A remarkable season for the New York Rangers was ended yesterday in less-than-remarkable fashion with a four-game washout courtesy of the New Jersey Devils.  In the end, injuries and fatigue were to blame for the downfall of the Blueshirts.  Jaromir Jagr was knocked out early in Game 4 after re-injuring his dislocated shoulder, an injury that should have kept him out of the game to begin with, and Henrik Lundqvist was not quite himself in goal-- still hampered by a nagging groin injury.  Gutsy performances by injured players Darius Kasparaitis, Steve Rucchin, and Martin Rucinsky were admirable but the players were visibly not the same as they had been for most of the season.  Not to be minimized either was the loss of Jason Ward.  Ward was one of the unsung heroes for New York and his absence from the lineup was felt.  With all of the hurting athletes, Ryan Hollweg, Jed Ortmeyer, and Blair Betts comprised an energy line that gave the Rangers their biggest boost, but it simply wasn't enough.

The Rangers dropping the final 5 to end the regular season and 4 in the playoffs close out their season with 9 straight losses.  On the other side of the river, New Jersey ended the year with 11-straight victories to snatch the Division title, and have now added 4 more taking their total to 15 straight W's.  Martin Brodeur has proven time and again to be one of the elite goaltenders of all-time, and he is currently taking aim at his 4 Stanley Cup.  The hall of fame-bound netminder is backstopping a defensive system that is playing like a well-oiled machine.  Brian Rafalski and Paul Martin are the big names, but players like Ken Klee, Brad Lukowich, Richard Matvichuk, and David Hale are all at the top of their game.  Up front, John Madden and Jay Pandolfo nullified the Rangers scoring threats, and Scott Gomez, Brian Gionta, & Patrick Elias appear to be three of the deadliest forwards in the league.

With so many big name free agents that will be on the market in the off-season, the Rangers will have an opportunity to build a Cup contender.  With a core nucleus of Jagr and Lundqvist, along with Prucha, Malik, and Kasparaitis, the Rangers have the foundation for a team that will compete next year.  Many of the youngsters from this season will improve, and they are likely to be joined by some up-and-comers out of the AHL affiliate in Hartford.  It must be remembered that this was a rebuilding year, and when taking that into account it should be considered a huge success.  Once the playoffs are over, and the players are available, Glen Sather will have his work cut out for him.  The following is a list of "my" top 10 most-wanted free agents:

- Gord Tep

Jaromir Jagr showed an enormous amount of courage to play in Game 3 last night at MSG.  After suffering what is believed to be a dislocated shoulder in game 1, Jagr was expected to be on shelf for the remainder of the playoffs.  Despite toughing out the injury, and playing a solid game, Jagr's Rangers were shutout 3-0 by New Jersey in a game that gave them a commanding 3-0 series lead.  Also returning in the losing effort were Henrik Lundqvist and Martin Rucinsky.

A juiced up Madison Square Garden crowd were silenced a mere minute into action when Jamie Langenbrunner scored off a feed from Patrick Elias.  Several minutes later it was Patrick Elias tallying and a shot that was assisted by Langenbrunner.  Scott Gomez added an additional goal early in the second period and that was all the scoring.  New York's two best scoring chances were by Petr Sykora-- both in the first period, and both rang off the goal post.

The Devil defense was spectacular yet again, blocking 21 Rangers shots, and preventing the Blueshirts from ever coming even close.  Fewer penalties were called, 3 against the Devils and 2 against the Rangers, but New York was never able to capitalize during 5 on 5 hockey.  It was more of the same for a Ranger team that has struggled mightily as of late, and this loss has virtually ended any hope the team had of making it beyond the first round.

In the history of the NHL there have been only two teams to ever come back from a 3-0 series deficit.  If New York is to pull off the ultimate miracle, they would join the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs and 1975 New York Islanders in an elite group of teams that were able to battle back from the absolute brink of elimination.  The Devils have an opportunity to sweep the Rangers in Game 4 on Saturday at The Garden.  If the Rangers can grab a victory in that game, the two teams will meet on Sunday evening in Jersey.

- Gord Tep

Another game, another embarrassment.  4-1 was the final this time.  Tom Renney's decision to sit Henrik Lundqvist in favor of Kevin Weekes showed signs of panic and bewilderment, and it didn't help them in the least.  In addition to the extremely questionable benching of Lundqvist, Jason Ward's "lower-body injury" has him sidelined for the remainder of the round, Jarmir Jagr was unable to play after suffering what appears to be a dislocated shoulder in game one, and Darius Kasparaitis had to sit out due to a nagging groin injury. 

