It’s been a while since we’ve done an Around the Rink, as time hasn’t exactly allowed for it, but now feels like as good a time as any with teams wheeling and dealing and races tightening around the league. The NHL stretch run is always entertaining, but this season in particular is seeing several teams bunched up around the Wild Card positions in the Eastern Conference. So, let’s take to the ice and talk some puck!

First Period

Red Wings Soar into Playoff Spot: The Detroit Red Wings have been down and out for the last several years, with only faint flashes of hope for their fans. This season started off badly and when they made a coaching change from Derek Lalonde to Todd Mclellan, people around the league thought it was going to be another lost season in Hockeytown. But Mclellan and the boys had other thoughts as the Wings have turned things around, going 14-4-1 under the new bench boss. That’s enough, after Sunday night’s OT win in Vancouver, to move into the first Wild Card place in the Eastern conference at 27-21-6. There is still work to be done, but it feels like Detroit may finally get playoff hockey back on the calendar.

Second Period

Best Show in Big D: Let’s face it, the Cowboys are being driven into the ground by Jerry Jones, and the Mavericks just gave away the second-best player in the NBA for pennies on the dollar. Things are looking bleak in Dallas until baseball season…only if you choose to ignore the Stars, who look primed for another run the Stanley Cup! The Stars have won five in a row, to improve their record to 34-17-1, good enough for second in the Central Division behind the Winnipeg Jets. They’re already stout defense improved this week with the addition of Cody Ceci from the Sharks, who will join a blue line boasts the league’s second-best penalty kill (84.4 %) while being third in goals against (129). Coming with Ceci from San Jose is Mikael Granlund, who 46 points on the season (15 goals & 31 assists), to boost an offense that could use some extra punch. This Stars roster is awfully deep, which is exactly what they need to make a big run in the spring.

Third Period

Scenes from an Italian Playoff Chase: Things are okay in Oyster Bay, the Isles have got new D-man in Tony DeAngelo and a 7-3-0 record in the last ten games. I’m not sure if they have any new offices or new wives, but I hope the family is fine. And, before you correct, me the Billy Joel classic was originally titled “Things are okay in Oyster Bay.” In all seriousness the Islanders recent hot streak is pretty impressive as they are battling hard to play their way into the playoff race in the Eastern Conference. They are just four points out of the Wild Card spot and have been carried by some unlikely heroes like lightning rod blue liner Tony DeAngelo who returned form the KHL and scored the OT winner in Tampa Saturday night. The Isles need to stay hot if they are to have any chance to make the playoffs…they might as well make it, since they can’t go back to the greasers.

Overtime

400 for Quickie: Let’s stay in the Big Apple, this time with the Rangers, who picked up a huge come from behind win Sunday night at MSG against the Golden Knights. The 4-2 victory was more than just a win though, as the occasion was a special one for the man in net, Jonathan Quick. The win was Quick’s 400th of his brilliant NHL career, making him the 15th goalie in league history to hit the mark, and the first American born netminder to accomplish the feat. The celebration was particularly heartwarming as you could tell just how revered Quick is by his teammates and the Rangers fan base, who ironically enough, did not want him on the team last year given his history against them in 2014 Finals. Here’s to you Quickie!

Shootout

2,600 Days and Counting: Here’s one from the “whacky and weird” category. The Rangers re-acquired JT Miller from the Canucks Friday night in exchange for Filip Chytil. While the trade makes sense for the Rangers the question remains, is it too little too late for the Blueshirts to make the postseason? Lost in the shuffle of trying to save the season was this obscure stat Miller got to keep going with his points this weekend in Boston and New York. Miller registered three points in his first two games back in the red, white and blue, which pushed his Rangers post streak to…2,600 days. Yes, you read that right, Miller scored in his final game before being dealt by the Rangers at the 2018 deadline to the Lightning. The only other Ranger to accomplish the feat is Dominic Moore, so they’ll always be linked in the trivia department.

On Twitter you can find Mike @Mike_Sheerin, Tyler @TMon_19 and Sean @SeanMartinNFL. Subscribe to the site by hitting the follow button in the bottom right corner and entering your email address. Check out our Instagram feed @thebroadwaybreakdownsports for special gameday and promotional content. Our podcasts are available on Spotify. Visit the Rangers Ed Shop by clicking the link on our homepage. Check out our mailbag page to join the conversation here on the site and on our partners show, The Rangers Ed Podcast! We’ll be back with more soon!