Senators at Rangers
The New York Rangers' postseason plans have been confirmed, while the Ottawa Senators are making a spirited push to provide the opposition in the first round. The Senators look to continue their march toward the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference when they visit Madison Square Garden on Thursday.
While the Rangers have secured home ice throughout the playoffs by winning the Presidents' Trophy, a sixth consecutive victory on Thursday would be their franchise-best 53rd of the season. New York previously won both the Presidents' Trophy and 52 games in 1993-94, which also was the last time the club skated away with the Stanley Cup. The Senators are 4-0-1 in their last five contests but reside on the wrong end of the tiebreaker with Boston to remain on the outside looking in at the final wild-card spot. "We have to find a way to beat the best team in the East and the best team in the NHL," Ottawa coach Dave Cameron said.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, TSN5, RDS2 (Ottawa), MSG (New York)
ABOUT THE SENATORS (41-26-13): Rookie Mark Stone scored his second goal 2:43 into overtime as Ottawa overcame an early deficit to post a 4-3 triumph over Pittsburgh on Tuesday. "We had our backs against the wall this whole time as far as trying to make the playoffs," said first-year sensation Andrew Hammond, who owns a stellar 18-1-2 record with a 1.91 goals-against average and .937 save percentage. Hammond's lone blemish in regulation came at the hands of the Rangers, as he yielded a season-high five goals before being relieved in the second period of a 5-1 setback on March 26.
ABOUT THE RANGERS (52-21-7): Chris Kreider scored three goals and set up six others over seven games before being held off the scoresheet on Tuesday. The 23-year-old began his torrid stretch with two tallies and an assist against the Senators on March 26, and he also scored in New York's 3-2 victory over Ottawa on Jan. 20. Carl Hagelin scored in overtime in the first meeting with the Senators before tallying against the Devils on Tuesday.
OVERTIME
1. New York G Henrik Lundqvist, who is expected to get the nod on Thursday, has permitted just eight goals during his four-game winning streak.
2. Ottawa captain Erik Karlsson has collected 16 points (five goals, 11 assists) in his last 15 contests.
3. The Rangers have 111 points, one shy of the franchise mark set in 1993-94.