Just one more chance. That's all The Maven is giving this abjectly discouraging Rangers team.
The chance arrives tomorrow night at The Garden when Tampa Bay's Lightning arrive on Seventh Avenue.
A Blueshirt loss and I'll have to concede that Peter Laviolette's disgraceful bunch of underachievers have run out of opportunities to win the final Wildcard berth.
Saturday afternoon's 4-0 loss to New Jersey at The Rock was an eye opener in many ways but most of all in terms of another missed opportunity.
"The Rangers' failure to win a third straight for the umpteenth time since last Veterans Day says it all," insists The Old Scout. "So it's back to Square One; the need to beat the Lightning."
Laviolette has run out of answers. He started Igor Shesterkin in goal and the math says it all; 16 shots and 12 saves.
"Imagine if the Devils had their best shooter, injured Jack Hughes, in the lineup," says The Old Scout. "The Rangers were lucky that Hughes is hurt otherwise the score could have been 8-0 for the Devils."
So once again, Shesty, who is supposed to be the team's savior, is out-goaled by the enemy goalie. In this case it was Jacob Markstrom who was flawless throughout.
In his second game, highly touted rookie right wing Gabe Perreault played what best could be described as an "OK" game and we'll leave it at that.
"What can't be ignored," The Old Scout concludes, "is that special teams have failed New York. The Devils scored a short-hander and also a power play goal. No way the Rangers can win like that."
Okay; they're not Wild Card dead yet but a loss tomorrow night – well – we'll all have to agree that all the wishing in the world won't make a Wild Card happen.
Ergo: It's a case of just one more chance!