NEW YORK — The New York Rangers don’t like being all even after two games, but they sure are used to it.

For the third straight series, the Eastern Conference’s top-seeded team has failed to build on an opening-game win, and now they have yielded home-ice advantage yet again. The Ottawa Senators and Washington Capitals couldn’t make the most of it. The New Jersey Devils have other plans.

“We’ve been in this situation before,” Rangers captain Ryan Callahan said after New York’s 3-2 loss on Wednesday night. “We just have to go into Jersey and try to get that next game. We can’t get down.”

The Rangers bounced back with Game 3 wins in both previous rounds. They will get their next chance Saturday in Newark.

Two things New York can probably count on are a close game and another series that goes the distance. The Rangers outlasted the Senators and Capitals in seven games to reach the conference finals for the first time since 1997. Of the Rangers’ 16 postseason games, 12 have been decided by one goal.

After posting the best regular-season record in the East, New York is only 9-7 in the playoffs.

“Overall, we just have to be better,” goalie Henrik Lundqvist said.

With a two-day break between games, both teams will skip practice on Thursday before getting back on the ice Friday.