The peak of the Rangers frustration occurred in the final moments of the 2nd period following a full 2 minutes of 5 on 3 for the Blueshirts.  During that span of time with extra skaters, in which the only legitimate scoring chance was a shot by Petr Sykora that rang off the post, John Madden skated from the penalty box and in on Weekes for a breakaway.  Kevin Weekes could have easily skated out and cleared the puck up ice, bit instead he stayed back only to have John Madden put the puck between his legs.  As the puck sat on the goal-line behind Weekes, Sandis Ozolinsh skated back in an attempt to clear the puck away and inadvertently pushed the puck into his own net after an uncomfortable collision with the netminder.  That was John Madden's second shorthanded goal of the game and made the score 3-0.  Madden would net his third marker at even-strength for the hat-trick late in the game on a one-time shot in the slot of a feed from Grant Marshall.

For what it's worth, the Devils were heavy favorites heading into the series, and they were expected to win their first two home games.  The pressure is now on the Rangers to find a way to win the next pair of games which will take place at Madison Square Garden.  New York is optimistic that Martin Rucinsky will return Wednesday night for game 3.  The team is hopeful that Jagr and Kasparaitis will be back in the lineup too.  Although things have looked ugly thus far, the garden faithful will most certainly be roaring for a team that will undoubtedly be playing with absolute desperation.  As silly as this sounds, New York at least played better in their game 2 blowout as opposed to their absolutely annihilation.

- Gord Tep

New York was embarrassed, big time.  The Devils trounced the Rangers by a score of 6-1 with 5 power play goals, and another that was scored just seconds after a penalty had expired.  It is virtually impossible to score when you're short-handed 13 times in one game, and that's what the Rangers were faced with-- thanks to their undisciplined play.  With all of that, the story of the game is not Martin Brodeur's 29 saves, nor is it Patrick Elias' 6 point game (2g 4a), but rather the status of Jaromir Jagr.  After another relatively ineffective game, Jagr tried to check Scott Gomez during a penalty kill late in the third period and seemingly injured his shoulder.  Standing hunched over in the runway was Jagr, and the entire Rangers bench had to question their chances if the team is forced to play without their leading scorer.  Injuries to Jason Ward of the Rangers and Colin White of the Devils will hurt their respective clubs, but no player is more crucial to his teams' success than Jaromir Jagr.

The Blueshirts hope of reversing the momentum of the regular season was unfounded.  Instead of starting anew, it was more of the same.  Including the final weeks of the regular season, the Devils have now won 12 straight games, and the Rangers have lost 6 in a row.  Tom Renney and his coaching staff have to wonder what how it is possible that at this stage of the game the Rangers are unable to avoid taking bad penalties.  When the month of April rolls around, most NHL teams begin to crack down and play tighter games, the Rangers have done the opposite.  Perhaps New York expended all of their energy in an effort to simply make the post-season because their gas tank certainly looks like it's on empty.

Monday night in New Jersey gives the Rangers a chance to even the series up, and wipe away the horrible stretch run.  If the Rangers can return home with the series knotted up at one apiece, they'll have a chance.  They'll need Henrik Lundqvist to stand on his head and a greater offensive output.  Petr Prucha's power play marker of a great feed from Jagr was nice, but one goal is not going to be enough.  If Jagr is hurt, or even if he manages to play but is not incredibly effective, Brain Gionta, Scott Gomez, and Patrick Elias will continue to run roughshod all over the New York Rangers.

If Saturday afternoon was any indication, the Devils will head to Madison Square Garden on Wednesday with a 2-0 series lead, and quite possibly eliminate the Blueshirts in four-straight.  If New York doesn't wake up on Monday night and find a way to turn things around rapidly, their chances of success in the Stanley Cup playoffs are extremely slim.

- Gord Tep

The New York Rangers will take on the New Jersey Devils in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup playoffs on Saturday afternoon in New Jersey.  This marks the first playoff appearance for the Blueshirts since 1997.  In that playoff tournament, nine years ago, the Rangers (led by Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, Esa Tikkanen, and Brian Leetch) defeated Martin Brodeur and the Devils on an Adam Graves overtime series winning goal in game 5 of the Eastern Conference semi-finals.  New York would go on to lose in the Conference Finals to the Philadelphia Flyers.  Ever since that day, the Rangers and their fans have been aching to get another crack at the Cup.

Although New York has not played a post-season game since then, the Devils have made the finals three times, winning Lord Stanley's Cup twice (2000 & 2003).  Those legendary Devil teams were built with a strong defensive foundation.  Scott Stevens has since retired, and Scott Niedermayer moved on to Anaheim, but the discipline that made the Devils such a fearsome team remains, as does goaltender Martin Brodeur.  Much of the Devils game is playing smart and winning close games by limiting turnovers and giveaways as well as trapping the opposition in the neutral-zone; but this year's Devil squad has some tremendous offensive firepower.  Brian Gionta set a franchise record for goals in a season with 48, Patrick Elias infused the team with confidence since returning to the lineup in January following a several-month long battle with hepatitis, and Scott Gomez has returned to the form that made him so lethal during the Devils Cup run of 2000.  Defenseman Brian Rafalski is the go-to man on the Devil power play, and his partner Paul Martin has truly complemented his style all season.  Other players to watch are Jamie Langenbrunner (expected to give the Devs scoring depth), and players like John Madden and Jay Pandolfo who will be relied upon to shutdown Jaromir Jagr.  If Colin White is healthy, he will certainly get lots of ice-time in an attempt to stifle Jagr, Nylander, and Straka.

