The Montreal Canadiens and their fans had an eye on the New York Rangers' game on Saturday afternoon. The Canadiens are two points ahead of the Rangers for the second wild card position, and they had the benefit of knowing the Rangers' result before they play against the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday night. The Rangers lost their game to the New Jersey Devils, which means the Canadiens can go ahead by four points with a victory over the Flyers. Time is running out for the Rangers, and ESPN analyst Mark Messier feels he knows why.
It's no secret that the Canadiens have plenty of good vibes going through their locker room. You may have seen the joke surrounding social media that the Canadiens are winning games thanks to the power of friendship. It's hard for the Canadiens to match the Rangers on paper, but Montreal has been playing much better hockey than New York this season. The vibes are off for the Rangers, and as one of the most outstanding leaders in hockey history, Messier knows more than anyone how significant a factor that can be.
"“I like a lot of hockey like you and all of us. I watched the Montreal Canadiens win in overtime the other day, and the celebration, they were so excited. I watched the Rangers win in overtime and I didn’t see the same amount excitement and passion for the win. The lights not on — and I don’t know why.”"Mark Messier
Messier knows the Rangers should've been riding high heading into their game on Saturday afternoon. A massive overtime win on Wednesday kept them on pace with the Canadiens for that second wild card spot, and it was the type of victory that can drag a team into the playoffs. However, the Rangers were flatter than a pancake in their game against the Devils. Whether it's leadership or internal strife, New York doesn't seem like it has what it takes to make a playoff run.
Contrast that with the Canadiens and all the good things they have going for them. Whether it's the third line redeeming themselves with the Canadiens fans or Nick Suzuki putting the team on his back to will them into the playoffs. The major difference between the Canadiens and Rangers is that one group are a family and the other are a collection of players taking part in a sport together. For Montreal to have that mindset this early in their contending window, it means great things are ahead.