Rangers get unlikely help from Lightning to reach play-offs

A 5-2 comeback win over the Devils coupled with Carolina' 6-2 home loss to Tampa Bay - who had nothing to play for - puts them in as the No 8 seeds in the play-offs.

NEW YORK // The Rangers' path to the play-offs was clear before Game 82 of the season, the likelihood it would pan out was cloudy at best.

Yet, one year after New York were sent home with a shootout loss at Philadelphia on the final day of the regular season, the Rangers took care of their business and then got help they never could have counted on.

A surreal scene played out at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, beginning with the surprise return of captain Chris Drury. He scored his first goal of the season during his first shift of the game and provided a lift that led to a 5-2 comeback victory over the New Jersey Devils.

That, coupled with the Carolina Hurricanes' 6-2 home loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning - who had nothing to play for - put the Rangers into the play-offs as the No 8 seed and into a first-round matchup with the top-seeded Washington Capitals.

Drury and several of his teammates got together to watch the Lightning's victory, and rode the wave as Tampa Bay built a big lead and held on.

"The superstitious guys stayed away," Drury said. "Obviously, we're just happy with the outcome. We're excited with the opportunity of playing Washington.

"Everyone was pretty cautious even though early it was 3-0."

New York faced Washington in the first round two years ago and blew a 3-1 series lead before losing in seven games.

Tonight, Ryan McDonagh netted the first of his NHL career during a three-goal second period and the Rangers coasted from there against the Devils, who are playing out the string in a rare non-play-off season.

The Rangers earned the win in front of an excited, yet nervous crowd that will see the team play again this season. New York's final game ended about four hours before the Lightning saved the season.

As steady and calm as Henrik Lundqvist is in the nets, Drury hinted that the star goalie doesn't do as well when things are out of his hands. "Watching that game next to Henrik was something I don't ever want to do again," Drury said. "He was pretty intense.

"The guys are obviously excited that we won this morning, and then we were just sitting and waiting and watching to see what happened this afternoon and this evening. It was a long day."

The Rangers earned their 44th win to take a two-point lead over Carolina, which entered Saturday with 40 wins. New York's problem was only 35 wins came not via the shootout. A tiebreaker instituted this season eliminates shootout victories from a team's total.

"It is frustrating when you end up with 44 wins, and a team that may end up with 41 gets in and you don't," Rangers coach John Tortorella said.

It didn't happen.

Once the game was in hand, fans began chanting "Let's Go Lightning," hoping to get the necessary help from Tampa Bay, the club Tortorella coached to the Stanley Cup title in 2004.

"I'm happy for Torts. He's done a lot for my career," Lightning forward Martin St Louis said. "If we could have helped him, great. We played the game, though. It's not like we were working extra hard for Torts."

The Rangers remain the only NHL team not to lose a game this season when leading after two periods (29-0).

RESULTS:

Calgary 2, Vancouver 3
Sharks 3, Coyotes 1
Philadelphia 7, Islanders 4
Kings 1, Ducks 3
Rangers 5, Devils 2
Hurricanes 2, Lightning 6
Panthers 1, Capitals 0
Bruins 3, Senators 1
Blues 2, Predators 0
Blue Jackets 4, Sabres 5
Maple Leafs 1, Canadiens 4