There are but twelve games left in this season and each game will tell its own  tale. The Rangers now have 83 points. They are in 3rd place in the Atlantic Division and 6th place in the Eastern Conference. Many Ranger fans, visions of sugerplums dancing in their heads, are fantasizing about their Rangers catching the Devils for the Atlantic title. Some are thinking that they could even possibly pass both the Devils and Montreal and take the Eastern Conference Crown.  Ah, but a Ranger fan’s reach should exceed his grasp, or what’s a blueshirt heaven for? 

At this time, I would like to take a page out of the “Moonstruck” movie script where Loretta Castorini (Cher) slaps her lover Ronnie Cammerari (Nicholas Cage)  across the face and screams “Snap out of it”. At this time, these romantic Ranger fans need to be reminded that the Rangers have no powerplay and their defense has more times then not looked like Swiss cheese. 

Sure you say, leave it to mhurley to throw cold water on the party. The Rangers are on fire right now. That’s as may be. But I urge one and all to take a look at the remaining schedule for a more sobering look at this stretch run. In order to just make the playoffs, the Rangers MUST take at least 13 of the remaining 24 points left to be had. They must win half of their remaining games to finish safely with 96 points.  

Game one and two of this final dozen are in Florida this Friday and Saturday. The Rangers developed a bad habit of losing to inferior teams this season. On top of that, these two games are back to back. These are four points that the Rangers absolutely should lock up. Where have I heard that before?

The Rangers play the Fish and the Flyers twice more, the Icelander games coming back to back. The Flyers currently sit in 8th place with 78 points and a game in hand. These games could be ugly and I’d never count out Marty Biron. By the time the Rangers play them, the Fishsticks may already be mathematically eliminated from the playoffs. All the more reason to exact revenge on the Rangers.  

Most crucially, the Rangers have to play both the Devils and the Penguins three more times. I truly believe the Rangers can skate with the Devils but the Penguins are way too fast for the Rangers. Compound the Penguins speed with a back to back home and home series with Crosby and Malkin and I don’t see the Rangers stealing any points from the Penguins in either of those two games.

This isn’t a scientific treatise here. I will not factor in the difficulty of our aforementioned adversaries remaining schedules. I’ll leave that to number crunchers like The HockeyRodent. Alls I’m saying is that the Rangers have to put their noses to the grindstone, earn 13 more points and lock a playoff spot.  Any other kudos they garner will be gravy.