Blog Archives
It’s better to face the Capitals in the playoffs sooner rather than later
Bobby Bevilacqua
Photo courtesy of Robert Sabo/New York Daily News
Outside of the Washington Capitals in first place, the Metropolitan Division is up for grabs, and the seeding of the team can still fluctuate and change. A few games ago, it looked like the Rangers would have the second seed locked up. But after two straight losses and late surges from the Penguins and Islanders, that’s not a guarantee anymore.
As it stands, the Rangers have about a 40% chance of finishing second in the division, a 39% chance of finishing third, and a 21% chance of getting the first Wild Card spot. So out of all three of those possibilities, which would be the most advantageous for the Rangers? What would give them the best chance of making another run in the playoffs?
Right off the bat, we can cross off the third place finish in the division. If you’re going to stay in the Metro for the first two rounds of the playoffs, you would like home ice for at least one of those rounds. So a third place finish wouldn’t be preferable. Read the rest of this entry
Rangers pick up crucial point in overtime loss to the Penguins
Bobby Bevilacqua
Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
It’s never good to lose, but if there’s a way to do it against a division rival battling for playoff position, it’s in overtime. In a very even and tightly contested game, the Rangers (43-24-9) were defeated in overtime by the Pittsburgh Penguins (42-25-8), ending their three game win streak and seeing the Penguins win their eighth game in the past nine contests.
This also marked the third consecutive game that the Penguins have beaten the Rangers, giving New York a record of 1-2-1 in the season series. The overtime loss was crucial, meaning that they would still be a point ahead of the Penguins if they won a game in regulation or overtime (ROW = tiebreaker).
The first period was very even between both teams. Similar possession, the shots on goal were very close (13-11 in favor of New York), and each team scored a goal. Both teams played last night and that showed at first, as both teams were clearly trying to find their legs and stretch the ice. Read the rest of this entry
Rangers play the season’s biggest game against the Penguins at MSG
Bobby Bevilacqua
Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
In arguably the most important game of the season, the Rangers (43-24-8) will battle the Pittsburgh Penguins (41-25-8) in a divisional rivalry that could decide the home ice advantage in a likely first-round playoff series between these two teams.
The Rangers currently hold the second place position in the Metropolitan Division, sitting four points ahead of the Pens, although they have a game in hand. Both teams have also been playing very well as of late. New York has won three straight games while Pittsburgh has won seven of their last eight games after losing Evgeni Malkin to injury.
Following a statement win over the Canadiens, tonight marks a great opportunity for the Rangers to gain a foothold in the division and make things easier for themselves as the season comes to a close. Points against the Penguins could secure home ice advantage in the first round. Read the rest of this entry
Enough with the optimism, the Rangers are not well prepared for the playoffs
Bobby Bevilacqua
Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
For the most part, I may be one of the most optimistic Ranger fans out there. But this season has tested my patience, and yesterday’s pathetic performance against the San Jose Sharks was the tipping point.
The Rangers gave up 52 shots against the Sharks, with 47 of them coming at Henrik Lundqvist in 49 minutes. They had almost no extended periods of pressure or possession. They had half of the amount of shots on goal that the Sharks had, and the team finished as a -21 in Corsi For.
After this game, the Rangers are now 3-5-1 in their last nine games, and their last 10 games won’t be a walk in the park. They still have to take on the Penguins, the Islanders, the Bruins, the Panthers and the Lightning. At the rate they’re playing now, there’s a chance that Pittsburgh and the Islanders, both of which have at least one game in hand, could surpass the Rangers and put them in a wild card spot. Read the rest of this entry
Rangers fall to Penguins on the road; Lundqvist injured
Bobby Bevilacqua
Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
After winning three games in a row, the Rangers (37-21-6) dropped the first game of their road trip, falling to the rival Pittsburgh Penguins (33-22-8) by a score of 4-1 in an important divisional matchup.
The Rangers opened up the scoring but fell victim to three Penguin goals in 1:39. That small lapse cost them the game, as they were pretty good for the rest of the night. The Penguins also scored on the penalty kill, an area where the Rangers continue to struggle.
The first period didn’t see any goals, but the pace and action was that of a playoff game. Both teams were skating quickly and efficiently, the passing was crisp and accurate, and there was a ton of big hits. Ian Cole laid out Viktor Stalberg, Dylan McIlrath obliterated Tom Kuhnhackl, and Viktor Stalberg hit Kevin Porter into the boards. Read the rest of this entry
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