The NY Rangers clinched a playoff spot last night, thanks to losses by Florida and Buffalo. They have secured the little ‘x’ in the standings, and now have an opportunity to lock themselves into at least 3rd place in the Metro. The Islanders can top out at 99 points and the Penguins at 100 points, so the magic number is now 4 points for 3rd place. It’s a virtual lock.
The fun part is the Rangers can still jump to 2nd in the Metro. With the Devils’ loss last night, the Rangers are four points back with a game in hand (tonight against Columbus).