Rangers End the Year at Home on a High Note; Defeat Sabres 2-1
Not only did the Rangers finish the season at home with a 2-1 victory against the Buffalo Sabres. The Rangers ended the season at home, by giving lucky fans their game worn jerseys off their backs.
But, the Rangers also were lucky enough to finish the year second overall in the Metropolitan division, all thanks in part to the Lightning defeating the Flyers 4-2 tonight. Now the Rangers will enter Montreal, with the cards all set for them. Well, almost all the cards.
Slow, Sloppy Performance
This way not by any means one of the Rangers better performances. If a team was slightly better than what the Rangers faced tonight, the outcome could of been VERY different, and we could now be talking about how important Saturday’s game in Montreal is. However, the Rangers gutted this one out. Slowly but surely they made sure the Sabres chances were at a minimum (sure the Sabres only chance in the second was a goal — but who cares!)
The Rangers were lucky enough to finally get one late in the second period. The 15th goal of the year for Benoit Pouliot tied the game, and eased the team’s frustration. In the third, all it took was a Rick Nash one-timer off a pass from Marty St. Louis and that’s all she wrote.
What Now?
The Rangers will head into Montreal Saturday with their fate set. They know that they will be the second seed in the Metropolitan Division and have home ice for at least the first round of the playoffs. Their opponent? Time will tell. Columbus has their final two games in Florida as they face the Lightning and Panthers. The Flyers on the other hand have Pittsburgh and Carolina. While the schedule seems to favor the Blue Jackets, do not pencil them in yet. If both teams end up winning out their last two games, Rangers/Flyers will become a reality.
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