New York Rangers Daily: Blueshirts not out of it … yet; Alex Ovechkin eyes record-breaking day against Islanders
Though their playoff hopes took a pretty big hit Saturday, the New York Rangers are not out of this thing just yet.
Yes, they lost when they couldn’t afford to do so, 4-0 to the New Jersey Devils. And, yes, the Montreal Canadiens piled on by rallying for a 3-2 home win against the Philadelphia Flyers later in the evening. That leaves the Rangers (36-33-7) four points back of the Canadiens for the second wild card in the Eastern Conference with six games to play.
It’s a tough spot, no doubt. But not impossible. If the Rangers, say, go 4-2-0 and the Canadiens 2-4-0 down the stretch, the Rangers are in. Each team would have 87 points, but the Rangers would own the tiebreaker with more regulation wins, the first tiebreaker.
That’s certainly doable.
However, that means the Canadiens need to cooperate. They’ve won four in a row and have some mojo going right now. They also have an easier schedule over the final six games.
The Rangers are capable of winning four of six, though they’ve struggled all season stringing wins together. They still have the Islanders and Flyers on the schedule, but there’s no question they have a tougher road ahead than the Canadiens.
This all may become moot if the Canadiens defeat the Predators in Nashville on Sunday. That’s a game the Canadiens must win, against a broken team shockingly out of playoff contention long ago. But the Predators still have Steven Stamkos and Juuse Saros, and there’s enough talent there to give the Rangers hope.
It feels like a fifth straight Canadiens win Sunday, giving them a six-point lead with a week and a half to play, could be the end of this playoff chase for the Rangers.
But the way this turtle derby for the final playoff spot has gone most of the past month, a Canadiens loss wouldn’t be shocking, making that Rangers game Monday at home against the Tampa Bay Lightning crucial.
One day at a time. First up, Canadiens vs. Predators on Sunday.
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Is Sunday the day Alex Ovechkin breaks the all-time NHL goals record he now shares with Wayne Gretzky? The Washington Capitals visit the New York Islanders at UBS Arena in a 12:30 matinee and all eyes will be focused on the Great 8, who’s scored five goals in his past four games, including two against the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday to pull even with the Great One at 894 goals.
Here’s a real good piece from Russ Macias at NYI Hockey Now about how the Islanders are approaching trying to win a game and stop Ovechkin from achieving history.
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The hottest team in the NHL won again; the St. Louis Blues set a franchise record with their 12th straight victory by holding off the Colorado Avalanche 5-4.
The freefalling Columbus Blue Jackets continue to play their way out of the East playoff race with a 5-0 road loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Toronto’s Auston Matthews became the first U.S.-born player with nine 30-goal seasons in the NHL when he netted his 30th in the win.
Anton Forsberg made 40 saves and the surging Ottawa Senators blanked the Panthers 3-0.
Darcy Kuemper is now 18-2-2 on home ice after his 3-0 shutout victory for the Los Angeles Kings over the Edmonton Oilers.
Sidney Crosby’s hat trick lifted the Pittsburgh Penguins to a surprising 5-3 win over the Dallas Stars.
David Pastrnak and Morgan Geekie had five points apiece and the Boston Bruins ended a 10-game skid (0-9-1) with a 5-1 win against the Carolina Hurricanes.
Former Rangers forward Reilly Smith scored twice, including the game-winner in overtime, to lead the Vegas Golden Knights past the Calgary Flames 3-2.
Watch Smith get a couple fortunate bounces on his OT goal against the Flames.
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