The moment for me when I realized this team probably wasn’t going to make the playoffs wasn’t really a moment, it was a stretch of games…you might be familiar with it…it spanned December 14th to December 29th.? For those of you who don’t remember.
December 14th: Rangers play an absolutely terrible game against the Dallas stars, however a miraculous performance by Henrik Lundqvist leads this team to victory.? The Rangers have now won 5 games in a row.
December 16th: Rangers play much the same against the Toronto Maple Leafs, but Henrik simply doesn’t show up.? Rangers get ANNIHILATED 9-2
December 17th:? Following a complete dismantling at the hands of the Leafs, the Rangers face a division rival with a chance to redeem themselves.? They don’t show up again, get killed 6-1
December 19th:? Rangers play the Islanders, have a chance to end miserable stretch of games, play better, but still lose 4-3.
December 21st: Rangers clearly come out to play against the Panthers.? Playing very well through 2 periods and enter the 3rd period up 2-0.? They proceed to give up 3 goals and lose the game, not even getting a point for their effort.
December 23rd: Rangers have to end their streak, something must be done.? They come out guns-a-blazing.? Take a 3-0 lead into the 3rd against a team that has yet to come from behind in the 3rd to win a game.? Rangers proceed to give up 4 goals, and AGAIN fail to pick up a point.
December 26th:? Rangers again have to play the Islanders, a team that has owned them for the whole year, the proceed to get shut out 2-0, and simply do not show anything in the ways of offense.
December 29th.? Rangers have now lost 6 games in a row, they tighten up on defense, yielding only 1 goal to the high powered Sens, however they forget you need to actually put pucks in the net to win.? Rangers lose 1-0 and are on a 7 game losing streak.
There endith the season.