While Gionta set a Devil goal-scoring record, across the Hudson it was Jaromir Jagr doing the same for the Rangers with 54 markers.  Jagr's 123 points also set a franchise single-season scoring record.  Michael Nylander had a career year as the Center on Jagr's line and hopes to stretch that success into the playoffs.  In addition to Nylander, Martin Straka was in the NHL's top 20 in scoring for 05-06.  On the backline, Marek Malik and Darius Kasparaitis were spectacular and are just now getting over late-season injuries.  Their health is crucial to the Blueshirts' success, as is the health of rookie netminder Henrik Lundqvist.  Lundqvist has proven to everyone this year what he is capable of in a big-time pressure-filled tournament by taking Team Sweden to the Gold Medal in the Olympics.  Outstanding penalty killers and unsung heroes like Jason Ward, Blair Betts, Dominic Moore, and Jed Ortmeyer will be relied upon to give the Rangers a much-needed spark in the post-season.  New York will also need secondary scoring from the likes of Petr Prucha and Petr Sykora is they are to be victorious in this first round match-up.

As the season wrapped up, the Rangers skidded into 6th place after seemingly having the Division Championship locked up.  The Devils, on the other hand, were on the brink of missing the playoffs in the final weeks of the season, but their 11-game winning-streak allowed them to surge past both Philly and the Rangers en route to nabbing the 3rd seed in the Conference and first place in the Atlantic Division.  The positive and negative momentum of the regular season is absolutely not guaranteed to transfer over into the playoffs.  Each of these two teams are rather evenly matched and this series is not going to be an easy one for either team.  The Rangers are the underdogs without question, but that is a position they have thrived in since opening night.  New Jersey is a heavy favorite, yet a few weeks ago most hockey pundits would have selected the Blueshirts in a playoff series with the Devils.  A key ingredient that cannot overlooked in determining the winner is the coaching.  Lou Lamoriello was instrumental in turning New Jersey's season around, but Tom Renney was a gigantic factor in righting the ship for the Rangers after so many years of failed-promises and underachievement.

All the talk, all the analysis, and all the predictions are meaningless.  The 4-4 regular season record between these teams means nothing.  Sportswriters can discuss which team looks better on paper, and which team was hot or cold heading into the series, but both teams are starting at 0-0.  It's a brand new season and everything else is out the window.  Let "The Battle of the Hudson" begin.  It's time to find out which of these two cross-river rivals is truly the best.  It all commences Saturday afternoon at 3:00 in New Jersey, and will be televised on NBC.

- Gord Tep

Perhaps the best is yet to come.

Your thoughts on these choices?  Agree... disagree?

send an e-mail: nyr@gordtep.com

- Gord Tep

It's over.  The regular season that is.  This is normally the time of year that the New York Rangers pack up their equipment and head to the golf course.  Not since 1997 have the Rangers participated in post season play, but that is all about to change.  Certainly, a 5-game losing streak to finish out the season is a disastrous collapse when winning only one of those games would have secured a division title.  After such a miracle season, it seemed fitting to end with the miraculous result of earning a championship banner for the first time in a dozen years, but it just wasn't to be.  Not only did the rival Flyers finish in front of the Rangers, but so did the surging Devils.  New Jersey snuck up seemingly out of nowhere with an 11-game winning streak to close out the NHL season and steal the Atlantic Division banner from both Philadelphia and New York.

Henrik Lundqvist made some sensational saves in the first two periods to keep the Rangers in the game, but even the King couldn't save them from the inevitable defeat last night.  Outplayed and overmatched in virtually every aspect of the game, New York was simply dominated in a 5-1 loss to the Ottawa Senators.  When the Ranger game ended, the Flyers had beaten the Islanders at the Nassau Coliseum and appeared to have won the Atlantic.  Tom Renney and the Rangers were prepared to gear up for a series with the 4th place Buffalo Sabres starting upstate on Saturday afternoon.  The Montreal Canadiens had a 3-1 lead on the Devils in the 3rd period, and Philadelphia was all set to host the Devils in their series starting on Friday night at the First Union Center.  Suddenly, the Devils notched a goal, and another, and then another; coming from behind to win 4-3 in regulation.  Thus, the Eastern Conference playoff picture was turned upside down.  It was now the Devils that had won the Atlantic, and the Rangers were the ones to finish in 6th.  Philadelphia fell to 5th place and will be forced to face a very dangerous Sabres club that they've had tough battles with all season.

