Teams the New York Rangers Do and Do Not want to Face in the Playoffs

It was the great Ric Flair who once said, "In order to be the man, you've got to beat the man."

The Rangers still have 21 games left on their season, but their odds to going to the playoffs are bettering every day. They lead the 2nd place Boston Bruins by nine points in the standings, as the season winds down and gears up for what is looking like it is going to be a very interesting postseason.

So many teams in the Eastern Conference are in a jumble together right now, teams that have proved they can hang with the Rangers this year, and those who have yet to show it. This is a breakdown of the teams who the Rangers could potentially fare better against in the postseason.

Toronto Maple Leafs


The Rangers have lost to the Maple Leafs twice so far this year, but the last time was before the turn of 2012. The last time the Rangers and Leafs faced, the Rangers shut out the Leafs 3-0, as they shut down Phil Kessel and Joffrey Lupul who have became an explosive tandem this year. Since that time, the Leafs have dropped out of the playoff race, and are sitting on the outside looking in. Make no mistake, they are still very much alive in the standings despite being behind 8th place, but their overall play as of lately has taken a hard toll, and the team is in disarray. If the Rangers and Maple Leafs face off in the first round of the playoffs, I think the Rangers can show their true grit and take the Leafs in less than six games.

Winnipeg Jets


The Jets are young, nubile, and ripe for the picking. The Rangers were the only team to ever face the Atlanta Thrashers in the playoffs, and the New Jets have yet to beat the Rangers this season. In fact, out of the three games the Rangers and Jets have played this season, the Jets have only scored one goal against the Rangers, and that was back in their first meeting in October. The Jets are still in the honeymoon phase of their rebirth, and have yet to string together wins consistently. If they worm themselves into the playoffs, it would take a whole lot for the Jets to beat the Rangers.

Philadelphia Flyers


The team that the Rangers have held their number to all year long. The Rangers and Flyers were the "push" rivalry this year as the NHL really tried to gear their hatred for one another up for the Winter Classic. The Rangers have taken all four of the meetings this season so far, including the Winter Classic in major TV-scripted fashion. Ilya Bryzgalov has yet to pay a single dividend of his major contract signed this year, and it's lead to a very enigmatic goalie controversy between him and Sergei Bobrovsky. If the Rangers play the Flyers in the postseason, get ready for fireworks, both at center ice when two players drop the gloves, and in the Flyers net.

Major NYR Clinic Adjustment Announcement

If any avid fans read this, you're probably wondering where my usual pre-game post for the Rangers/Devils game is. Well, that's exactly what I'm going to be touching on in this article.

Going through my archive, I've noticed that my feature stories that aren't pre-game posts have dwindled. It seems as though the only thing I am doing now is saying the same thing over and over again, and it's even getting annoying for me rehashing the same opinions three or four times a week.

So, if anyone out there who reads this blog on the regular, this is a notice that I will not entirely  stop my pre-game predictions, but they will be showing up less regularly because of my want to write more original pieces rather than just the same piece over and over again.

As for tonight, though, I feel I owe this page a prediction for the game against the Devils tonight, so here it is.

Rangers win 2-1

Ilya Kovalchuk will get the lone goal for the Devils early on in the 1st.
Ryan Callahan will score to tie it up in the 2nd.
And Brad Richards will score to win the game in the 3rd.

Enjoy the game!

2/25/12 Rangers vs. Buffalo Sabres

Break the walls dooooooooown.

Rangers against the Buffalo Sabres.

The Rangers are playing their second game in 24 hours, after a hard loss to the Islanders in a shootout. Backup goaltender Martin Biron gave Henrik Lundqvist a break in net, but he could not fight off the five hole attack of the Islanders. But tonight, the Rangers face a team that has only scored one goal on them so far this season. Tomas Vanek is the only player to score on the Rangers in regulation this season, as Henrik Lundqvist and Marty Biron have both pulled out victories over this scrambled Buffalo team this season.

One player who has been on his game in his hometown of Buffalo has been Ryan Callahan, the man who's scored both game-winners for the Rangers against Buffalo. Callahan has been performing very well against the Sabres this season, and I predict him to be a major catalyst for tonight's game against the Sabres.

