Rangers still in thick of playoff race even as play doesn’t seem worthy of it
NY Post
The Rangers’ uninspiring 1-1-1 showing in the Golden State this past week very well could’ve been the nail in the coffin on a season that is begging to be put out of its misery.
That was if any of the surrounding teams vying for an Eastern Conference wild-card spot were doing any better.
Instead, the Blueshirts woke up Sunday morning in the last playoff spot before the Canadiens snatched it back with a win over the Panthers later in the day.
It is yet to be seen if the Rangers can salvage this season, sitting at 77 points with eight games remaining.
Their inability to take control of this five-team potato sack race, however, is a damning reflection on a club that regarded itself as a Stanley Cup contender at the start.
“The first period in LA wasn’t perfect, but the second and third, guys were pushing and [the Kings] scored a couple power-play goals [for a 3-1 win],” head coach Peter Laviolette said upon reflection of the three-game swing. “Somebody asked if [Friday night’s 5-4 overtime loss to the Ducks], did you feel the momentum shifting in the game, and it wasn’t really about that. I think [Anaheim] had five or six shots through the third period and overtime. We needed to be better in those situations on those specific plays, but the game prior to that we were doing the right things.
The Rangers hit the mark with their on-ice ceremony honoring Mika Zibanejad ahead of his 1,000th NHL game Monday night.
PORT ST. LUCIE — For now, Craig Kimbrel is choosing Mets purgatory.
‘Freak of nature: Zion Williamson’s resurgence could pose a Knicks problem versus motivated Pelicans
Zion Williamson is slimmer and healthier for his trip to MSG.
Don’t blame Mikal Bridges for his paltry stats. Blame the role.
Almost a year to the day after a goaltender interference call against Kyle Palmieri lost the Islanders a game against the Blue Jackets that started their season’s death spiral, they were on the wrong end of another controversial call against those same Blue Jackets that might have had the same effect.
On the Queens side of town, the reno began in earnest almost as soon as Francisco Lindor grounded into the 4-6-3 double play. That ended a 4-0 loss before a rare sizable crowd at Miami’s loanDepot Park last Sept. 27, all of them there to witness the final death rattles of an epic baseball calamity.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba is being paid handsomely for his breakout season.
Next comes the harder part. Mostly because it can’t get any easier.
It was Kids Day at Madison Square Garden on Sunday, but for the Rangers, it’s been All About The Kids for months.
PORT ST. LUCIE — From the moment he was told he needed surgery on his left hamate bone, Francisco Lindor fixated on the recovery time. Trainers provided the Mets shortstop a six-week pathway to return to play, and Lindor was determined to hit every marker.
Dylan Garand knew the number off the top of his head. He knew that, between the regular season and playoffs, he’d logged over 160 games with AHL Hartford, and he was right. Before the Rangers recalled him Friday, Garand had served as the Wolf Pack’s goaltender 165 times.
SAN DIEGO — As you may have seen elsewhere in this newspaper (and also if you haven’t deleted me yet from your social media), I have a book coming out Tuesday called “The Bosses of The Bronx.” Much of it details the 37 years’ worth of antics, winning, losing, winning again and overall mania of George Steinbrenner’s time with the Yankees.
Don’t close the curtain on “Mean” Joe Greene.