If the Rangers’ postseason fate lies largely with the play of starting goalie Henrik Lundqvist, it turns out that the fate of where they start that postseason now lies in the hands of his understudy, Antti Raanta. It was announced on Saturday that Lundqvist would miss 2-3 weeks with a muscle strain in his hip, […]
Read MoreAfter a bit of a wait, it seems the Rangers skaters are getting closer to full health. Forwards Rick Nash and Michael Grabner participated fully in Saturday’s practice, and coach Alain Vigneault said he expects both to be ready for Sunday night’s game at Detroit. Nash missed Thursday’s 4-3 loss at Carolina with a lingering […]
Read MoreST. LOUIS — Vladimir Tarasenko scored twice to lead the Blues to a 4-3 win over the Islanders on Saturday night. Alexander Steen and Patrik Berglund also scored, and the Blues won their fourth straight game. Carter Hutton stopped 21 of 24 shots. The Islanders’ Thomas Greiss stopped 14 of 18 shots in the first […]
Read MoreGLENDALE, Ariz. — Arizona goalie Mike Smith had a short summation for the Coyotes’ 5-4 victory over the Devils. “We didn’t blow it totally,” he said. The Coyotes blew open an early four-goal lead but needed a late goal from rookie Anthony DeAngelo and a big save by Smith on Taylor Hall’s penalty shot Saturday […]
Read MoreDETROIT — You have to wonder whether all the folks employed by the NHL actually believe the propaganda they spout in repeating the “game has never been better” mantra, or whether they simply are dealing in self-preservation in a league that Sixth Avenue rules with an iron hand. But you don’t have to wonder whether […]
Read MoreDETROIT — This was an example of a superior team on its way to the playoffs using its talent and will to grind down an inferior one a few weeks away from going home for a long summer. But this 4-1 Rangers victory over the Red Wings on Sunday night in the clubs’ 38th and […]
Read MoreDETROIT — And so it ended, Derek Stepan’s long nightmare through which the alternate captain went 23 games and 53 days without scoring a goal. And when it did at 16:01 of the third period on a power play for the final goal of the Rangers’ 4-1 victory on Sunday over the Red Wings at […]
Read MoreThe plane landed in New York around 3:30 a.m. Sunday as the Islanders finally completed their franchise-record nine-game road trip. Interim head coach Doug Weight gave the team the day off, but one of the few guys who wanted to come in was 21-year-old rookie forward Josh Ho-Sang. Weight told his headline-grabbing talent with a […]
Read MoreThere may not be a home way to play and a road way to play, as goes coach Alain Vigneault’s mantra, but the Rangers way at the Garden just doesn’t seem to produce winning hockey all that often. After having won three of four on their most recent trip to go 18-4 in the last […]
Read MoreThe often-ridiculous, condensed NHL schedule this season has created contests for every team that are almost entirely impossible to win. But nothing quite like this. The Islanders’ first game back at Barclays Center in 22 days was an extremely ugly affair, as the return from the franchise-record nine-game road trip saw the Hurricanes score a […]
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