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Rangers' playoff chances come down to finale vs. Devils

Apr 9, 2011 - 2:27 PM (Sports Network) - The New York Rangers have one game left to prove they are a playoff team, but after a disappointing result in their last game the Blueshirts no longer control their postseason destiny.

The Rangers will try to make the best of their current situation by recording two points when they host the rival New Jersey Devils this afternoon at Madison Square Garden.

New York suffered a regulation loss against Atlanta in its last game and Carolina picked up two points Friday evening versus the Thrashers to draw even for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Hurricanes have the inside track on the eighth seed as they hold the tiebreaker over the Rangers and still have their final game of the regular season to play tonight against Tampa Bay.

The Rangers need a win in this afternoon's game and a Lightning victory this evening at Carolina to make the postseason. New York could also get a point today and make the playoffs with a regulation loss by the Hurricanes.

After winning two straight games, the Rangers were quite simply a no-show in Thursday's 3-0 loss to the visiting Thrashers, who played the spoiler role to perfection behind a 29-save shutout from Ondrej Pavelec.

Henrik Lundqvist was tagged for all three goals on 26 shots for the Rangers.

"We didn't play well, and let's face it, we laid an egg," Rangers head coach John Tortorella said. "We need to move by this as quickly as possible."

New York is trying to get back to the playoffs for the fifth time in six seasons. Last year, the Rangers were eliminated from playoff contention on the last day of the season when they lost in a shootout to the Philadelphia Flyers.

The Rangers are closing the season today with the finale of a three-game homestand. New York has a 19-17-4 record at MSG this season and is 5-1-1 in its last seven home tilts.

The Devils, meanwhile, haven't played since Wednesday's win over Toronto and they should be ready to take on the spoiler role today against their Atlantic Division rivals.

The Rangers have taken three of five from New Jersey this year, but the Devils have won the last two encounters. New York has taken five of eight overall in the series, but the Devils have claimed three of the last five at the Garden.

New Jersey ended a two-game slide with its 4-2 decision over the visiting Maple Leafs, as Ilya Kovalchuk and Patrik Elias each had a goal and an assist to help lift the Devils.

Henrik Tallinder and Mattias Tedenby each scored a goal for the Devils, while Martin Brodeur stopped 22 shots in the win.

"They had a couple chances, not a lot of shots but they had their chances," said Brodeur. "They were able to get back in the game in the third, but we pulled it out."

Brodeur, the NHL's all-time wins leader, has played in an amazing 88 regular- season games against the Rangers in his career and has a 43-25-5 mark with 15 ties. He is 1-2-0 with a 2.02 goals-against average in three tests against the Blueshirts this year.

Lundqvist has excellent career numbers versus New Jersey, posting a 21-9-5 record and a 1.84 GAA in 35 lifetime tilts. He is 3-2-0 with a 1.84 GAA against the Devils in 2010-11.

The Devils are just 16-22-2 as the guest this year and are playing their final road game of the season today. New Jersey will complete its schedule Sunday against visiting Boston.