Rangers and Lightning gear up for weekend openers in Prague

By Jason Hovet

PRAGUE (Reuters) - The New York Rangers and Tampa Bay Lightning stepped up preparations on Thursday for their season-opener in the Czech capital at the weekend.

The teams meet in two games in Prague on Saturday and Sunday, while the Ottawa Senators and Pittsburgh Penguins also clash in two back-to-back contests in Stockholm, as the league continues its bid to reach wider markets.

The matchups follow a hugely successful opening in London last year when the Anaheim Ducks took on the Los Angeles Kings in a two-game set.

This weekend caps a long week for the Rangers and Lightning after traveling for exhibition games against clubs from Russia, Germany, Slovakia and Switzerland.

"It's been a tough trip," said new Lightning coach Barry Melrose.

Melrose, who last coached in the league 13 years ago, took over in June. He is one of several new faces at the club including Gary Roberts, Ryan Malone and Vaclav Prospal.

The Lightning, who won their only Stanley Cup in 2004, finished bottom of the Eastern Conference last season with 31 wins.

"We haven't played as good as we wanted (in the exhibitions) but we are winning games," said captain Vincent Lecavalier. "These next few days will be important for the start of our season."

JAGR MOVE

The Rangers are looking to improve on their 2007-08 season after being eliminated by Stanley Cup runner-up Pittsburgh in the Eastern Conference semi-finals.

New York is without Czech forward Jaromir Jagr, who signed a three-year deal with the Russian club Omsk Vanguard in July.

"Jagr was such a huge presence," said Rangers coach Tom Renney. "But it has provided opportunity for others."

League commissioner Gary Bettman said there were no firm plans to make this weekend's events a regular tradition but it was a goal to extend the NHL's appeal.

"What we want to do is respond to the tremendous interest we know there is in the game," said Bettman.

"If this works as well as we think it will, maybe we will do more."