Pulling Out the Positives

The Rangers are one point ahead of the path to the playoffs that I laid out for them almost three weeks ago. Instead of needing to beat the Leafs tomorrow night at the Garden in order to control their own destiny heading into the home-and-home against the Flyers, the Blueshirts need only to take the game to overtime in order to enter the final weekend three points behind the Flyers.

Fact is, while it is absolutely essential that the Rangers get at least one point against Toronto tomorrow, the difference between entering the final weekend down two points to Philly, and entering it down three points, is minimal. What's more, the same can be said for the difference between one point and three points. Here's why: Whether down one point or three, the Rangers would need to win BOTH games against the Flyers in order to guarantee finishing ahead of them. The only difference is, if they are down three points, those wins must come in regulation. Given  the fact that only four Ranger wins all season have come via OT/shootout, AND given the fact that the Flyers beat the Leafs tonight, the Rangers did not lose all that much with their defeat against the Sabres. The only way the Rangers could have gained any serious ground tonight would have been a Ranger win coupled with a Flyer loss.

The Rangers have only three games left in the season. If they win them all, they will make the playoffs. They will either crash or cross the finish line in the next couple of days. Either way, the take-away going into the Toronto game is that Project Philly remains viable.