The New York Rangers’ playoff hopes took another major hit Saturday with a crushing 4-0 loss to their division rivals, the New Jersey Devils.
It was a game they desperately needed to win to keep pace in the Eastern Conference wild-card race.
Devils forward Timo Meier led the attack with two goals, including a power-play strike that broke open a scoreless game in the second period. Jesper Bratt quickly added a shorthanded goal that seemed to take the wind out of the Rangers’ sails.
Jacob Markstrom was perfect in net for New Jersey, stopping all 26 shots for his first shutout since October.
The loss couldn’t have come at a worse time for New York. They’re now two points behind Montreal for the final playoff spot, with the Canadiens having a chance to extend that lead in their game against Philadelphia later Saturday.
It’s been a stunning fall for a Rangers team that entered the season with championship aspirations. Vegas oddsmakers had them tied with New Jersey for the third-best odds to win the Stanley Cup.
The early season looked promising. The Rangers jumped out to a 12-4-1 start that had fans dreaming big.
Then everything fell apart.
A brutal 5-16 stretch between November and December sent them tumbling down the standings, and they’ve never really recovered. Now at 36-33-7, they’re in serious danger of missing the playoffs for the first time since 2021.
The road ahead doesn’t get any easier. Four of their final six games are against playoff-bound teams, including matchups with the powerful Lightning, Panthers, and Hurricanes.
For a team that made the Eastern Conference Finals in two of the last three years, watching the playoffs from home would be a bitter pill to swallow.
After Saturday’s shutout loss, that’s looking more and more likely.
