New York's 5-2 win last night at TD Garden marked the third -- out of three that the Rangers have won.
If the formerly Big, Bad Bruins know what's good for them, they'll stay away from the New York Rangers at playoff time. Ditto for that other four-legged team that visits The Garden tomorrow, the Panthers.
As for the Beantowners, they haven't a clue when they face Peter Laviolette's first-place club. New York's 5-2 win last night at TD Garden marked the third -- out of three -- the teams have met.
The Blueshirts are batting a thousand, three out of three W's. The Bruins? They haven't even come up to the plate.
The head-turner last night was Artemi, The Breadman, baking a three-goal hat trick with the fedora one via the open net route.
"He's creative every time he's on the ice," Lavvy pointed out. "And the more he plays, the better he gets."
The Maven could say the same thing about Jonathan Quick.
Goalie Number One-A registered his 391st win which ties him with Ryan Miller for the most wins in NHL history for a U.S.-born goalkeeper.
Granted, Quick wasn't perfect against the home club. And, yeah, they got the first goal and tied it at 2-2 early in the third. Then, Long Jon remembered to close the door; and that was that for the former Big, Baddies.
As for his record-tying performance, Quick sounded like Abraham Lincoln after winning the Civil War: "The record means that I've played with a lot of good players over the years.
"I'm grateful for all the work they've put in to allow me to achieve this feat."
The Rangers are a better team than the Beanies because they have better netminding; plus The Breadman, plus defenseman Adam Fox who's better than any Boston blueliner within a 500-mile radius of the Charles River.
Fox beat Jeremy Swayman for his career best, 13th goal and executed the play with the consummate ease of a virtuoso that he's become.
And speaking of virtuosos; now that Marvelous Mika Z has awakened out of his mid-winter nap, even the Z-Man -- goal, assist -- is becoming an offensive factor again.
"We're structured," said Zibanejad, "and we battled."
They had to battle, what with Jacob Trouba and Ryan Lindgren indefinitely in sick bay but it didn't seem to matter
Madcap Matt Rempe returned to the lineup and Columbus import Jack Roslovic looked as if he'd been a Ranger as long as Chris Kreider.
The Cats from Sunrise, Florida tiptoe into The World's Most Famous Arena tomorrow night. Personally, I fear those Stanley Cup Finalists more than Boston.
The Maven's prediction: Coach Paul Maurice's club will give our heroes a better tussle than the declawed Bad Bruins!