With four games remaining, after Sunday night’s 5-2 win over the Canadiens, the Rangers’ first-round playoff opponent is still very much up in the air.
Unlike last season, when the Blueshirts had to face the Devils for what seemed like months, the standings have changed almost daily as Eastern Conference clubs battle for final playoff position.
The Rangers were scheduled to play a first-round rematch against the Penguins on Sunday morning, but they moved on to the Red Wings after Detroit’s win over the Sabers later in the day.
Everything will likely change again over the next few weeks given that several other teams are still in the mix.
Along with a Pittsburgh team that is in the midst of a valiant push behind the stellar play of captain Sidney Crosby, and a Detroit team that is looking to make the playoffs for the first time since 2016, the Rangers could also face Islanders, Flyers. or capital letters.
The Lightning, also in the midst of an impressive stretch to end the season, may have won enough recently to get themselves out of a potential first-round matchup with the Rangers.
However, you should never say never in the NHL.
Either way, the Rangers are poised to take home ice advantage in the first round for the second time in the last three seasons.
The Rangers’ .730 home points percentage heading into Sunday’s game ranked third in the NHL.
They were 27-10-0 at MSG heading into the game and have now won 13 of their last 16 home games.
Zac Jones returned to the lineup for the second time this month, after being a healthy scratch in the previous two games.
He found his usual position on the left side of Braden Schneider on the bottom duo.
As a result, Erik Gustafsson was healthy along with Chad Ruhwedel.
This is the first time Gustafsson has served as a healthy backup this season.
“Gus has been great all year,” head coach Peter Laviolette said after the Rangers’ morning skate at the MSG Training Center. “We’re going to play Jones, give him a game. We will then move on to the next one.
Vincent Trocheck was elected winner of the Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award.
The honor, decided by fans, is given to the player who “goes above and beyond the call of duty.”
New York Post
