New York Rangers vs. Cup Contenders: Chicago Blackhawks

In the last installment of Blue Line Station’s in-depth look at Cup contenders the New York Rangers might face in this year’s playoffs, we come to the top seed in the Western Conference: the Chicago Blackhawks.

The New York Rangers have secured their place as the first wild card in the Eastern Conference, giving themselves their best shot (on paper, at least) at making it back to the Stanley Cup Finals.

If the stars align this spring, and the Rangers manage to make it out of the Atlantic Division bracket and defeat the Metropolitan Division champion, they may very well end up facing the Blackhawks—the closest thing the NHL has seen to a dynasty in over a decade.

Measuring Up

As far as the standings are concerned, the Rangers and the Blackhawks would appear to be fairly evenly matched. Chicago clinched the top spot in the West on Saturday after the Minnesota Wild lost, and their 107 points are good for second in the NHL.

The Rangers, meanwhile, have the sixth best record in the league, with 98 points.

Digging deeper, though, shows some discrepancies. While the Rangers’ struggles with the shot attempt battle are well-documented, Chicago has turned a slow start into a respectable 14th-best 50.42% mark at even strength (Corsica Hockey).

While the Rangers can boast a more balanced lineup at forward, Chicago’s system of speed and puck possession is more inclined to producing better Corsi differentials.

Alain Vigneault’s counter-attack strategy, meanwhile, has the Rangers boasting one of the league’s best shooting percentages and the third most goals scored in the NHL.

Star Power

You can’t talk star power in Chicago without bringing up three names: Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, and Duncan Keith.

Kane is once again scoring at over a point-per-game a year after he broke the 100-point mark and won the Art Ross Trophy. Toews was a slow starter, but has exploded since the All Star break and now has 57 points in 69 games.

Duncan Keith, meanwhile, remains one of the best defensemen in the world. Just two years removed from a Conn Smythe and Stanley Cup, he plays the biggest minutes in Chicago and will be once again called upon to be on the ice for almost half of every playoff game.

Next: Rangers Face Late-Season Tests

X-Factor

While Kane, Toews, and Keith are the biggest names in the Windy City, it’s up-and-coming Artemi Panarin who will make or break the team come the playoffs. Last year’s top rookie, Panarin is once again enjoying a big season, with 71 points in 78 games.

Panarin’s incredible vision on ice, coupled with his lethal one-timer, have fit perfectly with Kane’s speed, creativity, and playmaking. The duo has scored over 250 points in the past two seasons.

In the past couple of seasons, Rangers-Blackhawks matchups have been marked by fast, tight-checking, talented play. In two games this season, they split wins, with the Rangers taking a 1-0 overtime victory and the Blackhawks winning 2-1 on December 13.

With pace like that and scores so low, you can’t look past the importance of goaltending. While the point may be beaten into the ground at this point, Henrik Lundqvist’s play will determine whether or not the Rangers can win their first Cup since ’94.

Lundqvist’s struggles this season are well-documented, but he looked more like his old self while making 32 saves in the Rangers’ 4-3 shootout loss to the Penguins on Friday.

Next: Will Tanner Glass Play in the Playoffs?

If the Rangers can get through three rounds in the East, a Cup Final against the Blackhawks would be a furiously fast-paced matchup. If recent regular season games are any indication, it would be a tight, hard-fought series—worthy of a Stanley Cup Final.