Daily News from New York, New York • 91

Friday, May 3, 201 3 91 DAILY NEWSNYDailyNews.com insider 9BMfPHBbHThe pressure is on Rangers rookie Chris BWB''- jag' llHBfeHMSHKreider once again as injuries force young WFjjkmmM HKHHhtaBlueshirts into important roles vs. Caps in WVBfc mJSHJH M29iPJMfrrst-round playoff Photo by Getty BvNHBKKMBBKBKAiLH Harvey honored for April IAMI Matt Harvey was named the NL Pitcher of the Month on Thursday. The righthand HEALTH SCARE Injuries force youngRangers to pick up slack SmWmTiK er went 4-0 with a 1.56 ERA in six starts. Harvey, 24, is third in the NL in ERA, and is tied for third in the league in victories. He also became the first pitcher since 1900 to win his first four starts of the season while allowing no more than 10 hits combined.

In his season debut, Harvey allowed only one hit and struck out 10 in seven shutout innings, beating the Padres, 8-4, on April 3. Harvey was also named the NL Player of the Week for April 8-14, when he went 2-0 with a 1.20 ERA. He also took a no-hitter into the seventh in Minnesota to cap off that week. PATIENCE, PLEASE The Mets emphasize patience in the batter's box, waiting for pitches they can drive. The plan and approach have been good, batting coach Dave Hudgens said, despite the Mets' recent six-game losing streak.

The execution, however, had been failing, Hudgens said. "They become impatient," Hudgens said. "They want results. All hitters want results that's why they're here. I think you show what you're made out of when you stay with the process, when you don't panic, and that's what professional hitters do." ENEMIES After Thursday's off-day, the Mets head to Atlanta Friday, and it's not the Braves' NL East-best record that impresses David Wright.

"They added some guys from Virginia, so that always makes a team better," the native Virginian said with a smile. Wright was referring to B.J. Upton, who was a teammate in high school, and his younger brother Justin. "I was close to B.J. Justin was younger than us," Wright said.

The younger Upton has added a lot of pop to the Braves' lineup, Wright noted. Justin Upton hit 12 homers in April. mm i 1 mmrim i Even Mats Zuccarello, one of the Blueshirts' offensive sparkplugs down the stretch after re-signing in late March, had played in just one NHL playoff game before Game 1. The Rangers finished 10-3-1 in their final 14 games to earn the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference and draw the third-seeded Capitals, so John Tortorella clearly doesn't see much reason to change his lineup. But Thursday morning, Boyle skated with teammates for the first time since injuring his leg on April 16 and seemed to be telling the Rangers' coaching or medical staff through the media that he is ready to return.

"I want to get out there as quick as I can," Boyle said, scowling. "It felt good, so I don't have any idea how it's supposed to work. I'm trying to feel as good as I can as fast as I can." Staal, who was much more relaxed, said if Thursday were an early season game and not a playoff game, he may have "jump(ed) out there for a few shifts to see how it goes, but right now the stakes are too high and the guys in there have been doing a great job." "I don't want to compromise that by going out there and not being able to compete at a high level." "As soon as I'm not second-guessing myself or hesitating, or doing things that I normally do become automatic again, (that) is when I can jump into a playoff game," Staal said. BY PAT LEONARD NEW YORK DAILY NEWS WASHINGTON The buzz Thursday morning before Game 1 at the Verizon Center centered mostly on the progress of injured Ranger veterans Marc Staal and Brian Boyle, who were nevertheless scratched from the lineup. The pressure then rested on the shoulders of youngsters such as rookie winger Chris Kreider, who sat calmly at his locker, lacing his skates and answering questions about playing in his second Stanley Cup playoffs after completing his first season as a pro.

"It's a familiar feeling, but not familiar ground," said Kreider, 22, who signed straight out of Boston College last spring and scored five goals in 18 playoff games for the Rangers. "Familiar butterflies." Injuries to Boyle (right leg) and Ryane Clowe (likely concussion) at forward robbed the Rangers of their biggest bodies up front to open their first-round series against the Washington Capitals. So Kreider has an opportunity for extra playing time, and he's being asked to add extra grit to his arsenal, which includes lightning speed. "Throughout the season, I think I was able to work on it and stay confident," said Kreider, who bounced back and forth between the Rangers and their AHL affiliate Connecticut Whale. "I have a fairly big body (6-3, 230), so getting to the net certainly helps not RANGERS vs.

CAPITALS BEST OF SEVEN GAME 1: Rangers at Caps, (late) GAME 2: Rangers at Caps, Sat. 12:30 p.m. GAME 3: Caps at Rangers, Mon. 7:30 p.m. GAME 4: Caps at Rangers, May 8, 7:30 p.m.

X-GAME5: Rangers at Caps, May 10, 7:30 p.m. X-GAME6: Caps at Rangers, May 12, TBD X-GAME7: Rangers at Caps, May 13, TBD Games 1, 3 4 on BCSN; Game 2 on Ch. 4 x-if necessary just myself but my teammates. Goalies at this level especially, you're not going to beat them very often on first shots, first attempts, so you need a little traffic to keep them deep in their cage. It's definitely something I try to do." Kreider may be green, but considering his success early in last year's playoffs, he's practically a veteran compared to other Rangers in Thursday's lineup.

Centers Derick Brassard and Kris Newbury and defenseman John Moore all made their NHL playoff debuts. Brassard centered the third line of Taylor Pyatt and Kreider..