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:Â 65 points
Second West Wild Card Cut Line:Â 60 points