The Rangers barely will have a chance to catch their collective breath, much less come down from their high, to prepare for the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Capitals, which will commence at Madison Square Garden on Saturday at 3 p.m. with Game 2 at 7:30 p.m. Monday.
“We’ve already talked about it,” Brad Richards said following the Rangers’ 2-1, Game 7 victory over the Senators on Thursday night at the Garden. “We can enjoy this for about an hour, that’s really about it, and then we have to refocus immediately.”
Richards knows from what he speaks, having won the Stanley Cup with the Lightning in 2004 in a seven-game Final over the Flames following a seven-game Eastern finals victory over the Flyers.
“There’s nothing harder to do than go from Game 7 right into Game 1,” he said. “We have to bring that same work ethic right onto the ice with us in a day or two that we had tonight or we’ll be in trouble right away.
“The best thing for us is that the Caps are coming right off a Game 7 too [Wednesday night, 2-1 in OT in Boston], but we have to have that same hatred for them right away that we had for the Senators at the end of this series.”
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The Rangers’ nemesis this series, Chris Neil, was hounded by fans, often hearing an uncouth chant with his name as the centerpiece.
He was held in check, but did manage to draw a penalty on Michael Del Zotto in the second period. It was Del Zotto who hit Neil in Game 6 in Ottawa, with Neil saying, “I’m sure I’ll catch him with his head down one of these times.”
The Rangers killed off the penalty — one of two they took the whole night — and Neil went home empty handed.
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There was no update on Brian Boyle, who was concussed on a hit from Neil in Game 5. He did not play Game 6, and did not practice with the team on Wednesday or skate Thursday.
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Steve Eminger participated in the morning skate and the Rangers defenseman, out since March 15 with a right ankle injury, declared himself “100 percent.”
A source tells The Post a group of 24 Rangers had a big, business-like dinner Wednesday night at Serafina Broadway restaurant on 55th Street.
Eminger was recovering from a right ankle injury that has kept him out of the lineup since March 15. He previously had been listed as “day-to-day” and now said he’s ready whenever he might get the call to play.
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It could have been the last game in the storied career of Senators’ captain Daniel Alfredsson. The 39-year-old center had missed games three through five with a concussion he sustained on a hit from Carl Hagelin in Game 2, and rejoined his team for the final two games of the series, which it lost.
“It has been one of the most fun seasons for me in a while,” Alfredsson said before the game. “It has been an unbelievable year throughout.”
larry.brooks@nypost.com
Chris Neil, Rangers, Madison Square Garden, Michael Del Zotto, Brad Richards, Senators, Del Zotto, Daniel Alfredsson
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