With the New York Rangers having their playoff ticket clinched, and locked into either 1st or 2nd in the Metro, the Rangers, and fans can look forward to first-round matchups and predicted outcomes.
Important guidance for Rangers Fans:
Your favorite team will be playing someone in the first postseason round but if you think The Maven knows who it is you are sadly mistaken.
That said -- and as a public service to all citizens of Rangerville -- I do have a list of potential playoff foes, and I'll analyze each. Fasten your safety belts, here goes:
1. FLYERS: I wouldn't want to face any John Tortorella team because Genius Johnny is gonna be Coach of the Year, especially if his team gets into the postseason. Superficially, it should be a four-game sweep for New York, and here's why:
Goals For; Rangers are sixth, Flyers 24th. Goals Against; Rangers, seventh, Flyers 24th. Power Play: Rangers fourth, Flyers 32nd. Penalty Kill: Yay, Philly -- 83.7 percent (third in NHL) Rangers, right behind, at 83.5 percent.
RANGERS IN FIVE.
2. CAPITALS: Alex Ovechkin remains a major threat but he lacks the horses around him to offset the Rangers better balance. All of the following categories belong to the Blueshirts: Goals For; Goals Against, Power Play, Penalty Kill and Shots For and Against.
You also can figure that Matt Rampe will kayo Tom Wilson somewhere along the way. A four-game sweep is not out of the question.
In fact, RANGERS IN FOUR.
3. ISLANDERS: The Cross County rivalry always means that an upset is possible. Nevertheless, the Rangers own a huge plus; their speed and ability to exit their zone with consummate ease. By contrast, this has been a major Isles flaw not solved by coach Patrick Roy.
Led by Breadman Panarin, the Blueshirts possess an arsenal that reaches itscrest during power plays. Bolstered by the likes of Magnificent Mika Z and fast-rising Big Al Lafreniere, the New Yorkers play "It's My Puck" better than any NHL team.
Captain Jacob Trouba his harder than any Islander D-Man and Adam Fox ranks higher in every aspect than any Nassau counterpart.
That said, the Islanders should not be discounted simply because they are the Islanders. As one reliable birddog told me: "The Islanders know how to score against the Rangers and know how to throw the Rangers off their game. They're good at capitalizing on their opportunities.
"Their goalie Semyon Varlamov always plays well against the Blueshirts and that should give them an important plus. Figure Roy to start Varly at The Garden.
Also, the Rangers retain a psychological edge and that is the memory of their super-thrilling OT comeback win against the Isles in the MetLife outdoor classic. It sent a meaningful message; the Blueshirts are the NHL's best.
RANGERS IN SIX.
PENGUINS:The Flightless Birds Who skate possess a real, live Hart Trophy candidate who does fly. That would be Sidney Crosby who has lifted what looked like a mortally wounded Pitt team right back into Wild Card contention.
Backup goalie Alex Nideljkovic lately has been better than Igor Shesterkin and Jonathan Quick put together. The combination of Crosby's blend of skill and captain's leadership -- along with Mike Sullivan's experienced coaching -- have thrust the onrushing Penguins into the mix.
Granted that the Rangers are a way better team on paper but The Maven recently watched the Pens take the Blueshirts apart at The Garden with Crosby leading the charge as he always seems to do.
RANGERS IN SEVEN -- JUST BARELY.
RED WINGS: GM Steve Yzerman is carefully building the Motor City six into a playoff team and they still could squeeze in, especially with the addition of Patrick Kane. But the Detroiters have been closer to the bottom than the top.
To top the Rangers, coach Derek Lalonde would require A-Plus goaltending and neither James Reimer nor Alex Lyon come close to matching the New Yorkers' Gold Dust Twins, Igor Shesterkin and Jonathan Quick.
RANGERS IN FIVE.
We'll find out soon enough who the opponent is, and if the Blueshirts have locked up the Presidents' Trophy.
Contributions were made to this article by Patrick Hoffman.