After all the math was done following Tuesday night’s NHL games, it finally came to light that the Rangers can get that coveted “check mark by their name,” as coach Alain Vigneault is fond of saying to describe making the playoffs.
So the Blueshirts went to Raleigh, NC, after Wednesday’s practice in anticipation of Thursday night’s match against the Hurricanes with an added layer of intrigue beyond the return of Eric Staal to the team that he called his own for the first 12 years of his career. By way of the Red Wings and Bruins having one remaining game against each other, a regulation or overtime win for the Rangers on Thursday — anything but a shootout win — will wrap up their 10th postseason appearance in the past 11 seasons.
“With a win, we can clinch, and that’s always been our first objective,” Vigneault said. “To be able to get into the playoffs, you have to be able to play some good hockey. There’s no team that’s getting in that’s not playing well. We haven’t played well in all of the 76 [games] that we’ve played, but there have been a real good portion where our hockey has been improving.”
Certainly the Rangers have improved with the 3-0-1 run that came after a disastrous 4-1 loss at San Jose on March 19. This season has been an up-and-down ride, and Vigneault hardly would deny that.
But things are settling down, and the one-point lead over the Penguins for second place in the Metropolitan Division is significant in establishing home-ice advantage for at least the first round. The four-point edge the Rangers have over the Islanders in the first wild-card spot — with the Isles holding two games in hand — has given the Blueshirts the slightest bit of breathing room.
“Our game has been on the right track and permitted us to have a good enough record to get in,” Vigneault said. “Now that we [can] clinch, and after that, certainly if we can get home ice, that’s something we’re going to strive for. We do that by playing well, and we’re going to continue to try to play well.”
Vigneault has seen a lot of improvement from Staal, as well, since he was obtained in the trade with Carolina just before the Feb. 29 deadline. His best game came when Vigneault moved him to the wing for the 3-2 shootout loss to the Penguins on Sunday at the Garden, onto a line with Kevin Hayes in the middle and Jesper Fast on the right. Staal responded by scoring two of his three goals in 14 games as a Ranger.
“I thought that line the last game was our most effective offensively,” Vigneault said. “It seems every time I put Jesper on a line, that line gets going.”
At general manager Jeff Gorton’s prompting, Staal went down to Carolina on Monday to spend some time with his wife and three young boys, whom he hasn’t really seen in about a month. His brother, Rangers defenseman Marc, struggled to understand the kind of emotion Eric would have upon his return.
“I have no idea what he’s going to be feeling, to be honest,” Marc said. “He’s put his heart and soul in that organization for a long time. He has a lot of friends there, and it’s going to be — if I had words to describe it, I would tell you, but I have no idea what he’s going to go through. It’s going to be a unique, weird, butterfly-filled kind of night. But I think he’s looking forward to it.”
Especially now that the Rangers have a chance to clinch the postseason, the night has gained more meaning — not just for the Staals, but for the Rangers.
“You want to put your best foot forward and have a good effort for him and have a big night,” Marc said. “So we’re all excited for it.”