Blog

Devils defenseless to stop Pens from 1st-round home-ice clinch

The Penguins clinched home-ice advantage for their first-round playoff series against the Blue Jackets with a 7-4 victory over the Devils on Thursday night at the Prudential Center in Newark. The Penguins got goals from seven players, two assists from Sidney Crosby — including a spectacular no-look, backhand pass to give Conor Sheary a shot […]

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Olympics ban shaping up as the NHL greed apocalypse

There have been some very ugly moments during the course of recent negotiations between the NHL and its Players’ Association, and they have led to a season and a half being entirely canceled over the previous 12 years. But calling each other greedy or uncaring is nothing compared to the owners’ new coup, a disgrace […]

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How Ryan McDonagh proved he’s ready for Game 1

Ryan McDonagh did not make the trip to Ottawa with his Rangers teammates for Saturday afternoon’s penultimate match of the regular season, but the captain engaged fully in Friday’s practice and dispelled thoughts he might be impaired heading into the playoff opener in Montreal that probably will be played Wednesday. “I feel really good,” said […]

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Mika Zibanejad can make mark on Rangers with playoff magic

It has been a long time coming for Mika Zibanejad, who is returning to the city of Ottawa that he called home for four years for the first time since his summer trade to the Rangers. “I’m excited, anxious, a little nervous, and have the entire range of emotions you would expect,” Zibanejad told The […]

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This isn’t how Rangers wanted to sharpen Henrik Lundqvist

OTTAWA — Consider it a terrific practice, and one in which Henrik Lundqvist shined. In his final regular-season start, the Rangers’ most important player to their postseason hopes was their best player, as Lundqvist was the lone positive for a depleted roster that lost a 3-1 game to the Senators on Saturday afternoon at Canadian […]

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Islanders’ playoff dream over

The Islanders are finishing the season as one of the NHL’s hottest teams — and one with no place to go, except home. The Islanders were eliminated from playoff contention Saturday night despite running their winning streak to five games with a 4-2 decision over the Devils at the Prudential Center behind two goals by […]

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The moment Patrik Elias lost it as a Devils legend says goodbye

It could not have been the final lap envisioned by Patrik Elias, who, after all, skated the Stanley Cup victory lap twice within his first six seasons. But as closing acts go, Elias’ final spin on the ice during warmups preceding the Devils’ home finale loss Saturday against the Islanders wasn’t a bad way at […]

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Vigneault hints he’s sick of watching Rangers’ JV team

OTTAWA, Ontario — It seems as if Alain Vigneault has had enough of watching the Rangers’ B-team. The coach implied that a couple of regulars are going to rejoin the lineup for Sunday’s regular-season finale at the Garden against the Penguins after resting for the past week. “That’s a possibility,” Vigneault said with a knowing […]

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Why the eliminated Islanders are at a franchise crossroads

Some of them may have learned their fate while on the Cross Bronx Expressway, others maybe on the LIE or Grand Central, and others perhaps on the Verrazano or Throgs Neck as the Islanders made their way home by car service following Saturday’s 4-2 victory over the Devils in Newark that kept their playoff hearts […]

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How NHL nixing the Olympics is a harbinger of another lockout

This is what the NHL and Gary Bettman do when they don’t get their way: They take their puck and go home. Or stay home. They refuse to play. They did it through Owners’ Lockouts I, II and III in 1994, 2004 and 2012 and they’re doing it again with the 2018 Olympic Games in […]

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