After a 4-0 loss to the New Jersey Devils and the Montreal Canadiens beating the Nashville Predators 2-1 on Sunday, the New York Rangers find themselves six points back of the final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference. The Rangers have shot themselves in the foot during this recent stretch, going 4-5-1 in their last 10 games and failing to gain crucial points in the wild card race. With just six games remaining in the season, and four of those games being against playoff-bound teams, it truly is now or never for this team, and they need to turn it around quickly if they want any chance of making the playoffs.
A Metropolitan Division Matchup vs. Carolina
The Rangers’ last major matchup against a top team in the Metropolitan Division happens when they head down to Raleigh and face the Carolina Hurricanes. The Hurricanes are currently in second place in the division and are 6-4-0 in their last 10 games as they look forward to an almost guaranteed playoff matchup against the third-place Devils in the first round. They have had the Rangers’ number this season, winning the previous three matchups, two at Madison Square Garden and one in Raleigh, by a combined score of 11-4. They haven’t missed a step this season, even after trading away both Martin Necas and Mikko Rantanen, as their top players continue to produce at a high level.
This game is going to be a major test for the Rangers as they need to start winning games against playoff-bound teams, which is something they have struggled with all season. They have a combined record of 9-22-5 this season against playoff-bound teams. That is unacceptable for a team that is trying to get into the playoffs. They need to win these games against the top teams in the league because it could give them more confidence that they can hang with the best, and that is what a team that has struggled all season long needs right now. The Rangers have beaten the Hurricanes in their last two playoff matchups, so they know how to beat them. The question now is, is this team capable of putting it together in these must-win games?
Must-Win Games vs. Islanders and Flyers
The Rangers have one more back-to-back this season, and that is coming up this week. They host the Philadelphia Flyers at MSG on Wednesday and head to Long Island on Thursday night to face the New York Islanders. Both of the teams are below them in the standings, with the Flyers already eliminated from playoff contention and the Islanders, while still in the mix for the final wild card, are not in the best position, being 4-4-2 in their last 10 games with six games remaining for them. When it comes to these two games, they are ones that they can’t afford to lose. They need to beat the teams that are lower than them in the standings, and they have done well against these teams this season, with four wins in five games combined (three vs. the Islanders and two vs. the Flyers).
These are the last two games against “easier” opponents, and they need to take advantage of these games because they are facing much tougher competition in the other four games. The Flyers have struggled all season and recently fired John Tortorella. They are 3-6-1 in their last 10 games, and while their top rookie, Matvei Michkov, has been amazing all season, the rest of the team has left much to be desired. For the Islanders, they are one point back of the Rangers in the standings, but they have also been struggling lately. They have been without Mat Barzal for the majority of the season, and their offense hasn’t been the same without him. If the Rangers want any chance of staying in the race until the very end, they need to beat these teams.
Three Games Against the Two Teams From Florida
In what will likely be the toughest of the games remaining, the Rangers have to deal with both the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers. They take on the Lightning twice in 10 days, both in Tampa Bay, and they will take on the Panthers down in Florida. Despite both of these teams already clinching playoff spots, these are not going to be easy games. These teams are still fighting for playoff seeding, as it is looking more likely that they will be facing each other in the first round of the playoffs. They are separated by just two points, so it’s not looking like they will be resting any of their top guys heading into the postseason and for the Rangers, that makes these games even tougher.
The Rangers have yet to beat either of these teams this season, losing twice to the Panthers and once to the Lightning. These teams have also had their number in recent playoff series, with the Lightning knocking them out in the 2022 Eastern Conference Final and the Panthers doing the same in last year’s conference final. It has been a struggle in recent years and this season, and these upcoming games won’t be any easier. These will be the true tests to see what the Rangers are made of. Too many times this season, they have given up in the face of adversity, and it has cost them way too many games. They need to shake that feeling off and come into these games and give it 100% because if they don’t, they will lose, and their playoff hopes will be dead and buried.
The Rangers are not making it easy on themselves to end the season. They have lost so many games this season that they could have easily won, and now, they have put themselves in this position where they are fighting until the last day of the season to try and make it in. If the Canadiens keep on winning, it won’t matter what the Rangers do because they won’t be able to catch up. However, if the Canadiens start to struggle and lose some games, they might just have a chance to catch up. It won’t be easy with so many tough games ahead, but if the Rangers can find a way to overcome the adversity, they may see some playoff hockey after all.
