The Rangers are looking like a team on a mission, determined to undo the emotional damage of last spring’s first-round sweep at the hands of the Devils. They played the first two games of their opening round series in Atlanta with a sense of serious purpose, never once getting thrown off their game by the more physical Thrashers. In fact, after a wild 4–3 win in Game 1, the Blueshirts actually tightened things up substantially for Game 2, coming away with a 2–1 victory that would have made even those disciplined Devils proud.

There are numerous reasons why the Blueshirts have managed to take control of this series. Most notable, of course, has been the play of agitator Sean Avery. Avery figured into both Ranger goals in their Game 2 victory, taking a regular shift alongside star forward Brendan Shanahan, and his 16 shots are the most among the Rangers (and the Thrashers, for that matter). Perhaps even more important, though, his grating style has enabled him to get under the collective skins of the entire Thrashers lineup, knocking them off their game.

In particular, star Thrashers forward Ilya Kovalchuk was seemingly more focused on hitting the Rangers (seven recorded hits) and Avery in particular than he was on scoring goals (only one goal on seven shots through the first two games). As a result, it became apparent that Avery’s aggravating presence effectively robbed Atlanta of one of its most critical weapons.

Although Avery did eventually leave the ice a bloody mess and looking as though he had gotten the worst of an alley fight, it was clear by the end of Saturday’s game that he just might be the difference-maker for a Rangers team that once again has legitimate Cup aspirations. While his game draws the ire not only of opponents but also those who long for the days when players showed one another far more respect on the ice, the fact remains that Avery provides the Rangers with the ammunition needed to fight fire with fire in today’s no-respect NHL.

Of course Avery isn’t the only reason the Rangers have been so successful against Atlanta. There’s also the play of young rearguard Fedor Tyutin, who has quietly emerged as one of the Rangers’ most important players. The regular season was a bust for Tyutin, who was expected to enjoy a breakthrough campaign. Instead, he tallied only 14 points in 66 games, while registering a minus-8 rating.

But against Atlanta, Tyutin stepped up his play in a big way, scoring four assists (to go with a plus-2 rating) in the first two games. He’s taken a regular shift alongside rookie Daniel Girardi, forming an effective defense pair that can be utilized in virtually any game situation. And after a Game 1 gaffe that led directly to a Thrashers third period goal, Girardi himself came back with a more typically strong performance in Game 2.

Center Michael Nylander, who is due to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, has been excellent as well, continuing to make a strong case for why the Blueshirts need to lock him up to another deal before July 1. With three points (and a plus-3 rating), Nylander is proving to be every bit as effective dealing with playoff pressure as he was during the regular season, when his 83 points ranked second on the Rangers, behind only captain Jaromir Jagr.

Also notable has been Marcel Hossa, who has improbably managed to upstage his superstar brother, Marian. Marcel’s Game 1 goal gives him one more than Marian thus far, and though an argument could be made that the Blueshirts would be better off with harder-hitting power forward Brad Isbister in the lineup, the fact remains that Hossa has been quite serviceable.

Finally, of course, there are the Rangers’ two most important players, Jagr and goaltender Henrik Lundqvist. After a long recovery from off-season shoulder surgery, Jagr finally looks comfortable shooting the puck, and the threat of his laser-like shot makes his playmaking ability all the more effective. And Lundqvist, whose lights-out second-half performance carried the Rangers into the postseason, was solid when not spectacular throughout the first two games, making huge saves at the critical moments.

Meanwhile, Thrashers coach Bob Hartley failed to take advantage of the final line change in Atlanta and was therefore unable to get his Hossa going. Indeed, through the first two games, the elder Hossa brother registered only three shots on goal (and a minus-two rating), adding additional fuel to the argument that Marian’s elite-level regular season performances won’t ever translate into postseason success.

And on the larger scale, perhaps this is a sign that, no matter which combinations of players take the ice, Tom Renney’s Rangers are simply better equipped to win playoff hockey games than Hartley’s Thrashers. Atlanta, in its franchise-first postseason appearance, is looking shaky and uncertain. Meanwhile, the Blueshirts — themselves icing a roster severely lacking in playoff experience — are demonstrating poise we haven’t seen from them since their improbable run to the Eastern Conference Finals in 1997.

Mr. Greenstein is the editor in chief of InsideHockey.com.