Needing a win to jump over the Islanders for the seventh seed, all the Rangers could muster was a point in a shoot out loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins.
While it is a loss, the Rangers do indeed gain ground on the New Jersey Devils, who are sinking fast. With 40 points, the Rangers are now one point ahead of New Jersey for the final playoff spot in the East. The Islanders, who looked dead weeks ago, entered the playoff conversation after they won five of their last seven to take over the seventh seed in the playoffs.
The Rangers were pretty impressive in this very difficult stretch with a back-to-back against the Penguins, the best team in the East. New York destroyed Pittsburgh 6-1 on Wednesday, then on Friday they hung with them as long as they could. If anything the Rangers showed that they can play with Pittsburgh, if and when the two meet up in the playoffs.
Pittsburgh held a 1-0 lead for a better part of the third period, and with less than five minutes remaining in the period, Rick Nash netted a clutch goal, his 14th of the year, to tie the game at one, and force overtime, guaranteeing the Rangers at least a point in the standings.
After neither team scored in the OT, it went to a shootout where Jussi Jokinen won it for Pittsburgh.
The chances for the Devils to even make the playoffs is getting tough. They lost Ilya Kovalchuck, their best offensive player to injured reserve with a shoulder injury, and is not likely to return. They just got goalie Marty Brodeur back, but at 41, he hasn't been the same. The Devils will need to win some big games here, and hope both the Islanders and Rangers lose a couple in regulation in order to make the playoffs.
If not, it looks like both New York based teams are playing serious hockey come late April.
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