As frustrating as blowing the division may be, the difference between finishing 3rd and 6th is merely the home-ice advantage.  Games 1, 2, 5, and 7 are to be played in New Jersey, while games 3, 4, and 6 are slated to take place at Madison Square Garden.  If the Blueshirts manage to split the first two games, they have completed negated the previous 5 losses and will have nabbed the home-ice.  Each team was victorious 4 times in their head to head match-ups in the regular season, but the playoffs are a totally different animal.  Saturday afternoon in New Jersey, the slate is wiped clean.  Sixteen teams will vie for Lord Stanley's Cup and for the first time in 9 years, one of those clubs is the Rangers.

- Gord Tep

In control of their own destiny, New York can wipe away the four-game losing streak and completely reverse their unlucky momentum.  On the final day of the 2005-06 NHL regular season, the New York Rangers will have the opportunity to become the Atlantic Division Champions.  A shot at raising a banner to the Garden rafters is enticing, as is the home-ice advantage they would gain with that all-important victory.

Marek Malik played extremely well after returning to the lineup in Saturday's disappointing loss to the Flyers, and he will be joined by other returning Rangers in tonight's contest.  Also on the blueline, Darius Kasparaitis' absent has been felt.  Kaspar brings emotion, intimidation, and confidence to go along with his solid physical game.  If he is to be re-inserted into the lineup tonight, and that is expected, his presence will undoubtedly be felt early on.  Unfortunately for the Blueshirts, both Steve Rucchin and Martin Rucinsky are not likely to play until some point in the post-season, keeping New York without two of their top six forwards.  However, of all the injuries, none has hurt the Rangers more than the loss of Henrik Lundqvist.  The remarkable rookie has given his club world-class goaltending all-season-long, and he will have to continue to do so if the team expects to have any success on the second season.  Although he was only expected to miss a game or two, his 'minor' hip injury has kept him from playing for the past two weeks.

Ottawa has not been injury free either.  Zdeno Chara, a contender for the Norris trophy, has been in and out of the lineup with injuries as of late.  Dominic Hasek hasn't played since the first game of the Olympics, and Martin Havlat has missed half the year.  Havlat and Hasek are both questionable for tonight, and even if they participate in the game it is unknown as to how effective they might even be.  Ray Emery, Hasek's back-up, started every game since Hasek's injury and was showing signs of fatigue.  22 consecutive starts is a lot for any goaltender, particularly an unproven back-up rookie on what many consider to be the league's top team.  Wade Redden's status is unknown for tonight's game as well due to the illness of his mother.

Other games on the docket tonight include the Flyers on Long Island, and Devils in Montreal.  Scoreboard watching will be going on for all three teams, but the bottom line is-- if the Rangers win, they are the division champs.

Here are all the scenarios that can occur, courtesy of the NY Daily News:

Team   GP     PTS     WINS
NYR    81     100     44
NJD    81      99     45
PHI    81      99     44

Tuesday night's games are going to determine 1st round playoff match-ups for all three teams as well as the Buffalo Sabres.

Ottawa vs. NY Rangers 7 PM on MSG
Flyers @ NY Islanders 7 PM on FSNY
Devils @ Canadiens 7:30 PM on FSNY2

With a Ranger win, the Garden rafters will host a Division Championship banner for the first time since 1994.  If the Rangers lose, it will take a Devils regulation loss, as well as a Flyer loss of any kind to lock up the division for New York.  A Ranger overtime loss won't cut it if either the Devils or Flyers are victorious, but it will be enough if the Flyers and Devils lose in OT.  The tie-breakers are WINS, followed by HEAD-TO-HEAD, and then GOAL DIFFERENTIAL.  The Devils will top the Rangers in a tie-breaker, and the Rangers are ahead of the Flyers in tie-breakers but would not be if both teams finish with 101 points (the Flyers win their 45th and the Rangers lose in OT).  Confused yet?

No matter how you slice it, Tuesday night is going to present some extremely exciting hockey.  The drama surrounding the three-team race for the Atlantic is awesome.  As the Rangers and Flyers have fallen, the Devils have reeled of 10 straight victories.

Henrik Lundqvist and Darius Kasparaitis are expected back for the Blueshirts tomorrow night, and that could very well be the difference maker.

Check back tomorrow for a preview of the Rangers & Senators, Wednesday for a recap of the game and a look at their playoff position, Thursday for a look at the top 10 Ranger wins of the season, and Friday for a preview of the 1st Round!

- Gord Tep

With a win today, the Blueshirts will become Atlantic Division Champions for the first time since 1994.

We'll be back next week to take a look at the top 10 wins of the 2005-06 New York Rangers season.

