Loss Puts Home Ice At Risk
The Islanders’ season is over, but not before they put a kink in the Rangers’ playoff plans. A shootout loss (and a loss by the Devils) means the Rangers now will play Sunday for a chance at the 4th seed, but they could fall as low as 6th if they fail to get a point and the Bruins win tonight.
Not exactly the scenario everyone was hoping for, but to be honest the Rangers really didn’t deserve to win. Henrik Lundqvist didn’t look sharp on any of the goals against, and a 3 on 5 short handed goal to Richard Park (and the inability to score at the other end) is on the five forwards who were out there.
Fourth Still A Possibility
The plan was to take two games from the Islanders, have the Flyers defeat the Devils and head into Sunday’s game to determine who’d get home ice advantage in the 4th-5th seed match-up. The Flyers came through, but the Rangers managed just three of four points, which mean’s the Rangers could finish anywhere from fourth through sixth.
While fourth gives the Rangers home ice, and fifth seed a chance to play just across the Hudson for their road games, the sixth seed could well be less appealing. With Carolina’s loss last night, the Capitals can clinch the third seed today with a single point against the Panthers…the Caps have won six in a row and fourteen of their last seventeen (eleven of those wins in regulation).