The Rangers Are Heating Up With Playoffs Becoming A Reality

What are they waiting for? The Rangers high command; that is. What more does Vincent Trocheck have to do?

He leads the team. He scores winning goals as he did last night at The Garden and he has replaced Jacob Trouba as the team's spokesman.

Vinnie The T – as in Triumph – SHOULD BE THE NEW CAPTAIN.

While GM Chris (What's The Rush?) Drury twiddles his thumbs and Peter (I'm Busy Waking Up Lafreniere) Laviolette fiddles, Trocheck is carrying the team.

Yeah, yeah; he got some big help at MSG from his goalkeeper who blanked a REAL, playoff contending Columbus club.

Igor Shesterkin posted his first shutout since the 6-0 opening night win over Pittsburgh and it couldn't come at a better time.

"Now that Shesterkin is hot again," says The Old Scout, "Laviolette should come right back with him (tonight) in Montreal. With the Habs losing last night to Toronto, they can be taken again.

These lots of words come down to one objective: PLAYOFFS OR BUST! And it's more and more looking like the postseason could happen.

New York has won two in a row – not that big a deal – but four of five and points in seven straight games IS impressive.

"We played awesome defense," says Shesterkin, regarding the evening's 0-0 game until the extra-extra finale.

Trocheck's shootout goal had to be the most awesome part of the offensive, if such a feat is possible. Hey, even Mika (Mine Boy) Zibanejad had a couple of big breakaways – but failed; so what?

It's Habtown time; so let's hear the brilliant deduction from eloquent Lavvy: "We gotta win games," says the coach. "We gotta win games!"

(Gee. Why didn't The Maven think of that? Oh, yeah, I did – about every day since New Year's Night!)