The Montreal Canadiens defeated the Florida Panthers and knocked the New York Rangers out of the playoff picture. It was difficult to see the reigning Stanley Cup Champions defeated by Montreal, but the Rangers cannot rely on help elsewhere. They must create their chances to get back into the playoff picture. It'll take some time for things to pass, but the Ranger's preparation for the Minnesota Wild later this week cannot be interrupted by being displaced in the playoff picture.
Now, the path is becoming daunting for the Blueshirts. Montreal has the second wild-card position, and they now sit tied on points with the Rangers but have a game in hand. That's giving them the tiebreaker on points percentage, but if they lose that game in hand (against Florida), the Canadiens will fall below the Rangers and out of the wild-card spots. It's still a precarious hold the Canadiens have on that final wild-card slot.
Now, the Blueshirts require help elsewhere, but the best way to get that help is to take care of their own business. New York has eight games left this season, and it's going to be extremely difficult for the organization to get through unscathed. However, after winning a couple on the bounce, beating good teams, and teams on the outside of the playoff picture, the Rangers need two points, which will help them get back into this race.
There is no certainty that this is a playoff team; they do not deserve this place based on how they have performed since mid-November. However, no one else in the East is staking a claim to that place, and the Rangers still have the talent and experience to get it done when games matter most. They must adjust and show that knowledge before the playoffs become out of reach.