New York Rangers Clinch 3rd Straight Playoff Berth

I would first like to apologize for the recent lack of activity on the blog. It has been slow but we will be ready to go in the upcoming weeks.

Tonight on the Island the Rangers clinched their third straight spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. I don't care what kind of expectations this team had, it is quite an accomplishment. Not that it was unexpected but one of the goals every year is to make the playoffs. After years of futility in the late 90's and early 2000's we all know how precious that playoff spot is. Three straight playoff berths is no small feet and credit should be given to Jaromir Jagr, Henrik Lundqvist, and Tom Renney for bringing this franchise from the bottom of the league to a legitimate Cup contender over these past three seasons.

Great win tonight, there was no better way in my mind to clinch the spot. 10th shutout of the season from Henrik along with 2 goals from the captain...this team is ready to go. I would definitely like to see some players rested at least for tomorrow night including Scott Gomez, Henrik, and maybe a defenseman or two.

Let's talk about seeding for a little bit. The Rangers are virtually locked into that number 5 spot. If the Rangers split the next 2 games (seems realistic) they are guaranteed that position. 1 win would put them ahead of Ottawa for good and a lose would but the Devils out of reach. So we're probably headed to Jersey next week...more on that later.

A word about some other potential matchups...how about a 1-8 matchup of Crosby vs. Ovechkin. Not only would that be a great story but also a huge boost for the NHL in terms of TV ratings and popularity. I'm rooting for it. With the Rangers virtually a lock to play the Devils and a potential Boston-Montreal inter-division matchup the first round is shaping up to be pretty exciting.

What more can you say about this Rangers team. It was a slow start but they've really gelled together. A healthy mixture of young players with a veteran presence and strong goaltending is the formula for a cup run. We have a experience, we have toughness, we have skill and we have Henrik. The New York Rangers can make a run at Lord Stanley's Cup. However, still 2 more "preseason" games to go. Here's to no injuries and the healthy return of Blair Betts.