The light at the end of the tunnel was getting brighter each night for the Rangers.
Then, the Beloved Blueshirts went to Toronto and got smacked right in the face as the light dimmed with late third period defeat.
Scotiabank Arena may not be as homey as The World's Most Famous Arena but it was a place last night where the Blueshirts could have made a point – or two, but failed to do so.
What's more the loss to the Leafs is enough to wonder if Mike Sullivan's home boys can figure out how to win a few on the road, as well as in MSG.
For a rare road win to happen tomorrow night in Ottawa scoutmaster Sully should supply pre-game smelling salts while gently humming "Song Of The Volga Boatmen – to Doc Dorofeyev.
"Dorofeyev is running out of excuses for not scoring," says The Old Scout. "Or, do we have to hear all season that he misses his Vegas' buddies Marner and Eichel. It's hard to believe but Dorofeyev even has been passed in the Rangers goal department by Tye Kartye!"
Ah, but the good news is that Laughing Boy Lafreniere upped his goal total to eight and is on the express route to superstardom.
The bad news is that the Blueshirts wasted what was otherwise a good game. My game scout Aiden Saavedra gave the club a B+ overall rating. "The Rangers played a very good game against a very good team.."
The upshot of the whole business is that the Rangers still are firmly ensconced in a Met Division race that's becoming tighter than a skinflint's wallet.