The Rangers edged closer to a playoff spot last night with a 3-1 defeat of the Montreal Canadiens combined with a 2-1 loss by the Florida Panthers. The combined results mean that the Rangers’ magic number is now just two. They also pulled within a point of the Montreal Canadiens for 7th spot, with both teams having two left to play.
Chris Drury lead the Rangers with two goals, and Nik Antropov poked in a loose puck for the game winner despite a sore knee suffered in Saturday’s 1-0 loss to the Boston Bruins. Antropov showed no ill effects and finished the game +1 and with six shots on goal. Henrik Lundqvist had a relatively easy night of it, facing just 24 shots and allowing the one goal.
The win sets up some interesting scenarios for the final few days of the regular season. The Rangers can clinch the 7th seed, but with the teams tied for the first tiebreaker (Wins), and Montreal holding the second tiebreaker (head to head points), it means the Rangers will have to pass the Canadiens in points, or win one more game if they finish tied in points.
To clinch a playoff spot, the Rangers need either a win or two points. The two points can come in any form for the Rangers, and include points that the Panthers miss out on. If the Rangers and Panthers somehow finish tied, with the Panthers winning both their remaining games and the Rangers not picking up a win, then Florida holds the second tiebreaker.
The Sabres would have to win all three of their remaining games, and have the Rangers lose both of theirs. They also hold the second tiebreaker over the Rangers.
Remaining Schedules:
Canadiens – at Boston (Thu), Pittsburgh (Sat)
Rangers – Flyers (Thu), at Flyers (Sun)
Panthers – at Thrashers (Thu), Capitals (Sat)
Sabres – at Maple Leafs (Wed), at Hurricanes (Thu), Bruins (Sat)
Of course getting the 7th seed may not be the best thing for New York. The choice of opponent is now down to Boston or Washington. The Bruins are contending for the best record in the league, and are expected to have Phil Kessel back from injury, while Washington has always given the Rangers trouble.
Remarkably the Rangers and Bruins have not met in the playoffs since the 1972-73 season, when the Rangers beat the Bruins in the Quarterfinals four games to one. The last time the Rangers and Capitals met was in 1994 when the Rangers defeated Washington 4-1 on the way to the Stanley Cup.
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