It was a night of mixed results for the New York Rangers in their quest for a playoff spot. In the one game that really mattered, a Carolina win dropped the Blueshirts 11 points out of the wild card.
The big game for the Rangers was Carolina’s shootout win over the Vegas Golden Knights. The Canes went into the third period trailing 3-1, but scored four third period goals to force overtime. They won in a shootout.
The Rangers are now 11 points out of the last wild card and a win on Sunday is essential.
In games that helped the Rangers, Tampa beat the Islanders, the Penguins topped the Panthers and Colorado edged the Blue Jackets. Columbus and the Islanders have large cushions that will be tough to overcome, but with three games in hand now on Columbus, they are within reach.
The disappointment was in Montreal, where the Canadiens beat Toronto, but had to go to overtime to do it. With the point, the Maple Leafs are now ten points up on the Rangers and increased their tenuous hold on third place in the Atlantic Division.
Coming off a 5-0 loss to the Devils, the Flyers needed a big win and they got it, beating Washington on the road 7-2. That unlikely win didn’t help the Rangers at all.
The standings
Atlantic Div. GP W-L-OTL PTS RW
Boston 56 34-10-12 80 30
Tampa 55 35-15-5 75 30
Toronto 56 29-19-8 66 22
Met Div. GP W-L-OTL PTS RW
Washington 55 36-14-5 77 27
Pittsburgh 54 34-15-5 73 23
Columbus 56 30-17-9 69 23
Wild Card GP W-L-OTL PTS RW
Islanders 53 31-16-6 68 20
Carolina 55 32-20-3 67 22
Contenders GP W-L-OTL PTS RW
Philadelphia 55 30-18-7 67 21
Florida 54 29-19-6 64 24
Montreal 57 27-23-7 61 17
Rangers 53 26-23-4 56 23
Buffalo 55 24-23-8 56 18
New Jersey 54 20-24-10 50 15
Ottawa 55 18-26-11 47 14
Detroit 56 13-39-4 30 10
The key games today
Something must be going on today, because the schedule is awfully light and all the games are early in the day. Oh, the Oscars are on and the NHL won’t compete with them. As a result, except for the Rangers’ own game against Los Angeles, there is only one other game that is worth tracking for scoreboard watching purposes. That would be Anaheim’s visit to Buffalo.
Ducks @ Sabres – The Sabres and the Rangers are tied in points, so it would better for New York if Buffalo lost. It’s not crucial, but the sooner the Sabres are in the Rangers rear view mirror, the better if not for lottery purposes, but for playoff race self esteem.
The lottery look
The Blueshirts remain eighth from the bottom of the NHL and in the draft lottery race. The good news is that the Devils continue to win and are now only six points below the Rangers.
The standings (Worst is first)
Teams GR W-L-OTL PT RW
1. Detroit 55 13-39-4 30 10
2. Los Angeles 56 19-32-5 43 13
3. Ottawa 55 18-26-11 47 14
4. New Jersey 54 20-24-10 50 15
5. Anaheim 55 29-16-7 51 15
6. San Jose 55 24-27-4 52 18
7. Buffalo 55 24-23-8 56 18
8. Rangers 53 26-23-4 56 23
9. Chicago 54 25-21-8 58 18
10. Minnesota 54 26-22-6 58 23
11. Nashville 54 26-21-7 59 21
12. Winnipeg 56 28-23-5 61 21
13. Montreal 57 27-23-7 61 17
14. Arizona 57 27-23-7 61 19
15. Calgary 56 28-22-6 62 18
16. Vegas 57 28-21-8 64 22
17. Florida 54 29-19-6 64 24
18. Edmonton 55 29-20-6 64 25
19. Vancouver 56 30-21-5 65 23
20. Toronto 56 29-19-8 66 22
21. Philadelphia 55 30-18-7 67 21
22. Dallas 55 31-19-5 67 21
23. Carolina 55 32-20-3 67 22
24. Colorado 53 31-16-6 68 28
25. Islanders 53 31-16-6 68 20
26. Columbus 56 30-17-9 69 23
Second East Wild Card Cut Line: 65 points
Second West Wild Card Cut Line: 60 points