Up 2-0, with two games to play at home, the New York Rangers are sitting pretty in their series with the Atlanta Thrashers.

In fact, after two commanding performances down in Georgia and Thrashers coach Bob Hartley changing netminders once again, no one could blame the Rangers if they were less concerned about Atlanta.

Guess again.

“We believe that Atlanta comes in here with nothing to lose now,” coach Tom Renney said to reporters in Greenburgh. “We don't want to play where we're standing still, afraid to make mistakes. We have to be proactive, go after a win in every way possible and make it a tough night for them.”

“It is a clean page, though. If we stay disciplined, pay attention to how we have to play to have success, I think we'll be fine. I think we feel good, but we're on a business trip here. This business trip's two months long and we want to make sure it lasts that long for us.”

Continuing their poised game plan in Game 3 was the only thing on their minds yesterday. The Rangers looked confident and unfretted in the first two games and want to make sure that continues at the Garden tonight.

And they have to do it like they did over the weekend - from the top down.

Both Jaromir Jagr and Brendan Shanahan have to play strong games if the Rangers want to win.

Jagr, who has been criticized this season for disappearing the clutch, had a goal and an assist for a plus-2 rating in 20:18 of ice time on Thursday. But then on Saturday, when Hartley matched Bobby Holik’s checking line with Jagr, he was kept off the board.

But that’s where Shanahan’s line with Sean Avery on it stepped up. Goals from both players were the difference as Blueshirts took Atlanta’s pounding, but were no worse for wear.

Tonight, as the Rangers look for their first home playoff win in 10 years, Renney will be sticking with the same lineup, although Blair Betts missed practice yesterday with “bumps and bruises.” Facing Game 1 starter Kari Lehtonen, the Rangers will try and keep the game simple at home as they did on the road, while trying to take advantage of a desperate Atlanta team.

“It's not necessary to put on a big show,” said goaltender Henrik Lundqvist to reporters, who has .923 save percentage in the two playoff games . “Keep it simple and keep playing the way we've been playing the last couple of weeks.”

And that includes strong defense and few mistakes. Renney may double-shift Jagr to get him away from Holik, but playing a little gamesmanship yesterday, wouldn’t commit to that.

The coach does promise not to take the Thrashers for granted.

“As I've said many times before, they're a very good hockey team. We are aware of that.”