The New York Rangers hit the daily double last night when the Florida Panthers lost to the Ottawa Senators in regulation and the Montreal Canadiens defeated the Buffalo Sabres in a shootout.
They needed both scenarios to hit in order to clinch a playoff spot in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs. It is the second season in a row they have qualified.
In 2022, the New York Rangers finished second in the Metro Division and ousted the Pittsburgh Penguins in seven games overcoming a 3-1 series deficit. They followed that up by beating the Carolina Hurricanes in seven before falling to the Tampa Bay Lightning in six games of the Eastern Conference Final.