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Montreal Canadiens: The season rests on the New York Rangers

By Omar L

NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 01: New York Rangers Defenceman Brendan Smith (42) takes a shot off the goalpost during the first period of the National Hockey League game between the Montreal Canadiens and the New York Rangers on March 1, 2019 at Madison Square Garden in New York, NY. (Photo by Joshua Sarner/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 01: New York Rangers Defenceman Brendan Smith (42) takes a shot off the goalpost during the first period of the National Hockey League game between the Montreal Canadiens and the New York Rangers on March 1, 2019 at Madison Square Garden in New York, NY. (Photo by Joshua Sarner/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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After failing to beat the Washington Capitals, the Montreal Canadiens need the New York Rangers to defeat the Columbus Blue Jackets to keep the hope alive.

The New York Rangers. A team that has given the Montreal Canadiens some exciting Original Six matchups over a years. A team who, for the longest time, was able to match goaltending skill via Henrik Lundqvist.

The team who did the honourable thing and was honest to their fans announcing the uselessness of making the playoffs in favour of tanking and taking the opportunity to draft top-end talent every year. The team who cost the Habs a shot of competing for a Stanley Cup for the first time in 20 years…

This is the team the Habs need now more than ever.

The Montreal Canadiens relinquished the ability to take their destiny into their own hands. Losses to the Carolina Hurricanes, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Thursday night’s 2-1 defeat are responsible for that. The team’s up-and-down play after the trade deadline didn’t do too much in Montreal’s favour either.

The importance of that final game against the Toronto Maple Leafs is based on whether the Rangers can beat Columbus. The Pittsburgh Penguins clinched their ticket to the playoffs after defeating the Detroit Red Wings while the Carolina Hurricanes qualified for the first time in ten years in their final home game of the season in combination with the Habs’ loss.

If the Blue Jackets win tonight, it’s over. Even if the Montreal Canadiens managed to beat the Leafs, Columbus would hold the tiebreaker as they’ll have more wins.

Columbus is coming off a tough loss at the hands of the Boston Bruins who lit them up for six goals. It was the opposite of what the team was putting together given their five-game winning streak, and it looked like they couldn’t put anything else together. Sergei Bobvrosky didn’t impress too much either after a very impressive run in goal for the Blue Jackets.

The Rangers have lost two games, and tank-wise should have no reason to want to win that game. But that’s the thing about tanks. Management tanks, the players don’t. The Rangers have a fire within them this season that’s seen them earn some impressive wins.

Mika Zibanejad has had an incredible season putting up 30 goals and 42 assists with the next forward being Chris Kreider with 27 goals and 24 assists. Not to mention the emergence of 22-year-old Alexandar Georgiev who has given the Rangers some quality starts in favour of Lundqvist.

Columbus currently has a 2-1 season series lead over the Rangers. Most of their games have been high-scoring including their recent match that saw 12 goals scored between both teams. Perhaps the New York Rangers come out on top for that one.

Next. Excitement on a New Level. dark

Keep tabs on that match tonight as it’ll depend on how crucial Saturday is as far as the playoffs go. It’s unfortunate the Montreal Canadiens are in this position in the first place, but that’s the beauty of the NHL.

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