NBC’s Olczyk: Goalie Lundqvist is key to Rangers’ hopes

The New York Rangers will go as far as goalie Henrik Lundqvist will take them, so says NBC hockey analyst Eddie Olczyk.

“It took time for the Rangers to come together but if Lundqvist is at his best, they are a dangerous team,” Olczyk said.

“The speed of Sean Avery and Brandon Dubinsky has opened a lot of space for (Jaromir) Jagr, and they seem to have a stability they lacked at the beginning of the season. I’ve liked this team from the start, and I see no reason they can’t get to the (Eastern) Conference final. From there, who knows — anything can happen.”

The Rangers host the Philadelphia Flyers in the NBC game of the week on Sunday, March 2, at 12:30 p.m.

The Rangers have 72 points and are the seventh seed in the East. New York has won four of its last five, and plays at Carolina on Thursday night (MSG-TV).

The Flyers have 69 points and are seeded ninth — two points behind Buffalo for the last playoff spot. Philadelphia lost 10 in a row until Monday’s shootout win over the Sabres. The Flyers host Ottawa on Thursday and play at the Islanders (FSNY) on Saturday.

“This game has major playoff implications,” said NBC analyst Pierre McGuire. “These teams do not like each other at all and that leads to angry games. The Rangers have really hit their stride and the Flyers are fighting to hold on. It’s obviously a very important game for both teams.”

NBC has chosen the Pittsburgh-Washington game for its March 9 telecast.