Mirage or Miracle – which is it?
What we are seeing in the Rangers two-game winning streak could very well be the final surge into a playoff berth. Or, not. Depends on your view and mine is positive.
IF they once and for all show us on Friday night at MSG that they can beat a good team like the Maple Leafs.
One could say that coach Peter Laviolette's new secret weapon can be the "Playoffs Or Bust" catalyst. Here the why and how of it.
The genius coach has fused a fascinating fourth line with "powerful" potential.
By "powerful," The Maven means "POW!" right in the kisser.
Start with Matt (Call Me Goliath) Rempe and Jonny Brodzinski while adding a little bit of rookie in rugged Brennan Othmann.
Put 'em all together – mix fervently – and you have the line that enabled the 5-1 insult-to-injury win over the Islanders last night in Elmont.
"If Laviolette can stick with that line for at least three games minimum," says The Old Scout, "it could make the difference in terms of making the playoffs instead of missing."
Brodzinski has been a loyal in-and-out-of-the-lineup Sluggo who always does more good than harm.
"More and more Rempe is avoiding the stupid stuff," adds The Old Scout, "and his goal – plus effective screening – shows he can be an effective factor."
Othmann can shoot and forecheck. Again, Lavvy must force himself to have patience with The Kid. Who knows; he could be another Not-So-Wee-Willie Cuylle.
Meanwhile, J.T. Miller now has a three-game (3-2-5) point streak and yet another reason he deserves the captaincy that's eluded Vinnie Trocheck.
"Also," concluded The Old Scout, "it's worth noting that the Rangers rebounded well from that beating they took in Buffalo."
But let's not get too carried away. This "streak" is comprised of a humbling of awful Pittsburgh and a smiting of an Islanders team minus their crack playmaker Mat Barzal who's out for the season.
"Beating the Islanders means a lot to us in terms of the standings," says Laviolette.
True, it pushes the Islanders down and keeps the Blueshirts within sniffing distance of the playoff berth.
But until The Seventh Avenue skaters can become a true qualifier, the two-game streak remains more myth than miracle!