UNIONDALE, NY – After months of wondering and hoping the little bumps and bruises in the season were just that, the Rangers finally qualified to make the playoffs.

It took 95 points this season and for a time it didn’t look like the Blueshirts would make it. But a torrid last two months put the good ship Ranger on the right track and after their 3-0 win over the Islanders last night, any questions about this team were put to rest.

“It's expected, isn't it?” said Scott Gomez. “Sure, it's the first goal. And it was a learning experience for us all year. But we put it together at the right time. And yeah, there's no such thing as not making the playoffs.”

“It a relief, after the long season,” added coach Tom Renney. “We have a spot that’s for sure, but we want the highest seed we can, so we have two really big games to play still.”

As it looks right now, the Rangers will play the Devils in the first round and depending on who has home ice, could happen next Wednesday or Thursday, as the Garden schedule needs to work around the remaining Knick games. It’s an interesting match up, where the Blueshirts will face a team they dominated New Jersey all season, winning all seven contests, but that doesn’t always hold true in the playoffs.

And nothing was guaranteed on Long Island. The Islanders, playing out the season, wanted to play spoiler for their biggest rival. But the Ranger power play came to life late in the first with back-to-back goals from Jaromir Jagr, 1:59 apart. With the young Islanders trying to kill a number of penalties, the Ranger captain showed he can still light the lamp with scores from the right circle.

“He shoots,” said Renney. “That’s what he can do from that point. We have to make sure we exercise our option on that end.”

When Marty Straka beat Wade Dubielewicz late in the third, taking a feed from Brandon Dubinsky, the left wing was able to beat the Islander netminder from the slot, essentially ending any Isles comeback.

“We know they want to wreck our party,” said Dubinsky. “At the same time, we want to come in here and prove to them who the best team in New York is. We're happy to have won the game and I guess show them that we belong there.”

So did Henrik Lundqvist who stopped all 25 Islander shots for his 10th shutout in 70 games.

Now with two games left, the Blueshirts will try to keep it going and have some momentum going into the playoffs.

Notes: The Rangers will not be able to use the Garden on the nights of Apr. 9, 11, 12 and 14th, because of three Knicks games and a New York Titans lacrosse game.

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