After looking like a complete train wreck, the New York Rangers have bounced back and have won five games in a row, and look to be back on track. As the team looks to win games six and seven this weekend against the Flyers and Blackhawks, it is even more important for them to win these games as they are in the toughest division of the NHL, the Metropolitan Division.
As of this writing, the Rangers are fourth in the metro and currently occupy the first Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. They are three points behind both the Penguins and Hurricanes who are tied for second in the metro. Coming up against these weaker opponents, the Rangers need to do everything in their power to get the win as some teams in the division are playing just as well, if not better than the Rangers right now.
The Penguins have won seven in a row. The Hurricanes have won three in a row and have been consistent all season. Those two teams, plus the Capitals, who have played better as of late, have been making it hard for New York to keep up.
The good news for the Blueshirts is that their two biggest rivals, the Devils and Islanders have been struggling. The Devils are not playing as well as they were and the Isles are 4-5-1 in their last ten games. Ilya Sorokin has lost his last five starts. The Rangers need to take advantage of their struggles and need to continue to climb the rankings.
The next four games are crucial for the Rangers. They take on two of the worst teams, the Flyers, and the Blackhawks. Then, they take on one of the top teams in the Penguins and a team they have struggled against, the Islanders. There is no excuse not to win the next two games and if they can win at least three out of four, they will be in good shape going into the Christmas break.
This has not been the season fans were expecting from this team. They thought they would be better than they are, but hockey is a game of luck. The Rangers were unlucky to start, but now, luck seems to be on their side. Let’s hope that the winning streak continues and we can all go into the new year feeling good about the New York Rangers.