Rangers And Islanders Slumping In New York

A look at the momentum the New York Rangers bring into tonight's home game against the Islanders shows a very unattractive picture.

Very few would have predicted the Rangers slide. Every game in the past three resulted in a loss.

To make matters worse, the Rangers have lost eight of their last nine games.

You know you're in trouble when you're getting out-scored 33 to 13.

In those games, the Rangers' power play has been 1-for-34 and has allowed more goals on 5-on-3s than have been scored. Because of this, head coach Renney has moved Chris Drury to the point on the power play.

Even when the Rangers were last seen at their home rink, they were laying out a red carpet for the Philadelphia Flyers and listening to pockets of the crowd chanting for the head coach and the team president to be canned. These Rangers were talking Stanley Cup at the start of the season.

Now, they are fighting for their playoff lives.

In AHL action, Sean Avery is playing in a big game between Hartford and Bridgeport. Every Rangers fan will be paying attention to that game.

To make matters worse, the Islanders have the worst record in the NHL.

New York is the name on the jerseys of both teams, but neither the Islanders nor the Rangers have been playing like New Yorkers.

At the All-Star break, these two teams were heading in opposite directions.

Victories were on the minds of the Rangers as they were looking to make the playoffs for a third straight year and challenge for the Stanley Cup they last won in 1994.

Eastern Conference Atlantic Division rivals respected their record of 28 wins and 60 points. Only the Boston Bruins and the New Jersey Devils in the had a better record than the Rangers in the Eastern Conference.

Yet, in contrast, 30 miles to the east of Madison Square Garden in the commuter-land of Long Island, the Islanders were having a bad season.

Since the team won four consecutive Stanley Cups from 1980-83, they can remember greatness.

Ending that streak decades ago has led them to where they are now, with the worst record in the league this season, 13 wins in 47 games for 31 points.

And the Islanders have other issues to worry about, like replacing goaltender Rick DiPietro, whose $67.5 million contract is the biggest in the league. DiPietro has been ruled out for the season due to knee surgery.

Now it is rumoured the team may move to Kansas City or Winnipeg.