By Jared Max

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Skeptical to jinx a favorite team, though logical to discredit superstition, I am laying my chips on the ice. The New York Rangers are going to win the Stanley Cup finals**. Anything short of this goal will be disappointing, likely.

One season removed from their unexpected surge to the NHL’s championship round, the Rangers have put the rest of the league on notice. Last season’s unexpected surge to the Cup Final was not a fluke. It was practice.

Last night’s 3-1 victory over the Capitals made several statements.

Not only did the Rangers overtake the Islanders for first place in the Metropolitan Division, they climbed atop the NHL. By winning for the 12th time in their last 15 games, the Rangers increased their point total to 91 — tied with the Canadiens, Predators and Ducks for the most in the league. Because the Rangers have played fewer games than all three others, they own the NHL’s highest points percentage (.689).

SIGNS OF A CHAMPION

When a sports team loses a championship, its next season tends to swing one of two ways: a sharp decline or an escalation toward supremacy. The 2014-15 Rangers are the latter. They have taken over the field at the top of the stretch; they appear to have more horse than any other team.

Like the San Francisco Giants, who have seemingly replaced one ace pitcher with another, the Rangers not only weathered the storm when their almighty goalie Henrik Lundqvist was injured January 31, they have plowed through this potholed stretch like an army tank. Lundqvist’s replacement Cam Talbot has been so good that Rangers fans are debating who the starting goalie should be if the playoffs began today.

Last night in Washington, Talbot became the first goalie in Rangers history to allow one goal or fewer in regulation of four straight games. Since taking over for Lundqvist on February 4, Talbot has helped the Rangers earn at least one point in 15 of 17 games.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, this was also the first time any Rangers team has allowed one goal or fewer in regulation in four consecutive games, all of which were on the road. The Rangers have 21 road wins — most in the NHL. No team has totaled more points away from home than the Rangers.

When the Rangers have the lead, they usually hold it. This season, they are 28-0-1 when they have outscored their opponents through two periods.

While the team is loaded with big names who are producing like the stars they are known to be, the Rangers have been blessed by young talent. Last season, Chris Krieder was integral. Now it is Kevin Hayes. Last night he assisted on two of the team’s three goals; Hayes now ranks second on the Rangers in primary assists (17) and has registered the second-highest point total among league rookies.

Alain Vigneault’s squad is locked and loaded. With 16 games left in the regular season, not only should they they be considered the favorite to finish with the best record in New York, the Rangers should be looked at like the Yankees were near the turn of the last century. No, they are not going to win four Cups in five years. But they are so good that it feels anything other than a parade up the Canyon of Heroes would be a missed goal.

Speaking of goal, I am going to crank the Rangers goal song to 11 on my speakers now.

** Disclaimer: I have rooted for the Rangers since the late 1970s and am not necessarily impartial; my vision may be altered by Blueshirt-colored lenses.

Yeah!!!!! Rangers are on fire! Stanley Cup goal is becoming like a World Series for the Yankees between 98 & '00. #AnythingElseWontDo — Jared Max (@Jared_Max) March 12, 2015

Jared Max is a multi-award winning sportscaster. He hosted a No. 1 rated New York City sports talk show, “Maxed Out” — in addition to previously serving as longtime Sports Director at WCBS 880, where he currently anchors weekend sports. Follow and communicate with Jared on Twitter @jared_max.