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New York Rangers' Henrik Lundqvist, of Sweden, stands in the net during NHL hockey practice at Madison Square Garden in New York, Tuesday, May 22, 2012. For the third straight series, Rangers return home from a Game 4 loss and try to regain control. The R Seth Wenig, Associated Press
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New York Rangers head coach John Tortorella yells during NHL hockey practice at Madison Square Garden in New York, Tuesday, May 22, 2012. For the third straight series, Rangers return home from a Game 4 loss and try to regain control. The Rangers have one Seth Wenig, Associated Press
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New York Rangers' Carl Hagelin, right, and Mike Rupp look on during NHL hockey practice at Madison Square Garden in New York, Tuesday, May 22, 2012. For the third straight series, Rangers return home from a Game 4 loss and try to regain control. The Range Seth Wenig, Associated Press
By Associated Press

NEW YORK — Practice for the New York Rangers went from optional to mandatory. Their attitude shifted from agitated to optimistic.

For the third straight series, the Eastern Conference's top-seeded team is all even through four games, and each time the Rangers have headed into Game 5 after a loss.

The task at hand against the rival New Jersey Devils in the conference finals is difficult, yet satisfyingly familiar. The Rangers have lost three straight Game 2s after series-opening wins and have dropped all three Game 4s following Game 3 victories.

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New York, which will host Game 5 on Wednesday night, is now in a best-of-three series with two of the games at home if it goes the distance again.

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