NHL scores 2015: Rangers earn league’s first playoff berth, Ducks mount another comeback

New York’s ascension is complete.

by Patrick Iversen

Mar 27, 2015, 12:00 PM UTC

Marc DesRosiers-USA TODAY Sports

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NHL Thursday: Rangers first to clinch playoff berth

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Three teams entered play on Thursday poised to book their tickets to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Only one actually hopped on board.

While the Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning puttered around with their opportunity, the New York Rangers seized the chance and ran with it. Their emphatic 5-1 win over the Ottawa Senators ensured they became the NHL's first (and, so far, only) team to clinch a playoff berth.

The game and result came off as more of a celebration of a wonderful season than anything else. It was a culmination of a torrid four months of hockey; after a 7-7-5 start, New York went on a 40-12-3 race to the top of the Eastern Conference standings and the playoffs.

With Henrik Lundqvist back in the fold after a lengthy injury absence, there's no telling how dangerous the Rangers could become this spring. Another trip to the Stanley Cup Final is squarely in their sights.

Scores

Anaheim Ducks 3, Boston Bruins 2 (OT)

Arizona Coyotes 4, Buffalo Sabres 3 (OT)

Los Angeles Kings 3, New York Islanders 2

Washington Capitals 3, New Jersey Devils 2 (OT)

Carolina Hurricanes 5, Pittsburgh Penguins 2

New York Rangers 5, Ottawa Senators 1

San Jose Sharks 6, Detroit Red Wings 4

Nashville Predators 3, Tampa Bay Lightning 2

Florida Panthers 4, Toronto Maple Leafs 1

Winnipeg Jets 5, Montreal Canadiens 2

Colorado Avalanche 4, Vancouver Canucks 1

3 things we learned

1. Sidney Crosby thinks the Penguins aren't hungry enough.

And can you blame him? Pittsburgh looked about as flat as can be against the Hurricanes, the 26th best team in the league. At this point in the season, there’s no excuse for giving up 5 goals to Carolina while other Eastern Conference teams are on the verge of clinching playoff spots. And Crosby knows it.

Crosby on point on the postgame scrum from Root Sports (with a fixed typo): pic.twitter.com/TqPAMuMPEb
— Seth Rorabaugh (@emptynetters) March 27, 2015

2. The Ducks’ narrative continues.

Two traits have defined the Ducks this season: resilient comebacks and the thought they aren’t as good as their record suggests. The first came into play again on Thursday when Anaheim erased a Bruins lead with a few minutes left in regulation before ending things in overtime. Considering the Ducks became the Western Conference’s first 100-point team this year, we all might need to reconsider the second point.

3. John Tavares is a thief.