NEW YORK – While Rangers players emotionally expressed concern for Theo Fleury in reaction to his voluntary entrance into the NHL's substance-abuse program, many fans at Wednesday's Rangers-Panthers game had no concept of Fleury's situation.

	Before Wednesday's game vs. Florida, many Rangers fans did not know of Theo Fleury's admittance into a substance-abuse program.

Some didn't even notice Fleury's absence from the lineup until it was pointed out to them.

"A lot of people don't know," said Brian Orentreich, a season-ticket holder. "I guarantee that 50 percent (of fans) don't know about it. I was at Cosby's before the game. It's a sporting goods store, and people there didn't even know."

An informal poll didn't quite corroborate the 50-percent claim – and the number got smaller as word spread throughout the evening – but many fans hadn't heard an iota about Fleury's departure earlier in the day.

Meanwhile, after an inspired performance in a 4-2 win over the Panthers, Rangers players remained decidedly somber about the news. Goalie Kirk McLean admitted a "cloud" had been cast over the team.

"The mood was a little dull for obvious reasons," McLean said.

"It's tough to put it aside," added a still somewhat shaken Mark Messier, who spoke candidly about Fleury's problems before and after the game. "I don't think anyone could put it aside that quickly.

Keeping focus on playoffs

The news of Theo Fleury's departure from the Rangers for the remainder of the season could not have come at a more untimely moment in the season. Not to slight the gravity of what Fleury faces, but from a purely on-ice perspective, the Rangers lost their most dangerous offensive weapon as the team fights for its playoff life. The Rangers currently trail Boston and Carolina by eight points for the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference with 19 games remaining. "The basic thought process was that we had to stay focused on our game," said coach Ron Low when asked how the team had to deal with the playoff chase and the loss of Fleury. "And we've had a lot of adversity this year already, and this is another point." "We have to dig down deep and play hard," goalie Kirk McLean said. Although that won't be easy, the Rangers pulled things together well enough to win Wednesday against the Panthers, and the Rangers will be tested again Friday when they face the Penguins. "Unfortunately, no matter what happens around the team, as the saying goes, the show must go on," Mark Messier said. – Brian Shactman

"But you have to suck it up and be professional about it."

During the game, Madison Square Garden's lower bowl, occupied mainly by corporate-supported fans, was just two-thirds full. The oft-electric building was relatively subdued throughout the game, but it was more due to the Rangers' lackluster season than the circumstances of Fleury's absence.

No cheers for Fleury. No signs of support for him could be seen. Signs are often confiscated at MSG, but ushers reported no Fleury-related signage – good or bad – had been taken. There was absolutely no evidence that a major NHL star was dealing with a serious life struggle.

"It's mellow here because the Rangers are terrible," said Scott Lexton, 12, who proudly wore a Fleury jersey and knew full well that his favorite player was missing. His father filled him in on the details.

Granted, it takes time for information to travel, but in today's media-saturated world, the degree of ignorance was notable. Faithful Rangers fans considered it somewhat offensive, feeling fans should know what happened to the team's leading scorer.

"The fans here are stupid," said a perturbed Jeff Atilio, 35, a construction worker who has attended Rangers games for 25 years. "They have no idea here."

The audience for the game might not have filled MSG to its capacity, but the usual throng of New York media was even more numerous, pushing the locker room to the maximum – and few questions were game related.

Players couldn't be too revealing with their comments concerning Fleury's personal and social habits, and some truly had no idea what their teammate had been going through.

But even the most savvy veterans couldn't quite feel satisfied after what was considered a must win for the Rangers' fading playoff hopes.

"It's going to be on our minds for a long time," defenseman Brian Leetch said.

Brian A. Shactman covers the NHL for ESPN.com. He can be reached at brian.shactman@espn.com.