In losing to the St. Louis Blues the New York Rangers didn’t actually lose any ground to their closest playoff competitors, but they have one less game to play and that is the important factor.
The playoff picture
The Islanders are fading and for once, the Montreal Canadiens didn’t blow a big lead. The Habs won 6-2 on Long Island, a bad loss at a key time. They are stuck with 78 points in the first wild card spot and have won only twice in regulation in their last ten games.
The Penguins ended their six game losing streak with a decisive 7-3 win over the Senators, led by a Bryan Rust hat trick.