- Gord Tep

It was yet another disgraceful defeat for the Rangers at the hands of one the worst teams in the NHL.  This time, in fact, it was the team ranked dead last of all thirty teams.  The Pittsburgh Penguins, with fewer wins than any other club, embarrassed New York by a score of 5-3.  Long stretches of lifeless play, poor defensive coverage, and bad penalties have cost the Rangers.  This is the third straight regulation loss for the Blueshirts and their hopes of winning the division are inexplicably in jeopardy.  Sidney Crosby's 4-point night (1g 3a) was too much for the faltering Rangers to handle.

With all the gloom of injured key players and a three-game losing streak with the playoffs around the corner, the lone positive for the Rangers is how absolutely awful the Flyers are doing at the same time.  Philadelphia has been consistently failing to pick up ground, and last night was no different in a 4-1 loss to the New Jersey Devils.  As horrible as the Rangers have been, the Flyers have been worse.  Tomorrow afternoon in Philadelphia, the two fading teams will clash in an enormous regular season match-up.  Despite falling apart over the past week, if the Rangers can defeat the Flyers in regulation they clinch the division championship and will have home-ice in the first round of the playoffs.  What is even more unbelievable is that should the Rangers win, there is a good chance that will also be lined up to face the Flyers in the first round, with the surging Devils moving past Philly in the standings. 

Marek Malik will likely be in the lineup for tomorrow's big game, but Henrik Lundqvist is most likely out.  Steve Rucchin and Darius Kasparaitis are doubtful as well.  One plus for the Rangers is that Peter Forsberg has been out of action for the Flyers and may miss the Saturday matinee as well.  Still, the Robert Esche vs. Kevin Weekes goaltending duel is one that may generate a high-scoring contest.  Although Jaromir Jagr netted his 54th of the season, and Petr Sykora & Marcel Hossa snapped scoring droughts last night, the team as a whole has been having great difficulty finding the back of the net in recent games.  New York will need to draw more penalties (they were 1 for 2 on the Power Play against the Pens), and as always staying out of the box is a crucial aspect of any game against the Flyers.  Even without Forsberg, Mike Knuble and Simon Gagne are extremely dangerous, particularly with the man-advantage.

A regulation-victory tomorrow will soothe the souls of Rangers fans throughout New York.  Anything less is cause for some serious concern.  Limping into the post-season is not ideal, but once the second season begins-- everything changes.

- Gord Tep

For a team picked 30th, this would have to be considered a miraculously successful year.  New York has brought the heavy offense thanks much in part to Jaromir Jagr and his renaissance season.  Let us not overlook the outstanding defense, and goaltending that has the Rangers ranked 2nd out of 30 in goals against average.  If you take away a few of Kevin Weekes' early season debacle's (the joke on Long Island, the St. Louis game, etc.) this team would have easily won the William Jennings Trophy. 

Now, with Lundqvist out, a question that must be asked is how this team can fare in the post-season if the were forced to play without him.  Is it an automatic loss in the playoffs if he go with Weekes?  In the 2nd round and beyond, most likely yes.  Weekes is not beating Ottawa or Carolina, and it's extremely doubtful the Blueshirts could best Buffalo with Weekes.  Can the Rangers beat the Devils with him?  Maybe, but it's probably a seven-game series.  The way I see it, the team is one goal better on average with Lundqvist.  Sometimes more, sometimes less, but overall on average a goal better with Henrik manning the area between the pipes.  For what it's worth however, Weekes has beaten the Flyers in some of our biggest games of the year, and will apparently be called upon to do so this weekend in Philadelphia.

Many fans got down on Henrik after a couple "human" performances, but it must be remembered how spectacular he was for most of the year.  It got lost there during a rough stretch the team went through, but realistically he is right up there with Jagr for the team MVP.  Also, there should be absolutely no questions about his ability to come through in a big game.  Everybody knows he earned a gold medal just two months ago, but let's not forget what he did in the Swedish Elite League last year. 12-2 in the post-season with a 1.05 Goals Against Average, and a .962 Save Percentage.  The numbers speak for themselves.

Maybe the hopes have been set too high, but it is not absurd to be anticipating Richter-like ('94 playoffs) performances from him.  It is entirely possible that he will be posting shutouts against Philly in the first or second round when the games mean far more than any that have been played in the regular season.

When the playoffs start, the Rangers will need to capitalize on the power play,  and take fewer penalties, even more so if Weekes is playing, but it is believed that Lundqvist will be ok.  During an interview yesterday, Henrik stated that he will play against Ottawa to gear up for the first round of the playoffs. 

When you think about it, the Blueshirts have done really well in terms of injuries all year.  The Flyers were decimated: Forsberg, Gagne, Primeau, Nedved, Johnsson, Dejardins, among others.  Their injuries have occurred all-year-long as well.  New York lost Rucinsky on a few occasions, and just recently Kasparaitis.  Prucha missed a few games, but it was timed almost perfectly for him to miss the least amount possibly by it occurring just before the Olympic Break.  Henrik resting now because of an injured hip could simply be a blessing in disguise, giving him a much needed break before entering the all important second season.

