Written by Pat Leonard at New York Daily News.com
The Rangers’ playoff clinching Monday night was characteristically complicated, nerve-racking and bittersweet, mirroring a 97-points-and-counting season that hasn’t often felt like it.
They sealed their 10th playoff berth in 11 seasons and third in three seasons under Alain Vigneault with a 4-2 victory over ex-coach John Tortorella’s woeful Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena, snapping a three-game skid.
Chris Kreider and Derek Stepan led the way with a goal and an assist apiece, and Mats Zuccarello scored a fortunate goal off his own blocked pass for the one-goal lead that Stepan sealed with a late empty-netter.
“It’s a great feeling, a proud feeling that we’re in,” Henrik Lundqvist (27 saves) said after holding the fort in what Vigneault called a “nervous” third period. “It hasn’t been pretty at times. At times it’s been great. But playing in this league it’s a grind. We were locked in tonight. It’s just a really good feeling.”
The franchise’s 58th-ever playoff berth may have come at a heavy price, however: Captain Ryan McDonagh injured his right hand blocking former teammate Brandon Dubinsky’s power-play slap shot at 14:47 of the first, did not return for the final two periods, and could be out long-term.
A tight-lipped Vigneault said McDonagh, 26, would be “re-evaluated” for an “upper-body” injury, but the coach admitted he may call up a defenseman for Tuesday night’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning at the Garden with three regular-season games to play.
McDonagh’s hand had to be seriously injured for him to leave the game. This is the second-year captain who played “a couple games” of last spring’s Eastern Conference finals on a broken right foot. Teammates weren’t letting on if they knew his status, but they aren’t naïve, either.
“It’s a big piece,” Stepan said. “But as hard as it is and as big of a piece as he is to our group, we have to just have guys step in and pick up bigger roles.”
In McDonagh’s absence, Kevin Klein had to play his off left-side Monday and was beaten wide on Jackets captain Nick Foligno’s second goal 10:45 into the third period.
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