Closing In

The Rangers are out to prove to all their skeptics, including the Pundit, that they are wrong and that they indeed will make the playoffs. Last nights 5-0 rout of Tampa Bay not only moved the Rangers within two points of seventh and eight place Boston and Philadelphia, it also moved them within four points of sixth place Montreal. The Rangers have a game in hand on Montreal and Philadelphia.

How is this all possible, you say? Its posible because the bottom half of the Eastern Conference is in complete collapse. Philadelphia, after last nights 1-0 loss to Montreal is 1-6-2 in their last nine games. The Rangers are 4-0-1 in their last five. The end result could be the Rangers facing Buffalo, the Devils or the Penguins in the first round. While none of these teams are easy and the Rangers have a losing record against all three, they would not be as difficult as a first rounder against Washington.

Henrik Lundqvist, enjoying the luxury of five goals, pitched a shutout, making thirty saves. It was his fourth shutout of the season and the twenty seventh of his career. There are five games to go as the Rangers go for a sweep of these games but it may not matter if the other teams continue to collapse. And with Lundqvist, anything is possible.

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ICINGS:

The Prince, aka Hanke! to his loyal Swedish subjects goes into cover boy mode for the Swedish Men's Magazine Café. This team is riding the Princely coattails. Henrik has something to prove this year after the Olympic "floppen."

via Henrik Lundqvist blog