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With Playoff Berth Clinched, Lightning Visit Slumping Rangers: Stakes Still High at MSG
The Tampa Bay Lightning may have punched their ticket to the playoffs for an eighth straight season, but their regular season is far from over. With division positioning and home-ice advantage still on the line, the Bolts visit the New York Rangers on Monday night — a team that’s watching its playoff dreams fade fast.
Lightning Shift Gears from Clinching to Climbing
At 44-26-6 with 94 points, Tampa Bay trails the Toronto Maple Leafs by a slim margin in the Atlantic Division and sits in a neck-and-neck battle with the Florida Panthers to secure home-ice in the first round.
Their current form? Mostly solid. Since February, they’ve gone 17-6-2, including a dominant eight-game winning streak from Feb. 4 to March 1. But lately, the scoring touch has cooled. After erupting for 23 goals in four straight wins, the Lightning have managed just three in their last two outings.
Saturday’s shootout loss to Buffalo stung, not just because it was winnable, but because it exposed defensive cracks. Brayden Point netted his 39th goal of the season, but the real star was backup goalie Jonas Johansson, who stopped 36 shots and kept the Bolts alive amid defensive lapses.
“He bailed us out way too much,” Point admitted. “That can’t happen in the playoffs.”
So while the playoff spot is locked, Tampa Bay isn’t coasting. They want momentum — and they want to overtake Toronto before the final horn of the regular season.
Rangers’ Freefall: Playoff Hopes in Peril
The New York Rangers, by contrast, are unraveling. Just a year removed from being the NHL’s best regular-season team, they now sit outside the playoff bubble. At 36-33-7, they’re four points behind Montreal for the second wild-card spot, and they’re running out of runway.
Their 4-0 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Saturday was not just a defeat — it was an embarrassment. National TV analysts, including Rangers legend Mark Messier, publicly criticized the team’s lack of urgency and effort.
And that wasn’t just media drama. The numbers are ugly:
- The power play has been abysmal — just 3-for-52 over the past 19 games.
- Opponents have scored 5 power-play goals and 3 shorthanded goals in New York’s last five games.
- The Rangers allowed a PPG and a SHG just 87 seconds apart on Saturday.
Captain Mika Zibanejad summed it up with frustration: “We need every point. Every win. And we’re not helping ourselves.”
Adam Fox, always candid, called out the sloppy execution and added: “It’s not just that we’re not scoring. We’re not even building any momentum.”
Lightning vs. Rangers: Key Players & Stats Breakdown
| Category | Tampa Bay Lightning | New York Rangers |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 44-26-6 (94 pts) | 36-33-7 (79 pts) |
| Streak | 3-3-2 in last 8 | Lost 1, 2-5-1 in last 8 |
| Power Play (Last 10) | 22.5% | 5.7% |
| Leading Scorer | Brayden Point (39 G) | Mika Zibanejad (28 G, 66 pts) |
| Goalie to Watch | Jonas Johansson (.901 SV%) | Igor Shesterkin (2.74 GAA, .913 SV%) |
This game matters a lot for both sides. For Tampa Bay, it’s about sharpening their form and climbing the standings. For New York, it’s do-or-die — plain and simple.
They’ll meet again later this week, and how the Rangers respond tonight could set the tone for the final days of their season.
Skate to Victory
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