The Diagnosis


Despite the fatigue from last nights game, I think the Rangers have much better odds tonight with Henrik Lundqvist stepping in goal. He has had a tremendous season so far, and for a team like the Sabres that are struggling, that gives Lundqvist and the Rangers better odds.

The Prediction


Rangers win 2-1

Ryan Callahan will get the initial goal for the Rangers
Jason Pominville will tie the game up late in the 2nd.
And Carl Hagelin will get the game winner half way through the 3rd.

Enjoy the game!

Rangers Fan Reality Check: Calm Down, People

I'm starting to write this in the waning moments of the Penguins game, so if the Rangers win, this is all just irrelevant.

The Rangers lost badly to the Penguins tonight, and just like clockwork, I see everyone I know on every fan page freaking out over one loss. We here at the Clinic are here to plead with you: put your pants back on and relax you crazy people.

Years of following the Rangers has taught me a lot about myself. It taught me to not be too emotionally attached to games, because if you are and you are a Rangers fan, you're going to be more testy that a high school girl during that time of the month. It taught me that some problems cannot be solved with drastic changes to any environment; hence why most lucrative free-agent signings for the Rangers never panned out. And most importantly, it taught me to respect a good thing when I have it.

The game is not even over, and I have already seen #wewantavery or #wewantnash on Twitter and Facebook. People are freaking out over this one game, and it frankly annoys the living crap out of me. Why am I not upset? Because it's a small ripple of the season. Yes, I'm not happy that they lost, but I'm not frustrated to the point where I suggest we overhaul the team over a loss to a very good hockey team.

2/21/12 Rangers vs. Pittsburgh Penguins

Knibb High Football Rules!

Rangers against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Rangers and Penguins meet for the fourth time this season, the second time in Pittsburgh. The Rangers have taken two out of the three previous meetings, while the Penguins took the most recent one on Jan. 19 to the score of 4-1. The Rangers are coming off of a quick OT game against Columbus two nights ago where the Jackets tied it up late, but Derek Stepan managed to tuck one in 22 seconds into the overtime period to win the game. The Rangers played a fairly solid game for the most part against the Jackets, held the puck for most of the game, and seemed to control the tempo. But a late-game gaffe when Rick Nash sniped one over the shoulder of Henrik Lundqvist sent the game to OT. The Rangers are playing very well as of recently. They have won five out of their last six games, and Henrik Lundqvist has been absolutely stellar when called upon. Players are stepping up and scoring, and the team seems to be just as cohesive as they have been all season. But tonight, they face a very amped up Pittsburgh team.

Despite not having Sidney Crosby for so long, the Pens have dug into their bag of tricks and have pulled out a team that has been able to hang with the rest of the division. James Neal and Evgeni Malkin have combined for most of the Penguins goals, and have lead the team through troubled times. Despite the lack of Crosby, the Penguins are just as dangerous.

2/19/12 Rangers vs. Columbus Blue Jackets

He wanted to go to heaven ,so I took him in seven.

Rangers against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The Rangers are playing their first game since they laid an egg against the Chicago Blackhawks, allowing four goals very early on, a deficit they were not able to overcome. Rangers backup Martin Biron let four goals in in the first period, and they Rangers could not climb the mountain as they lost 4-2. Now, the Rangers are looking for a major rebound against a team that has been chattering with the Rangers about possibly trading their star player to, the Columbus Blue Jackets. Henrik Lundqvist will be getting the start tonight against the Jackets, as he is 2-2-0 in his career against the team.

The Blue Jackets are a team lost in the woods. Jeff Carter is reluctant to play hard, and is dragging the team down, and a looming attempt to trade their shining star in Rick Nash is bringing everything crumbling down in Ohio.

2/16/11 Rangers vs. Chicago Blackhawks

It's going to be legen-wait for it...

Rangers against the Chicago Blackhawks.

For the first time of two meetings this year, the Rangers and Blackhawks are squaring up in a battle between two original six franchises.

