I have to confess, the New York Rangers had me duped for a couple of weeks. After bringing in forward JT Miller, the squad appeared revitalized, and their prospects of snagging an Eastern Conference Wild Card spot seemed genuine.
But then came their abysmal performance against the Calgary Flames, the worst in the last month, and the illusion shattered. This isn’t a team bound for the postseason; their recent winning streak can’t mask the deep-seated issues and deficits they’ve created for themselves.
The Flames came into the game dejected, having dropped seven of their past 10 matches. Struggling to secure their own spot in the Western Conference playoffs, they presented a golden chance for the Rangers to claim two points and vault into a Wild Card position.
Instead, the Rangers delivered one of their feeblest showings of the year. They managed a mere 13 shots on goal while letting 35 rain down on their starting netminder, Igor Shesterkin.
Were it not for Shesterkin’s heroics, the Flames could have turned it into a rout. He turned aside 33 of the 35 shots he faced, but the Rangers’ attack couldn’t hold up its end to secure the win.
The Rangers had an opening. Playoff-caliber teams seize such moments, capitalize on them, and never let up.
The Rangers faltered. They grabbed that chance, bolted in the opposite direction, and got overtaken in the standings as a result.
Now, the Blue Shirts find themselves looking up at the Montreal Canadiens, with the New York Islanders and Columbus Blue Jackets just two points behind and holding two games in hand. Their postseason fate is slipping beyond their grasp.
The truth is, the Rangers’ season effectively died in that defeat to Calgary. The organization might not accept it, but when they’re spectators for the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, they’ll likely pinpoint this loss as the one that sank their campaign.
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