The math, at this point, is not in the Rangers’ favor.
Going into the weekend, their chances of winning the Metropolitan Division weren���t great. But after the Hurricanes swept the Devils and Islanders in a back-to-back, with the Rangers dropping Saturday’s contest against the Bruins, the Blueshirts are going to need a few things to go their way to edge out Carolina.
First and foremost, though, they need to beat the Hurricanes in regulation Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden.
With three games to go in the regular season, they’re four points behind Carolina with a game in hand. A Carolina win would clinch the Metropolitan — an honor that, admittedly, is not at the top of the Rangers’ minds.
“Tomorrow’s a fun game, it’s a first-place game,” Rangers coach Gerard Gallant said following Monday’s practice. “So we’ll see where it goes. And again, I told you, it doesn’t matter if we finish first.
“I want to win every game. I want to finish first. But at the end of next Friday, where we finish, who we’re gonna play, that’s the important thing — keep playing well. It doesn’t matter who you play. There’s eight great teams in the conference.”
Gallant’s mantra is that what matters is how the Rangers themselves are playing. That has trickled down to the players. And moreover, with the Capitals and Penguins within a point of each other, who the Rangers face in the first round of the playoffs is something they can’t control anyway.
And so what matters in the regular-season’s final three games more so than winning the division is health and keeping momentum intact.
“Obviously the main goal is to win as many games as possible,” Frank Vatrano said. “First place is obviously up for grabs, but first or second place, you obviously get home ice. For us, getting first would be great, but we gotta win hockey games anyway.”
The Rangers could see Pyotr Kochetkov in net for the Hurricanes on Tuesday after former Blueshirt Antti Raanta left Saturday’s game against the Islanders with a lower-body injury.
But word Monday was that Raanta should at least be available for dress for the game. The Hurricanes are already missing Frederik Andersen with an undisclosed injury suffered last Monday. Jack LaFontaine could be recalled from AHL Chicago if Raanta is out.
The Rangers and Hurricanes have both given up 194 goals this season, tied for the fewest in the league (though Carolina has played one more game than New York).