Fansided

The New York Rangers Playoff Picture ahead of a key Metropolitan Division contest

By Steve Paulus |
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 31: Tyler Bertuzzi #59 of the Detroit Red Wings misses a third period opportunity against Igor Shesterkin #31 of the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on January 31, 2020 in New York City. The Rangers defeated the Red Wings 4-2. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 31: Tyler Bertuzzi #59 of the Detroit Red Wings misses a third period opportunity against Igor Shesterkin #31 of the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on January 31, 2020 in New York City. The Rangers defeated the Red Wings 4-2. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JANUARY 31: Igor Shesterkin #31 and Ryan Lindgren #55 of the New York Rangers celebrate their 4-2 victory over the Detroit Red Wings at Madison Square Garden on January 31, 2020 in New York City. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JANUARY 31: Igor Shesterkin #31 and Ryan Lindgren #55 of the New York Rangers celebrate their 4-2 victory over the Detroit Red Wings at Madison Square Garden on January 31, 2020 in New York City. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

On a busy night in the NHL, the New York Rangers lost no ground in the race for the playoffs.  They remain six points out with a big game with Carolina tonight.

The NHL season is in the stretch run.  There’s less than four days to the trade deadline and the playoff races are loaded with contending teams.   As for the New York Rangers, it wasn’t a particularly satisfying night for scorebard watching.

The playoff picture

The big game for the Rangers was the match between Columbus and Philadelphia.  The Flyers continue to win, but it took overtime to do it so the Blue Jackets got a points as well.   For Philadelphia, it solidified their hold on third place in the Metropolitan Division and inched them a little closer to the Capitals, now only five points ahead of the Flyers.

With the one point, Columbus moved into the first wild card slot, one point ahead of the Islanders.

The Atlantic Division got murkier with Florida and Toronto swapping spots.  It’s the Panthers outside of the playoff picture, but only two points out of third in the Atlantic and the wild card.

The standings

Atlantic Div.  GP    W-L-OTL      PTS     RW
Boston            61      38-11-12     88      33
Tampa             61      40-16-5       85      32
Toronto           62      32-22-8       72     24
Met Div.         GP      W-L-OTL     PTS    RW
Pittsburgh      59      37-16-6       80     26
Washington   60      37-17-6       80     28
Philadelphia   61      34-20-7       75    24
Wild Card       GP       W-L-OTL     PTS   RW
Columbus       62     30-19-13     73    23
Carolina          59     34-21-4        72     24
Contenders   GP      W-L-OTL      PTS   RW
Islanders        59      33-20-6       72     22
Florida             61     32-23-6       70     27
Rangers           59     31-24-4       66     27
Montreal         63     28-27-8       64     17
Buffalo             60     26-26-8       58     20
New Jersey     60     23-27-10     56    17
Ottawa             61     21-29-11     53    16
Detroit              62     15-43-4       34     12

Key games Friday

There are seven games on the NHL schedule Friday, but other than their own game, there is only one with playoff implications for the Blueshirts.    For the Rangers, the huge game is their own match with the Carolina Hurricanes.   A victory over the Hurricanes and the Rangers would trail them by only four points.  There’s only one other game that the Rangers really care about .

Red Wings @ Islanders – The Islanders have lost four games in a row and have scored only two goals in those four games.  What better time for them to take on the Detroit Red Wings at home.  The danger is if they lose to the worst team in the NHL.  If that happens, look for the Islanders and their fans to go into a full fledged panic.  A Ranger win combined with an Islander loss would leave the Rangers only four points behind them. Go Red Wings!

The lottery look

The Rangers are 12th from the bottom, but only ten points separate the Blueshirts from the Devils, the fourth worst team in the league.  The middle of the lottery pack is incredibly tight with only  ten points separating eight teams.

The standings (Worst is first)

Teams                  GR     W-L-OTL       PT    RW

1. Detroit              62     15-43-4       34     12
2. Los Angeles    61     22-34-5       49     16
3. Ottawa             61     21-29-11     53    16
4. New Jersey     60     23-27-10     56    17
5. Anaheim         60      24-29-7       56    17
6. San Jose          60     26-30-4        56     20
7. Buffalo             60     26-26-8       58     20
8.  Chicago           60     26-26-8       60     19
9.  Minnesota      59    28-24-7       63     24
10.  Montreal       63     28-27-8       64     17
11.  Nashville      59    29-23-7        65     24
12.  Rangers        59     31-24-4       66     27
13. Arizona           64   30-26-8        68    23
14. Calgary            61    31-24-6        68    21
15. Winnipeg       62    32-25-5        69    25
16. Florida            61     32-23-6      70     27
17. Vancouver      59    32-21-6        70    25
18. Toronto           62     32-22-8       72     24
19. Vegas               62   32-22-8        72     25
20 Edmonton      60      32-21-7       72     27
21.Islanders        59      33-20-6       72     22
22. Carolina          59     34-21-4        72     24
23. Columbus       62    30-19-13     73    23
24. Philadelphia   61     34-20-7       75    24
25. Colorado         59     34-18-7       75     31
26. Dallas              59     35-19-6       75      24

Second East Wild Card Cut Line:  72 points
Second West Wild Card Cut Line:  68 points
Playoff  teams in italics.

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