This is a chase, maybe not technically a race, for a playoff spot that may go down to the season’s final day. That has happened only five times in the Blueshirts’ 99-season history.
Let’s take a look at the previous five:
2010-11: The Rangers entered final day of season needing to pick up a point on Carolina in order to secure the final playoff spot after frittering away a seven-point lead with two weeks to go. Tied in points with Carolina, the Blueshirts beat the Devils at the Garden on Saturday afternoon but then needed the Lightning to defeat the Canes that night in Raleigh. A phone call between Blueshirts head coach John Tortorella and Tampa Bay winger Marty St. Louis may have ensued before the Lightning’s 6-1 victory put the Rangers in the playoffs, where they were routed in five games in the first round by the Caps.
2009-10: The Blueshirts set up a do-or-die showdown in Philadelphia the final day of the season, winner taking the last Eastern playoff spot, following a 4-3 victory over the Flyers at the Garden two nights earlier to extend their last-season stretch to 7-1-1. Jody Shelly scored in front at 3:27 of the first period for a 1-0 lead in Game 82, but the Rangers would not beat Brian Boucher again. Henrik Lundqvist, spectacular while his team had been outshot 30-13 through the first two periods, yielded the tying goal to Matt Carle on a power play at 6:54 of the third. Danny Briere scored in the first shootout round, P.A. Parenteau tied it in round two, Claude Giroux scored on a slap shot to give the Flyers the edge before Olli Jokinen skated circles and skated circles and skated circles…
