Day: March 17, 2009

Even before Chris Drury‘s game winner tonight, the Rangers reached their first playoff milestone of sorts. With the one point for getting to OT, the Blueshirts made it mathematically impossible for the Rangers to reach 7th spot and thus the Rangers have officially “eliminated” their first team on the way to reaching a playoff spot.

The two points also now means the Rangers jump over the Canadiens into 6th spot – though Montreal does have a game in hand – and sit just two points shy of the Flyers and Penguins who are tied for fourth spot.

The Rangers are in Montreal tonight to face the Canadiens (7:30pm – MSG). Both teams are tied for sixth in the East with 80 points, though the Canadiens have a game in hand. Another thing the two teams share is a recent coaching change, Montreal firing Guy Carbonneau exactly two weeks after the Rangers let Tom Renney go. Since taking over, Bob Gainey has guided Montreal to a 1-1-1 record, the lone win coming in OT against the Oilers.

Carey Price is expected to be in net for the home team, and they’ll get Alex Kovalev back from a two game stint on the sidelines with a virus. Alex Tanguay may not make it though, and Guillaume Latendresse would get to play in his spot if the veteran isn’t ready.