Based on their track record, it is hard to doubt the ability of this team to come through when the season is on the line.  As much as the fans wanted the last two games, New York was without key players, and had completely lost the sense of urgency.  When it's life-and-death they're about as tough as any team in the league.  Tonight's game in Pittsburgh may very well generate that urgency the team needs to play its best.

- Gord Tep

The Blueshirts may give up first place yet.  Following a disappointing loss at the hands of the Devils on Sunday, the Islanders came into MSG and upset the Rangers for just their second head-to-head regulation win this year.  The Rangers had won the previous 5 battles with the Isles.  Although the Rangers kicked it up a notch in the final period, cutting a 3-0 deficit to 3-2, the first two periods of mostly passionless hockey were their downfall.  To make matters worse, the Philadelphia Flyers scored a late 3rd period goal to beat the Pittsburgh Penguins and move to within 3 points of the Atlantic Division-leading Rangers; Philadelphia also has a game in hand.

Rick DiPietro bested Kevin Weekes in the goaltending match-up last night at MSG.  DiPietro stopped 36 shots, while Weekes saved 27.  Miroslav Satan scored twice for the Isles, including the game-winner, bringing his season total to 33.  Chris Campoli notched the other Islander marker.  The bright spots on an otherwise dark evening for the Rangers came in the form of two Jaromir Jagr assists (expanding on his Rangers single-season point record), and goals from Michael Nylander and Petr Prucha.  Petr Prucha's tally during a 5 on 3 set a Rangers record for rookies-- it was the 16th time this year that he scored on the power play, the goal was also his 30th of the season.

There was also a very controversial situation late in the 3rd period while the Rangers were on the power play.  With the score at 3-2, Jaromir Jagr was high-sticked in the face and blood began gushing from his mouth.  Unfathomably this play was missed by both referees an both linesmen (who are each allowed to call majors for high-sticking in a situation like this).  The play took place at a crucial time in the game where the Rangers surely could have capitalized on a 5-on-3 power play that would have resulted from this.  Not to mention the lack of a call on the blatant penalty, but Jagr's bleeding mouth then prevented him from working the power play due to the NHL rule that a player with a cut is not allowed on the ice.  So, the play was ignored and Jagr wasn't able to be the hero on the same night he was honored for setting multiple Rangers records this season.  It should be noted however that Jagr played a fabulous game-- the rest of the team just couldn't match his emotion and effort until it was too late.

The injury-plagued Blueshirts were effected yet again, this time they were without Marek Malik and called upon the unready youngster David Liffiton to fill in.  Malik, New York's top defender all season, tweaked his shoulder over the weekend and was kept out of the lineup for precautionary reasons.  Coach Tom Renney stated before the game that almost all of the Rangers that were out of action would have played if this were a playoff game.  Unfortunately, the missing players may end up costing New York home-ice come playoff time.

For what it's worth, the Rangers are still in control of their own destiny-- only now the pressure is really on.  If New York can win against Pittsburgh on Thursday, and defeat Philadelphia (in regulation) on Sunday, the Blueshirts will clinch the division before meeting the Ottawa Senators at MSG for the final game of the year.  However, if the Flyers fail to win the rest of their other games (2 vs. New Jersey, 1 vs. The Islanders) then the Rangers have less to worry about.  The standings are really tight however, and New York is going to be unsure as to which team will be their first round opponent perhaps until the final day of the regular season.  Realistic possibilities are the Flyers, Devils, Canadiens, and Sabres.

        GP  W  L OTL PTS|OTT CAR NYR BUF PHI NJD MTL TBL ATL TOR FLA NYI BOS WSH PGH 
+OTT:NE 79 51 20   8 110|...   6 ***   1 *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***
+CAR:SE 79 51 21   7 109|....... ***   2 *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***
+NYR:A  79 44 23  12 100|...............   6   2 *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***
+BUF:NE 78 48 24   6 102|.......   4....   3 *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***
+PHI:A  78 43 24  11  97|...................   5   3 *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***
+NJD:A  79 43 27   9  95|.......................   5   1 *** *** *** *** *** *** ***
 MTL:NE 78 41 28   9  91|...........................   5   3   2 *** *** *** *** ***
 TBL:SE 79 42 32   5  89|...............................   4   3 *** *** *** *** ***

- Gord Tep

Rick DiPietro called out the Rangers last week.  During a post-game interview he vowed that the Islanders would "kick the Rangers' ass."  It is rather surprising that DiPietro, who was riding high after his only shutout of the season, would make such a remark after being squashed by the cross-town rivals so many times in recent meetings.  Since 2003, the Rangers are 13-1-2-1 against the Islanders (13 wins, one regulation loss, two ties, one shootout loss).  What on earth has given "DP" the notion this tonight at Madison Square Garden will be any different?

