This isn't the time for big-picture analysis. The summer is the time for that necessary examination of the season. This isn't the time for putting things in context, either, because the context is written solely in the standings.

And so the context of last night's 4-3 victory over the Islanders at the Coliseum is this and this alone: It allows the 10th-place Rangers to stay within four points of a playoff berth, with both ninth-place Atlanta and eighth-place Boston to leapfrog with six games to go.

How humorous is it though that after a season in which John Tortorella rode the few thoroughbreds in the stable to an extreme and perhaps exhaustion, injuries to Ryan Callahan

Nov. 25, 2009
By Wes Goldstein

Even if Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving a month earlier than Americans, the "When in Rome ..." thing still feels right for Aaron Voros. That could be because the 28-year-old Vancouver native makes his living as a forward for the New York Rangers.
And spending this year's holiday in Florida with the team, well, that certainly makes it easier to get caught up in the spirit of things.

Aaron Varos, who does the dirty work in the trenches, appreciates the fact that he can play at all. (Getty Images)
Then again, Turkey Day in November is really old hat for Voros. He got his education at an American college and has spent

By LARRY BROOKS
Last Updated: 3:45 AM, September 22, 2009

The right knee sprain Sean Avery sustained in a collision with Ryan Callahan at yesterday's morning skate might prevent him from being ready for the Oct. 2 season opener in Pittsburgh.
Although this is not good news for either Fashion Week Sean or for the Rangers, Avery's absence in the short run does create an opportunity for another winger to get more of a look to secure a spot on the roster.
That might be all that's needed for Aaron Voros, who entered camp as a long shot after being a healthy scratch in 19 of the 21 games the Rangers played last season after John Tortorella replaced Tom Renney behind