Rangers getting advance look at possible playoff opponents to close season

DETROIT — With the races at both the top and bottom of the Eastern Conference playoff picture so close, there were still too many possibilities as far as potential first-round matchups for the Rangers to spend any time worrying about who they will face when the postseason begins.

With 10 days left in the regular season, it is still up in the air as to who they might  play when the playoffs start in a couple weeks, but with a game Friday in Detroit against the Red Wings, plus two games next week against the Islanders, and one against the Flyers, ithe Rangers might be getting an advance look at their first-round opponent over the next eight days.

“It’s tough to get into all those situations,’’ Rangers captain Jacob Trouba said at Friday’s morning skate. “If you do end up playing one of these teams [in the playoffs], don't give them, I guess, anything to really build off of, or things to feel good about.’’

The Red Wings are in a dogfight with the Islanders, Flyers, Capitals and Penguins to earn the final two playoff spots in the Eastern Conference. Detroit entered Friday tied with Washington, one point behind the Islanders for the second and final wild-card spot. The Flyers, who played the Sabres in Buffalo Friday, were tied on points with the Islanders entering Friday. Pittsburgh, which was idle, was a point behind Detroit and Washington, which visited Carolina.

Of course, while the battle is on for the final two playoff spots in the East, the Rangers are in a race of their own at the top of the standings, fighting for first overall in the league. Entering Friday, they were a point ahead of Dallas and Boston, and four ahead of Vancouver and Colorado. All four of those teams were idle Friday, meaning the Rangers had an opportunity to increase their advantage.

The Blueshirts were also one point up on Boston, and five up on Florida and Carolina in the chase for the No. 1 seed in the East.

A first-place finish in the East would mean a first-round matchup against the second wild card team, likely either the Flyers, Islanders, Capitals, Red Wings or Penguins. A second-place finish in the conference would mean drawing the No. 1 wild card, which at the moment is Tampa Bay, though the Lightning have a chance to catch Toronto for third place in the Atlantic Division, and drop the Maple Leafs into the first wild card position.

Coach Peter Laviolette has been deft in deflecting all questions about the Rangers’ potential first-round opponents as he preps his team to play these final regular season games. But he did admit that while the Rangers’ focus is solely on winning the games they are playing, they will be able to gather intel on the opponents they’re facing in case they will be seeing them again in a couple weeks.

“We will have the game [on video],’’ Laviolette said. “We break down every game. We go over them before, we break down the game afterwards. So I think that there's definitely an understanding of the teams that we might play, but I wouldn't say it would be any more at this point. And then when the season's over, whoever our opponent is, we'll dive into that pretty deep.’’

Notes & quotes: Jonathan Quick got the start in goal Friday against Detroit. Quick was nominated by the Rangers’ chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association for the Masterton Trophy which is given to the player “who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.’’ Currently in his 16th NHL season, Quick, 38, became the all-time winningest American-born goalie in his last start, Saturday in Arizona, when he earned his 392nd career victory. After 14-plus seasons and two Stanley Cups with the Los Angeles Kings, he was traded last season and ended up winning a third Stanley Cup ring with Vegas as an emergency backup. He signed a one-year deal with the Rangers last summer to be a backup to Igor Shesterkin, and last month signed a one-year contract extension with the Rangers . . .  After coming back into the lineup Wednesday against the Devils, and being one of four Rangers ejected for fighting during the line brawl that occurred on the opening faceoff, forward Matt Rempe was scratched, his fourth time being scratched in the last five games. Defensemen Zac Jones and Chad Ruhwedel were the other scratches.

By Colin Stephenson

colin.stephenson@newsday.comColinSNewsday

Colin Stephenson covers the Rangers for Newsday. He has spent more than two decades covering the NHL and just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.