NEW YORK – If the Vancouver Canucks had received the favor they deserved from fate, they would have defeated the New York Rangers by a significant margin on Saturday.

However, the defining characteristic of the Canucks` season has been the relentless wave of challenges, some of which they brought upon themselves, continuously impacting them like a powerful natural force.

On Saturday, in a critical game for their playoff aspirations, the Canucks dominated the Rangers in shots 39-12, with a striking 20-3 advantage in the first half. They also created far more dangerous scoring opportunities, 16-3.

Despite this dominance, the Rangers, seemingly outmatched at Madison Square Garden even when the score was tied 1-1 amidst a 21-4 shot disparity, managed to score three goals on just five shots in the third period. This improbable turn of events led to a 5-3 victory, sealed by former Canuck J.T. Miller`s empty-net goal with only 17 seconds left in the game.