The Rangers’ “Playoffs Or Bust” approach is straightforward:
1. Continuously start Igor Shesterkin until he can no longer go.
2. Continue to defeat offensively weak teams like Ottawa, as they did in a 5-0 victory last night.
3. Always include the goal-hungry Matt Rempe in the lineup, as The Maven has emphasized countless times, the Rangers never lose when he plays.
It’s a certainty that Shesterkin will be in net against John Tortorella’s Flyers at Madison Square Garden tomorrow, and Rempe might find the net for his second goal of the season, especially considering he’s 6-8.
The Maven sought insights from my Vice President of Non-Analytics, Jess Rubenstein, who put Shesterkin’s shutout into perspective:
“Igor wasn’t heavily challenged because the Rangers played an exceptionally strong defensive game,” Rubenstein noted. “They limited Ottawa to just 20 shots. Plus, New York is unbeatable when Matt Rempe scores.”
Another crucial factor was Ottawa’s decision to start Leevi Merilainen, their least experienced goalie, who was replaced in the second period, allowing the Rangers to take control of the game.
“The other important point,” mentioned The Old Scout, “is that the Rangers have time on their side. The season is just past the halfway mark and they are trending positively.”
Beyond Rempe’s standout goal, Alexis Lafreniere’s resurgence, with a goal and an assist, is also noteworthy.
The Philadelphia team coached by Torts, which The Hockey News Yearbook predicted would finish near the bottom of the Metro Division, is surprising many but still falls into the category of weaker teams.
“They can definitely beat Philly,” The Old Scout continues, “but after that, they face Colorado, Carolina, and Boston. Those games will give us a clearer picture of New York’s standing.”
In summary, as The Maven insists, just keep starting Shesterkin and Rempe, and good things will follow.
