The Rangers have discovered a new way to make the playoffs – lose.
I'm not kidding. Check out the standings; they've lost four straight and they're right in the thick of the madcap Met Wild Card race.
"Imagine if they ever win a game," says The Old Scout. "Wow! They'd be in 'Like Flynn.' Except there's no Flynn on the roster."
Losing only 2-1 to the league-leading Jets last night is like a 'win' if you listen to some of the Blueshirt babble.
"We did more battling," says No More Slumping Mika Zibanejad whose power play goal was New York's one-and-only.
Maybe the NHL should give a half-a-point for "More Battling."
But The Maven's brand new "Oh, Really" Quote Award goes to Willy Borgen for this gem: "We gotta string some wins if we want to make the playoffs."
It seems to be I've heard that song before – in late November, December, Now!
So, here's my insightful suggestion; go beat The Wild in St.Paul and then the staggering Blue Jackets in Ohio on Saturday.
Get that job done and we'll re-hang the bashful banner proclaiming the holy crusade: PLAYOFFS OR BUST!
Now for the good news:
* Igor Shesterkin only allowed two goals. (Shhh! But on one of the pair he was so far out of the net he looked like he was boarding the Staten Island Ferry.
* Matt Rempe gets better and better despite his goalie interference penalty. ("I didn't agree with the call," says disagreeable Peter Laviolette. So says my chief-cook-and-ref-watcher Jeff Rubenstein.)
* The Wild are beatable even at home. Follow Lavvy's advice; "Get wins." (If he comes up with that deathless line one more time, he'll sound like a walking echo chamber.)
Final Maven Warning. Beware of the Habs! They are scary in two languages!!