The Rangers were tied in points with the Penguins a few games back. Sitting still in 7th place, if the season ended today the Blueshirts would take on New Jersey in a welcome post-season match. The season has six games left, however, and the Rangers will need to resume winning if they’d like a shot at the Cup. It’s an obvious fact that sometimes seems to escape the club.

They can’t afford to blow another 4-1 lead to a team out of contention and, if they plan to make a case for why they deserve to make the playoffs. They need to prove they can beat the teams above them, too. Each of their last six games, excepting Montreal, are against teams higher in the conference standings.

Barring an impressive run, the Rangers will be a lower seed if they manage the points to qualify for the playoffs. No prognosticator would choose them as viable Cup contenders, but their road to the trophy will be an uphill climb against higher ranked teams now and into the post-season. Their best result is to again play spoiler to the Devils but, measured against teams like Boston and Washington, the odds of a long post-season stay for the Rangers would pay some serious coin.