GAME NOTES
• Are the Rangers trying to assure themselves of more favorable matchups in the Stanley Cup playoffs? It sure seems that way give the Rangers will be without a couple of key players in today's regular-season finale against the Red Wings. That group includes goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, who is 5-0-1 with three shutouts in his last six games vs. Detroit, and leading scorer Mats Zuccarello, who reportedly has a lower-body issue. Zuccarello has not missed a game this season. The Rangers are holding down the top wild card spot in the Eastern Conference and if they stay there, they'd avoid playing the red-hot Pittsburgh Penguins in the opening round of the playoffs and could duck the regular-season champion Washington Capitals in the second round should they advance. The Rangers will also be without defensemen Dan Girardi and captain Ryan McDonagh, who are both battling injuries.
• In case you've missed the countless playoff references in the past month, the Red Wings are trying to extend the longest playoff streak in major North American sports to 25 seasons. They can do that with a regulation or over victory today, which would earn them a first-round matchup with the Tampa Bay Lightning for the second straight year. If the Red Wings win in a shootout or lose, they'll need Boston to win in a shootout or lose in Ottawa to advance. The Red Wings and Bruins are tied for third place in the Atlantic Division with 93 points. They could also grab the final wild card spot in the East depending on what happens in the final two games with the Philadelphia Flyers, who have 92 points.
• This is the third – and obviously final – meeting of the regular season between the Red Wings and Rangers. The Rangers won the first matchup 1-0 Feb. 21 at Madison Square Garden on Kevin Klein's goal 1:59 into overtime. Jimmy Howard was outstanding in goal for the Red Wings, making 29 saves after struggling for the previous 2½ months, when he hadn't recorded a victory. That was the second of back-to-back games for the Red Wings. The Red Wings won the rematch 3-2 March 12 at Joe Louis Arena, where Darren Helm scored his second goal of the game 3:03 into OT. Brad Richards also scored for Detroit, which got 23 saves from Petr Mrazek.
• The Red Wings enter the final game with a 19-16-5 road record. They were 21-15-5 a year ago. ... The Red Wings are 4-6 in their last 10 road games. ... The Red Wings are 7-4 in their last 11 games overall. ... The Rangers are 26-10-4 at home. ... The Rangers are 5-4-2 in their last 11 overall. ... New York is 5-4-1 in its last 10 home games. That includes the 1-0 OT victory over the Red Wings.
• One Ranger to watch today is forward Derek Stepan, who has had at least one point in five straight games and eight of the last nine. He has six goals and nine assists in those nine games.
Can we please end this Jurco experiment next year? Another prior fan favorite to flame out.
