Rangers Grab 2 Huge Points in Toronto

Before I get to the story, I'd first like to thank former co-worker, good friend and rabid Giants fan Ryan Doyle for volunteering to create the new custom header for the blog. He used an impulse photo I took while riding the East River Ferry and created an incredible logo. Thanks dude. You can follow him on Twitter if you choose at @ODoyle_Rulez. I will warn you, he's a bigtime Giants fan but also loves the Red Sox and Bruins. I suggest a follow from September-February only. OK now onto the first-place Rangers...

The New York Rangers currently have as many points as there were canines in a classic, animated Disney cinematic masterpiece: 101. The eclipsed the century mark in points with a dramatic shootout victory in Toronto with the game-winner scored by (guess who) Ryan Callahan.

While the Rangers continue to tread water atop the Eastern Conference, the two points earned last night were extremely important to hang onto the first place position. At the same time last night, just east in the same province of Ontario, the NHL's hottest team, the Pittsburgh Penguins, lost in regulation for the first time in over a month in Ottawa. To say the Penguins have been hot is an understatement and they just got that Crosby fella back (I'll refrain from personal feelings on Crosby, but just for today).

Now the Rangers have a three-point cushion on second-place Pittsburgh with seven games to play (Pittsburgh has eight remaining).

In five of those next seven games, the Rangers will be getting the absolute most out of their opponents. Winnipeg is fighting for their playoff lives and the atmosphere at the MTS Center on Wednesday will be electric as it is every night. Boston is out for vengeance as they're 0-2-1 vs the Blueshirts this season.

Then the Rangers embark on perhaps the toughest two-game stretch of the season: at Philadelphia and at Pittsburgh. Both the division rivals still have a shot at the Atlantic division title and top spot in the conference. It also helps that there's a bit of bad blood between each of the squads.

Last game of the season is home vs Washington in a possible playoff preview. As of right now, the Capitals are not in the top eight in the east. They are two points behind eighth placed Buffalo with a game in hand, and it appears Alex Ovechkin has found his former self and has turned it on. Based on recent playoff meetings between the Rangers and Caps, it'd be sweet revenge to either send them home on the season's final day or in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Any way you slice it, it seems the Rangers can't fall back further than fifth in the east. However, should the Rangers get the four or five seed, they'll either play Philadelphia and Pittsburgh in the first round. Either series can easily go seven games and could physically drain the Rangers. This is why the top seed is extremely important.