home to Bournemouth who were on form, and to then get a draw at City, who had just beaten Barcelona.This will be very, very difficult for them, and I think theyre going to set up, as they did against Arsenal and City, to make it very difficult for Chelsea to break them down.Ive played at Boro, its harder to sit back at home than it is away, because the fans will want you to attack, but if they open this game up it will get messy. Chelsea are on fine form at present The three at the back is working for Chelsea, and I think the wing-backs have done great. But playing wing-back is the graveyard shift, its a hard job. Youre up and down, up and down all day, you have to be the full-back and the winger at the same time.Id be shocked if Conte can get his wing-backs doing that week in, week out, and when they start getting tired, you start playing five at the back and getting overrun in midfield. If they can rotate their wing-backs, they can do anything.Theyve been outstanding since the Arsenal defeat, they have ripped teams apart. They made Everton look like a League Two team.PAUL PREDICTS: 0-2 (Sky Bet odds 11/2) Mboro vs Chelsea November 20, 2016, 3:30pm Live on Get Sky Sports Get a Sky Sports pass West Brom v Burnley (Monday 8pm, live on Sky Sports 1)I actually think this will be a really, really good game, one of those games that both clubs look back on at the end of the season and say: That was a massive, massive result.The top teams can lose a game and then win five on the trot, but every game is a cup final for these mid-to-bottom teams.I like both managers, they dont get anywhere near the amount of credit they deserve. Sean Dyche barely gets a mention! Who can do the job hes done? Sean Dyche doesnt get the credit he deserves, says Merse West Brom will never go down as long as Tony Pulis is manager. I can understand the fans frustrations somettimes, because they often dont open the game quickly enough. LeBron James Jersey. But they have some very good players in Rondon, McClean and Brunt.I think theyll actually have a go at Burnley, and I think Burnley will do the same. I think it will be entertaining. Both teams need to win, and these are the games that these teams highlight.PAUL PREDICTS: 3-2 (Sky Bet odds 40/1) W Brom vs Burnley November 21, 2016, 7:00pm Live on Get Sky Sports Get a Sky Sports pass Sunderland v Hull City (Saturday 3pm)Im going for Sunderland here. I watched them against Bournemouth and they were decent. Moyes played two up front, and I think thats the important thing.Victor Anichebe was unbelievable, unplayable, and I expect them to beat Hull. Victor Anichebe starred for Sunderland against Bournemouth Hull got a massive result against Southampton, but this is difficult. They need to get something from the game, but I think the home advantage will make a difference.PAUL PREDICTS: 2-1 (Sky Bet odds 15/2)Watford v Leicester City (Saturday 3pm)This will be a good game, and I dont see much between the two teams. At the moment I think theyre relatively evenly matched, and you dont know whether Leicester are going to rest players for the Champions League. Will Leicester rest any players for their midweek Champions League game? Watford havent really got that run together, but overall I think theyve done great to be where they are. They cant moan at their last 18 months at all.PAUL PREDICTS: 1-1 (Sky Bet odds 5/1)Crystal Palace v Man City (Saturday 3pm)This is a big one. Coming back off the international break is always a leveller.Palace are on one of those Alan Pardew runs, where you can win five on the trot then lost five on the trot. Six months half price Upgrade to Sky Sports to watch Man Utd v Arsenal on Saturday and get the first six months half price The other week, when Palace got back to 2-2 against Burnley, there looked to be only one winner, then Burnley go up the other end and score. Its a rotten run.I think it always feels like a hard place to go, Selhurst Park, but Aguero didnt play for Argentina in midweek and I can see him firing.PAUL PREDICTS: 1-3 (Sky Bet odds 10/1) Sergio Aguero was rested for Argentina in midweek Everton v Swansea (Saturday 3pm)I cant see anything but an Everton win here. I know they got a good hiding at Chelsea, but if Chelsea keep playing like that, a lot of teams will be on the end of that.But Swansea are struggling. I like Bob Bradley, and Paul Williams has just come in to help him out, but is that a Bob Bradley appointment? Its a bit of a strange one for me. Everton will stroll past Swansea, says Merse I think Everton will get back on track here with a comfortable win.PAUL PREDICTS: 3-0 (Sky Bet odds 10/1)Stoke City v Bournemouth (Saturday 3pm)I never go against Stoke at home, as you know! Theyre flying at the moment, theyve turned the corner, and Bournemouth have had two shocking results against Boro and Sunderland.They were on a nice little run, and I dont think they took their foot off the gas per se, but they got a tad lackadaisical.At the end of the day, theyve put themselves in a bit of a problem now. If they lose this, thats three on the trot, and when one minute youre looking at mid-table, the next youre looking at teams around you and youre dragged back into it. Wilfried Bony hit form for Stoke against Swansea Stoke have been as good as anybody in the last few weeks, and when Bony has his confidence, hes so hard to play against.Joe Allen is playing as well as anybody, Arnautovic I have always said is top drawer, and Shaqiri too. When theyre all clicking at the same time, Stoke are a force.PAUL PREDICTS: 3-1 (Sky Bet odds 14/1)Southampton v Liverpool (Saturday 3pm)This should be a real, real good game. For Liverpool, these are the times youve got to take advantage. Other teams will come back from international duty, look at the fixtures and think: Wait a minute, weve got Champions League and Europa League this week, do we rest players or not?Liverpool dont have to do that. Jurgen Klopp can play his best team, tell them to have a couple days off in the week, and thats your advantage.Southampton have had a couple of shocking results, being completely outplayed by Chelsea, and then going to Hull and losing. All of a sudden, theyre on a bit of a slump with the Europa League game coming up. Liverpool hit six past Watford last time out Three weeks ago this looked like a difficult game, and all of a sudden it doesnt now.Liverpool so far this season are the most exciting team in the Premier League, but theres a long way to go.PAUL PREDICTS: 1-3 (Sky Bet odds 14/1)Tottenham v West Ham (Saturday 5.30pm)Im going to go for a comfortable Spurs win. Theyve had a couple of bad results in the Champions League, but theyre still undefeated in the league.It was a very even game against Arsenal a fortnight ago, and with West Ham still struggling, I cant see anything but a Spurs win. Tottenham striker Harry Kane celebrates after equalising against Arsenal These two really dont like each other, full stop. Its a big grudge game. To be unbeaten so far this season is some going in a difficult league.PAUL PREDICTS: 2-0 (Sky Bet odds 6/1)Upgrade to Sky Sports now to watch Man Utd v Arsenal this Saturday and get the first six months half price! 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