So the way things shook out, the Rangers didn’t have to take the last step themselves.
In their quest for another postseason berth, the Blueshirts got help on Monday night, as the Devils lost a nail-biter to the visiting Flames 1-0, and New Jersey’s failure to get two points allowed the Rangers to secure their eighth playoff appearance in the past nine seasons.
With three games remaining on the regular-season schedule, starting Tuesday night at the Garden against the Hurricanes, the goal for the Rangers now is to try and lock up home-ice advantage for the first round. Sitting with a two-point cushion over the Flyers for second place in the Metropolitan Division, the Rangers follow the Carolina game with a home game against the last-overall Sabres on Thursday, then a quick jaunt to their House of Horrors in Montreal for the finale on Saturday.
By then, there is a chance they will know who they’re going to play, which right now is looking like Philadelphia.
“Once we know who we’re going to play against, we’re going to focus on getting a plan together to give us the best possible chance,” coach Alain Vigneault said after Monday’s practice. “Whoever we’re going to meet is going to be a challenge, but first we have to get in.”
Well now that they’re in — or now that they “have a check mark next to their name,” as Vigneault is wont to say — the question will be if Henrik Lundqvist starts all of the remaining games in order to try and wrap up that home ice as well as stay sharp heading into the postseason.
And if it were up to him, that wouldn’t even be a question. When asked if he thought it might be beneficial for him to rest once the Rangers had earned their berth, Lundqvist scoffed.
“Not really,” he said. “We’re going to have enough days to get ready for the playoffs. But whatever they think is best for the group, that’s what I’ll do. Just trying to focus on [Tuesday], that’s all I care about.”
The start on Tuesday — making the easy assumption it will be his — will mark Lundqvist’s 62nd game of the season, as he has bounced back from a slow beginning of the year and is now playing some of his best hockey. He has a 9-4-1 record with two shutouts since the March 5 trade deadline, with a .936 save percentage during that span.
“It’s crazy to think that the regular season is over on Saturday,” Lundqvist said. “Time just flew by here. It’s been an interesting year. It’s been a roller coaster of emotions, ups and downs, and as a person and as a group, we’ve learned a lot.”
Vigneault spoke openly about how he had a short conversation with his team Saturday morning, telling his players to reflect on where they were back on Dec. 30, sitting with 40 points through 40 games and on the outside of the playoff picture. By putting together some impressive spans — including the current 7-2-1 run they’re on — the Rangers have turned things around and now find themselves back to being one of the most dangerous teams in the Eastern Conference not named the Bruins.
“We want to do it our own way and we want to try and get home ice,” said forward Brad Richards. “We just want to finish [it] off. This is a big week to put in some good work, get on the same page and confident going in. I don’t want to talk about next week, let’s just say [this is ] a big week and we need to get some wins.”
And so now knowing what is before them, the Rangers will keep pushing to see what they can make of this campaign.
“You go through highs and lows throughout a season,” Lundqvist said, “but especially when the games are more important.”
From here on out, they’re all important.