The Islanders (34-38-5) trail the Rangers (44-22-12) by a whopping 27 points.  Although the Islanders managed to pick up an extremely rare regulation win against the rival Rangers this year, it was an early season encounter in which Kevin Weekes allowed goals on each of the first three shots.  Jaromir Jagr went on to score a hat-trick, and in the end the Islanders won by a 1-goal margin.  More recently however, the Blueshirts have slammed the Isles.  Martin Straka has scored 9 times in the 7 head-to-head games thus far, and Jaromir Jagr has racked up a team-high 16 points (6 goals, 10 assists).

To make matters worse for DiPietro's puzzling prediction, Kevin Weekes has been uncharacteristically excellent during Henrik Lundqvist's absence since suffering a minor hip injury last week.  However, with Darius Kasparaitis, Tom Poti, and Steve Rucchin out of the Ranger lineup again, this would be the Islanders best chance to beat the Rangers while a few of their players are on the shelf.  Truthfully, the Rangers brought their F-game to the Nassau Coliseum with Kevin Weekes in net, and still handily defeated the Islanders 3-1 in a game that was never in doubt.  Coming off a tough loss in New Jersey, the Rangers will likely come out with far more passion than they exhibited in the game on Long Island last week.  Madison Square Garden will be jam-packed with rabid fans eager to see their beloved team continue on their way towards a division title. 

The Philadelphia Flyers are in action tonight also, taking on the Pittsburgh Penguins in a game that means as much to the Rangers as their own match-up.  Any combination of points attained by the Rangers and points missed out on by the Flyers that totals 6 will secure the division championship for the Blueshirts.

- Gord Tep

New York will take the two points earned this past weekend from their come-from-behind 3-2 victory in Boston on Saturday, and disappointing 3-2 loss to the Devils on Sunday.  Kevin Weekes played well in both games with Henrik Lundqvist taking time off to heal his injured hip.  Jaromir Jagr picked up 4 more points taking his season total to 119, but the point that most will remember was his record-setting 53rd marker of the season.  When his slapshot went between Tim Thomas' legs and into the back of the net, Jagr established a new single-season Rangers record for goals. 

Michael Nylander's pair of goals on Saturday earned the team a big victory on the same day that a falling Flyer team dropped a painful game to the lowly Toronto Maple Leafs.  Despite strong efforts from the likes of Blair Betts, Jason Ward, and  even Thomas Pock (who started in place of the injured Tom Poti) the Devils turned a 3rd period 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 victory on goals by Scott Gomez and Brian Gionta. 

Although the Blueshirts came away without a point last night, the team has to be content with their position in the standings.  Looking ahead to the post-season, it is entirely up in the air as to which team will draw the Rangers in the first round, but it seems rather certain that New York will be raising the 2005-2006 Atlantic Division Championship banner.  Their first round opponent can realistically be any one of 4 different teams (Flyers, Devils, Lightning, and Canadiens).  If the Rangers fail to finish first (which is highly unlikely) then they'll end up facing the Buffalo Sabres in a 4 vs. 5 match-up.  Philadelphia finds themselves 5 points behind the Rangers with 5 games left, New York has 4 more to go.  If the Rangers can win their next two games (Islanders & Penguins) then the Flyers will lose the division if they finish up the year 4-1.  The April 15 Ranger-Flyer game in Philadelphia is likely to be a meaningless one for the Blueshirts that could very well have locked up a division title by then.

Steve Rucchin, Martin Rucinsky, Darius Kasparaitis, and Henrik Lundqvist have been out of the lineup in recent games, but should all be returning very soon.  All four key players will return in time for the playoffs. 

- Gord Tep

We'll be back on Monday to recap both important games the Rangers will be participating in this weekend.

- Gord Tep

Prior to the game, Henrik Lundqvist was named the winner of the Steven McDonald Award for extra effort.  Following the game, Kevin Weekes was named the 2nd star for the night, stopping 21 of 22 Islander shots en-route to a 3-1 Ranger victory.  The first star of the game was reserved for Martin Straka who tallied twice including the game-winning marker.  In his seven games against the Islanders this season, Straka has scored 9 goals-- he has 12 in his 68 games against the rest of the league.  Jarkko Immonen scored his first NHL goal after getting called up earlier in the day to replace an injured Steve Rucchin in the Ranger lineup.  Miroslav Satan notched his 31st of the season to open the scoring, but the Rangers scored the next three unanswered, including goals in the first and last minute of the second period.  Although the Islanders were way behind, last night's loss officially eliminated them from playoff contention for this season.

The only bad news of the evening for the Blueshirts was that Jaromir Jagr failed to register a point and ended his 12-game point streak.  Sitting on 52 goals, Jagr is on the brink of establishing a new single-season Rangers record.  He is currently tied with Adam Graves, who set the team record in 1994.

