At this point in the NHL season, the New York Rangers find themselves in a hole. After an inexcusable loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday night, the Rangers sit five points out of the second Eastern Conference Wild Card spot with only 28 games left to play.
For a lot of the game on Friday night, the Rangers felt lifeless, and in the third period they were unable to pull off a third consecutive comeback win. Like every loss in a heated playoff race, it stings.
Saturday night, the Rangers have their last game before the 4 Nations Face Off against another playoff contender in the Columbus Blue Jackets. This is the closest thing the Rangers have had to a "must-win."
If the Rangers are going to save the season, they need to win in Columbus
Yes, it is only a regular season game and yes, there are 27 games remaining after the break, but a win on Saturday would go a long way for the Rangers.
New York has played well since 2025 began, posting a 10-5-3 record and have put themselves right back into the thick of it. But, a loss to the Penguins has put a blanket of negativity around the team.
Luckily for the Blueshirts, they have an opportunity to quickly bounce back. New York needs two points on Feb. 8th to go into the NHL 4 Nations break with some positivity. Then, they can regroup and reload for the stretch when they are going to need every point.
Moreover, just like Pittsburgh, Columbus is shorthanded. The Blue Jackets have multiple key players, such as Dante Fabbro, Boone Jenner, Sean Monahan, Erick Gudbranson, Yegor Chinakov and Kirill Marchenko, all ruled out for play against the Rangers.
Does this guarantee a win for the Rangers? No, not even close. Look at Friday's play against Pittsburgh, when the Penguins were without star players Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Though New York was the more talented team on paper, it did not translate to the ice.
For the majority of Friday night, New York was the second best team. Pittsburgh was faster, more physical and just wanted it more.
On Saturday, it has to be the Rangers who want the two points more. They need to come out pissed off, willing to go for every inch and can't be afraid of making mistakes.
The season won't be over if they lose, but it will be a tough hill to climb for the Rangers, who for two weeks will have to listen to criticism from bat writers, reporters, TV analysts and fans. Two points can provide just a little optimism that this "lost season" can be saved.
To do that, the New York Rangers need to win in Columbus.