The Rangers are in the midst of a four game win streak. After beating Boston 3-0, where it seemed the team struggled for a bit, but Henrik Lundqvist did not, stopping every one of those 42 shots he faced. Ryan Callahan managed to chip in another goal that night, his sixth goal in his last four games. The offense is beginning to pick up for the Rangers again, after they went stagnant earlier this month where a powerplay goal couldn't be bought by the Rangers. Now, that has improved too, and along with the penalty kill, the Rangers are running a bit smoother when up or down a man. One of the big factors I think is going to need to step up tonight is Carl Hagelin. The Blackhawks are a very fast team, and if the Rangers give Patrick Kane or Johnathan Toews any room, they can make the most of it. In order for the Rangers to get a leg up on that, they will need Hagelin to be explosive tonight.

How Glen Sather Should Approach Trading for Rick Nash

A Yahoo! article recently posted on the Puck Daddy blog talked about the potentiality of Rick Nash being traded to the Rangers. The face of the Columbus Blue Jackets has a no-trade clause, but can be asked by the organization if they want to invest in the future, and apparently, the Rangers are the front-runner if that happens. Nash is a dangerous winger, and is in need of a great centerman, which the Rangers have in Brad Richards, that could propel Rick Nash and his massive contract.

The scenarios that are being tossed around for this trade are that the Rangers would give up Brandon Dubinsky, a pick, and a prospect in order to get Nash. Nash is under contract until 2018, and is priced at $7.8 million. By dropping Dubinskys $4.2 million, there is possibility for room, but at what price could the Rangers be giving up for Nash?

Prospect talks for the trade are being named with Chris Kreider, a young and talented player that shows quite a bit of promise coming out of college soon.

According to this blogger, the price is too high for this one.

2/12/12 Rangers vs. Washington Capitals

Not every girl brings you lasagna at work, most of them just cheat on you.

Rangers against the Washington Capitals.

First off, I want to make a not that I will be enjoying this game in person thanks to my awesome neighbors who get really awesome seats for clients and give them to me when he cant make it. I will be seated three rows away from the ice, but where in the arena, I am unsure. Anyone who possibly reads this blog and is going, look for a kid in a Callahan Winter Classic jersey with bright Eminem-yellow hair. That'd be me.

Now, onto the game. The Rangers and Caps are meeting for the third time this season, after splitting the first two meetings with the Capitals winning the latest game 4-1. The Rangers have not had many games this season when they have been held to one goal, while the other team goes off on them, so for a team like Washington that is currently sitting outside the playoff race is pretty bizarre. But, the Rangers seemed to have worked into another groove to get them going after captain Ryan Callahan lead the team to a majorly important win over the Flyers with a hat-trick. The Rangers had three power-play goals in that game, fixing what was only a few days ago broken beyond all belief. Now, if the Rangers can carry that same intensity into the game against the Capitals, they can have their way with them. The Capitals are much like the Flyers is certain aspects. They have shoddy goaltending, but a good cast of people who can put the puck in the net. This is the prototype of a team that the Rangers have been able to beat all season. If the scorers can chip in, and Lundqvist plays like Lundqvist, the Rangers will certainly be able to win this game.

2/9/12 Rangers vs. Tampa Bay Lightning

She's my cherry pie, cool drink of water, such a sweet surprise.

Rangers against the Tampa Bay Lightning

The Rangers are in need of a rebound desperately after their brutal loss to the New Jersey Devils where they were shut out 1-0. Accoring to many fan recounts, the Rangers could not get anything going at all. The Rangers managed to hold their first place in the Eastern Conference, but their hold is slimming quickly, and a win tonight could propel them ahead of the pack just a bit. The Rangers have not been playing like they did in the beginning of the season, where their intensity peaked, and they were winning five games in a row at times. Obviously, it's ridiculous to ask any team to perform that well for that long, but in order to compete, they are going to need to start getting things going. Mainly, Brad Richards needs to get going, big time. Richards was clutch for the Rangers early on in the season, but has fallen off in the goals catergory. In order for success to come to the Rangers again, they are going to need to get some production out of Richards. The goals are not coming as easy as they were during those win streaks, and players who are expected to step up in times when it is needed have to come up now.

2/7/12 Rangers vs. New Jersey Devils

Le grill? What the hell does that mean?!

Rangers against the New Jersey Devils.

