Rangers still in thick of playoff race even as play doesn’t seem worthy of it
NY Post
The Rangers’ uninspiring 1-1-1 showing in the Golden State this past week very well could’ve been the nail in the coffin on a season that is begging to be put out of its misery.
That was if any of the surrounding teams vying for an Eastern Conference wild-card spot were doing any better.
Instead, the Blueshirts woke up Sunday morning in the last playoff spot before the Canadiens snatched it back with a win over the Panthers later in the day.
It is yet to be seen if the Rangers can salvage this season, sitting at 77 points with eight games remaining.
Their inability to take control of this five-team potato sack race, however, is a damning reflection on a club that regarded itself as a Stanley Cup contender at the start.
“The first period in LA wasn’t perfect, but the second and third, guys were pushing and [the Kings] scored a couple power-play goals [for a 3-1 win],” head coach Peter Laviolette said upon reflection of the three-game swing. “Somebody asked if [Friday night’s 5-4 overtime loss to the Ducks], did you feel the momentum shifting in the game, and it wasn’t really about that. I think [Anaheim] had five or six shots through the third period and overtime. We needed to be better in those situations on those specific plays, but the game prior to that we were doing the right things.
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Victor Robles put his body on the line to make an impressive catch on Sunday, but had to be carted off the field because of it.
It’s not every day that someone is chirping at the baby-faced assassin – let alone an opposing coach.
There will be enough time to obsess over the things the Knicks don’t have, and why they don’t do well. Bank on that. There will be acres of space and hours of conversation devoted to the vast chasm between where the Knicks are and where they want to be — and, perhaps more tellingly, where they were expected to be. That’s coming, don’t worry.
Peter Laviolette chuckled as a grin started to spread across his face.
David Peterson bent over behind the mound in Sunday’s fifth inning, giving the appearance of perhaps a back ailment.
New Jets coach Aaron Glenn will stand in front of his team on Monday as the Jets begin their offseason program.
He will be tempting, of course, because by the time all is said and done, Kevin Durant will be on the short list of the greatest players in NBA history. Top 10? Maybe. Top 20? For sure.
So, another game like this winds up in the void column, with a void of scoring accompanied by a void of emotion, and you can select which is the chicken and which is the egg in this scenario.
Carlos Mendoza thought about it.
ATLANTA — Clearly upset that he was pulled before he could get a triple-double, Josh Hart stormed off the court with 90 seconds remaining, but both he and coach Tom Thibodeau took the flare-up in stride.
If you think that winning two playoff series with John Tortorella behind the bench over the 12 years after he left Broadway in 2013 looks good on his résumé and is worth the angst that always accompanies one of his administrations, be my guest and by all means hire this coach who essentially fired himself again last week in Philadelphia.
PITTSBURGH — For a second straight game, Cody Bellinger was out of the Yankees’ lineup on Saturday.
SAN ANTONIO – “Why not?”