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Rangers ‘need to choose the right road’ against Lightning in finale to awful season
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- Rangers ‘need to choose the right road’ against Lightning in finale to awful season
Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images
With nothing on the line and zero to look forward to, the New York Rangers will close out their terribly disappointing season Thursday, when they host the Tampa Bay Lightning at Madison Square Garden.
Such is the case after the Rangers were eliminated from playoff contention last weekend in Game No. 80 of 82 on their regular-season schedule. In their first meaningless game in four years Monday, the Rangers rallied from a 3-1 deficit to defeat the Florida Panthers 5-3. It was their first win when trailing by multiple goals all season.
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Coach Peter Laviolette expects the same kind of professional effort at home Thursday, though he understands it's not easy for the Rangers to play out the string.
"Nobody wants to be here. It is what it is. This is where we're at. This is the reality of it," Laviolette said after the final practice of the season Wednesday. "Your choices are pretty limited — you either don't put in the effort and don't play well and you lose the game and feel lousy about it, or you go down in Florida like we did and play hard and win the game. It doesn't have the meaning that you want it to, but there's still only two roads you can go down. We need to choose the right road."
The Rangers had lost four of five before the win in South Florida to start the week. They are 7-10-3 in 20 games since March 5, part of the reason why they're not using the game Thursday as a final tune up for their fourth straight postseason appearance.
They competed hard against the Panthers and received goals from up ( Vincent Trocheck , J.T. Miller and Will Cuylle ) and down ( Matt Rempe and Jonny Brodzinski ) the lineup. Trocheck's eventual game-winner early in the third period was New York's League-leading 17th short-handed goal this season.
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Rempe had two points in a game for the first time in his career, and Chris Kreider had two assists for the first time this season. Matthew Robertson didn't look out of place in his NHL debut .
It was a feel-good win.
So, how will the Rangers approach the season finale on home ice Thursday?
"The same way we always do. The same way we did down in Florida," Laviolette answered. "You want to win hockey games. You feel better when you win than when you lose, that's for sure, regardless of the circumstances."
Related: Hartford Wolf Pack Weekly — Dylan Roobroeck eyes 20th goal; Callum Tung injured in 1st pro win
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Rangers coach Peter Laviolette doesn't address his future after final practice of season
James Guillory-Imagn Images
When asked Wednesday for his thoughts on what's next for him after the Rangers season ends, Laviolette wouldn't take the bait. Earlier in the week, Laviolette said he's "not blind to anything" and is aware his job is on the line with the Rangers 31 points behind their total from 2023-24.
But on Wednesday, the coach only had this to say when pressed on what lies ahead for him, "Right now I'm just focusing on the game and getting ready for that."
Laviolette's been fired five times in his career, including by the Carolina Hurricanes , three seasons after he guided them to a Stanley Cup championship in 2005-06. Most recently, he was canned by the Washington Capitals after two seasons in 2022-23.
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That set the stage for him to replace Gerard Gallant behind the Rangers bench last season, when he guided the Blueshirts to the most wins (55) and points (114) in franchise history, finishing first in the NHL to win the Presidents' Trophy.
This season, though? Not so much.
Which is why he fielded questions Wednesday about how the Rangers will approach their final game of the regular season on Thursday, with breakup day awaiting right after as opposed to Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