For the second time this week, the Rangers and Devils are matching up once again to battle it out for two very valuable points leading into the final 30 games of the season. The Rangers picked up a big rebound win over the Sabres after dropping to the Devils last Tuesday in the shootout after a lucky bounce gave the Devils life into overtime. The Rangers then beat the division rival Philadelphia Flyers 5-2, where five different Rangers scored to lift the team and separate themselves from the rest of the Atlantic division a bit.

The Devils are hot right now. They have won their last five games, and are producing goals in bunches for the first time this season. They are powerful, and are playing with confidence. However, they do have some injuries. Travis Zajac, Adam Larrson, Henrik Tallinder, and Ryan Carter are all out for the Devils. The Devils have vulnerable spots that the Rangers can exploit, and tonight, we'll see if they can.

The Diagnosis


If I were a betting man, I'd bet on the Devils tonight. They are playing exceptional hockey, and have spurred their confidence after that bounce gave them a shot in overtime last week. Kovalchuk has been going off like the old Kovalchuk did in Atlanta, and players like David Clarkson are picking up some slack with the notable injuries on the lineup. Unfortunately, I'd have to say the Devils win tonight, by a one-goal differential.

Enjoy the game!

2/5/11 Rangers vs. Philadelphia Flyers

Foosball is- the Devil?! EVERYTHING'S THE DEVILS TO YOU MOMMA!

Rangers against the Philadelphia Flyers.

In their first meeting since the Winter Classic, which the Rangers won 3-2 despite possible NBC influence on the referees, the Rangers and Flyers are still neck and neck in the standings looking for a little room, or to move a bit closer to the top spot this afternoon. While most people in New York are still gearing up for the other game that's suppose to take place today, the game today between the Rangers and Flyers is just as important. The Rangers have managed to rebound after their rocky start after the All Star break, but got back in their groove when they put Henrik Lundqvist back between the pipes and he recorded his 41st career shutout against the Buffalo Sabres. The Rangers have had a few days to rest up for this game, and leaves them a lot of time to work on their dreadful powerplay. Some people have shied away from noticing the bad powerplay percentage, which is currently 13.7 percent, because of their great penalty kill which is at 87.6 percent. If the Rangers want to win tonight against the Flyers, they are going to need to ignite this powerplay and stay out of the penalty box. The Flyers have the 4th best powerplay in the league. Giving them too many chances on the powerplay could lead to a serious hole the Ranger may not be able to dig themselves out of 5-on-5.

Recapping the Rangers vs. Sabres 2/1/12

An ugly game, but two points are on the leaderboard.

The Rangers took on the Buffalo Sabres tonight in what was possibly the ugliest game I have seen them play all season. No team was able to score on each other until the shootout where Ryan Callahan won the game for the Rangers, beating Ryan Miller in the 5th round, his second game winner against the Sabres this season.

This should be a nice rebound win after that tough bounce lead to a shootout loss yesterday night against the Devils, but make no mistake, the Rangers certainly have some issues to adjust. For one, the *&%$ing powerplay. I have't seen a more flaccid powerplay since the days of Tom Renney and the rag-tag group of misfits that infested those teams. John Tortorella's teams are well known for their potent offense on the powerplay, and for one of his teams to be playing like this while up a man is sad. Truly sad.

Two players I would like to point out for being less-than-stellar tonight are Michael Del Zotto and Anton Stralman. I know, the defense did very well shutting down, because they didn't allow a goal, but there were times I felt that they were just acting, and not thinking when they had the puck. That's how teams get disoriented and lose hockey games in the NHL, but not thinking. Slowly but surely, the rest of the team started performing like that, and they should all consider themselves lucky they did not get scored on tonight.

Now, the star players for the Rangers would have to be that shimmering man in the goalie pads, Henrik Lundqvist. His 41st shutout of his career, a few massive save, including one in the shootout, helped save the sorry asses of the forwards of the Rangers tonight. Had he not been between the pipes to make some very key saves for the Rangers, this game could have turned out much worse.

The next Rangers game is this Sunday against the Flyers, which I predict quite a few of you won't be tuning in to see it because of the Super Bowl, but if you do, I'll still have my pre-game post up for all who care to read it. Bobbaganoosh, everybody!