Brad Penner-Imagn ImagesIf I had the time tonight in Minnesota, the first thing I'd do a half hour before game time is walk into the Rangers clubhouse and shout so all could hear:
"ARE YOU GUYS SERIOUS?"
Of course every single Blueshirt would know what I'm talking about – and so do you, I presumed – because Manhattan's favorite hockey team has suddenly discovered that winning is possible – if not always fun.
That's not to say they'll do anything so daring as making the playoffs. But – in this order – they have beaten Philly, the Flames and Jets; otherwise six out of six POINTS or batting a thousand in the last three encounters.
"But," says The Old Scout, "you have to consider which teams they beat."
Teams roughly equivalent to Humpty-Dumpty falling into six feet of cotton balls; no harm done! AHA! But for a change, tonight Mike Sullivan's menagerie will be playing a very serious team.
The Minnesota Wild have 86 points (38-16-12) while your Beloved Blueshirts have 62 points (27-30-8) which puts New York 24 big, fat points behind tonight's foe.
"Minny has serious designs on The Stanley Cup," says The Old Scout, "and they are getting Quinn Hughes in that trade proves that GM Bill Guerin means business."
So, if the Rangers are to be taken seriously, forget about the last three wins – TONIGHT'S THE NIGHT!