The Philadelphia Flyers trail the Rangers by 5 points in the race for the Atlantic Division, but they have a game in hand.  The Flyers are in Buffalo tonight to take on the Sabres.  Time is running out on the Flyers to overtake New York.  With 6 Ranger games left, and 7 Flyer games, the Rangers have a magic number of 10.  Any combination of points attained by New York and points missed out on by Philadelphia that totals 10 will clinch the division for the Blueshirts.

- Gord Tep

Kevin Weekes pulled off the unthinkable, a shootout victory over the Philadelphia Flyers at Madison Square Garden.  The come-from-behind 3-2 OT-win was monstrous for the New York Rangers.  Michael Nylander got the Blueshirts on the board with a tap-in goal in the first after a pair of beautiful passes from Jaromir Jagr and then Sandis Ozolinsh.  Mike Knuble and Simon Gagne scored second period goals generated by a defensive breakdown and poorly controlled rebound respectively.  In the third period it was Martin Straka burying the pick in the back of the net following a defensive lapse by the Flyers that allowed Nylander to feed him the puck with Flyer goalie Robert Esche in no position to make the save.  Esche was phenomenal throughout, stoning Jagr on multiple occasions, and Weekes made a few big ones of his own-- most notably a sprawling stick save on a Jeff Carter breakaway late in the third. Ending the third period tied gave the Rangers a point that officially earned them a spot in the post-season for the first time since 1997.

After a scoreless overtime, Simon Gagne opened the shootout with a goal to give Philadelphia a 1-0 edge in the battle for the extra point.  Michael Nylander came cruising in slowly, as he so often does, finding an opening between the legs to beat Esche five-hole.  Weekes stopped a puny backhand shot by Peter Forsberg, and Petr Sykora ripped a shot top corner to give the Blueshirts a 2-1 lead in the shootout.  Michael Handzus was the third shooter for the Flyers, but he was denied by Kevin Weekes.  The fans at MSG ripped up in applause, and the club saluted the Garden faithful at center ice.

Last night's victory is incredibly huge for the Rangers.  In addition to Atlantic Division lead, the W helps substantially in terms of tie-breakers.  New York now 42-21-12, and Philadelphia is 3 points behind the Rangers with a 41-23-11 record.  Thanks to the victory, New York has a key advantage in the tie-breakers (Overall Wins, Head-to-head record, and goal differential).  With a mere 7 games left to be played, the Flyers must earn 4 more points than the Rangers from here on out in order to nab the first-place spot.  Time is running out on Philly to best the Blueshirts, and tonight was a big blow to their chances.

The playoff-bound Rangers are back in action at the Garden tomorrow night against the putrid Islanders.

- Gord Tep

Here we are in early April, and the Rangers are in first place with the Philadelphia Flyers just two points behind them.  There are only 8 games remaining in the NHL season for both teams, but two of those encounters will be head-to-head battles-- the first of which takes place tonight at Madison Square Garden.

New Jersey embarrassed the Flyers on Saturday, but Philly was able to best a fading Islander club on Sunday afternoon.  Earning two of four possible points over the weekend, forces the Flyers to have a better record than the Blueshirts the rest of the way in order to win the Division.  With so few games left on the docket, each game seems to take on greater importance-- particularly battles between two teams that are fighting for one spot.  The Flyers are going to have difficulty with injured players Kim Jonsson and Petr Nedved out of the lineup.  Jonsson and Nedved have logged large amounts of ice-time and will be sorely missed.  Martin Rucinsky is expected to be out for remainder of the season as well, but his presence is not as integral to the Rangers' success.

The ultimate keys to the big game will be special teams units for both squads.  If Peter Forsberg, Simon Gagne, Mike Knuble, and Joni Pitkanen can hammer the Rangers penalty kill, and bombard a screened netminder with shots, the Rangers will be in trouble.  If Betts, Ward, Moore, and Ortmeyer are solid short-handed, New York will win the game.  Petr Prucha, Sandis Ozolinsh, and Jaromir Jagr hope to provide New York with a trio of deadly options with the man-advantage.  Bottom line, the team to score on the power play will pull this one out.  Robert Esche will man the nets for the Flyers in this one, and he is expected to be in between the pipes in the post-season as well.  Henrik Lundqvist was expected to start every Ranger game for the rest of the regular season, and certainly all playoff games, but he is questionable for tonight's game due to suffering a mild hip flexor strain during practice yesterday.  In his absence, Tom Renney would likely go with Kevin Weekes, but he could take a gamble and call up Al Montoya to give him a memorable NHL debut.

Thanks to the Atlanta loss last night at the hands of the Ottawa Senators, New York can clinch a playoff berth by earning a point against the Flyers tonight.

- Gord Tep

The Rangers are off all weekend, but the Philadelphia Flyers battle the Devils on Saturday afternoon in Philly, and the Islanders Sunday afternoon on Long Island.  Every Flyer contest from here on out is of equal importance to the Blueshirts as their own games.  We'll be back on Monday to examine the Rangers chances at their first division title since 1994.

- Gord Tep