Former NHL HC brushes off NY Rangers' chances of making Stanley Cup playoffs after disappointing loss to Flames

The New York Rangers are fighting for their playoff lives, but their fans were left frustrated due to their inexplicably poor effort on Tuesday against the Calgary Flames. The Flames earned a 2-1 victory, limiting the Rangers to a stunning 13 shots on goal the entire game and delivering a major blow to their postseason chances.

While speaking with analyst Jamison Coyle of NHL Network on Wednesday evening, former NHL head coach Bruce Boudreau essentially signed the death certificate on the Rangers' season.

"I've always said the Rangers are going to be there, but after last night's game, I do not know. I don't know....they were so bad last night," he said. "I got a couple of junior teams who wouldn't have minded playing against them last night."

When asked if he was changing his pick for the Rangers to be in the playoffs, Boudreau continued by talking about New York's poor effort against a Flames team that had just lost 6-2 to the Toronto Maple Leafs just 24 hours prior and had to travel to Manhattan immediately afterward.

"Well first of all, it was a back-to-back for Calgary," he said. "They had to travel and go through immigration. They got waxed last night in Toronto, and had not been good in the last 12 or 13 games. The Rangers are sitting at home rested in a game they have to win, and they end up with 13 shots on goal and four of them were in the last five minutes."

There was no pushback, I mean I was wondering where their effort was. If it wasn't for Shesterkin, because Calgary had 35+ shots. 35 to 13 when you're the away team, it's embarrrassing. But every time I say they're out, they pull me back in."

Things won't get any easier for the Rangers, as they host the playoff-bound Toronto Maple Leafs at Madison Square Garden on Thursday night.

Rangers struggle with 13 shots in loss to Flames, HC Peter Laviolette focuses on next game

It was a stunningly poor performance by the Rangers, who have to collect as many wins as possible to avoid missing the playoffs just one season after winning the President's Trophy as the NHL's best regular season team. Yet, they treated Tuesday's game against the Flames as if it were a throwaway exhibition contest in late September.

Head coach Peter Laviolette was more than ready to turn the page on Tuesday's game and look ahead to Thursday's impending matchup against the Maple Leafs.

“We’ve moved on from last night,” Laviolette said. “Everything’s been on the table this morning, so we’re now focusing on the next one which we gotta be better [in]. We acknowledge that.”

The Rangers are only two points ahead of the cross-town rival New York Islanders, who are also in the hunt for one of the two Wild Card playoff spots.