How The Rangers Can Ride Jonathan Quick Out Of Their Misery

Yes, making the playoffs is a realistic possibility. Very real for the Blueshirts.

That was evident last night at The Garden because Jonathan Quick proved that he IS the man to lead them out of their monumental morass.

Jon's 32-save performance against the Beantowners was vintage Quick. There was no luck involved, just clutch work like the ones when he brought the Stanley Cup to Los Angeles 'way back when.

If you really want to know, losing Igor Shesterkin – even if only for three games – is addition by subtraction.

Iggy needs a rest – injury or not – because eventually, there will have to be a playoff berth push and Jonathan Quick cannot handle the load alone.

What he did against the Bruins is what I've said all along; this future Hall of Famer has the goods. What remains to be seen is how his body holds up now that we're in the season's second half.

"What has to happen," says The Old Scout, "is for the team to rally behind this guy. He's become the team captain without having to wear the 'C' on his jersey."

With Louis Domingue – backing up the backup – it remains to be seen how Peter Laviolette orchestrates the goalie rotation.

Logic dictates that Quick plays tomorrow against tough Washington while Domingue is held for Sunday afternoon at Chicago.

Here are six follow up thoughts extracted from the victory.

1. K'Andre Miller finally showed up and enhanced his trade value by playing his best game in a month.

2. Brett Berard played another fearless – and productive thanks to his key goal – game. His relatively small size is no debit in any way. Double B certainly is part of the key to the franchise's future.

3. Mika Zibanejad scored – an easy "push-in" – but the goal should not be interpreted as the portent of bigger and better things to come.

4. Zac Jones was lineup-scratched again. You can be sure that GM Chris Drury is pushing a Jones' trade as hard as Zac would like to escape this Garden Gulag.