Rangers beat Coyotes for Alain Vigneault’s 500th win (NYR 5 v AZ 1)
The Rangers exploded in the 3rd period as Cam Talbot backstopped his best game as the Rangers number 1 man in goal. The win gives head coach, Alain Vigneault 500 career wins and puts him to the top 20 all-time.
RANGERS 5 vs. COYOTES 1
When Sam Rosen asked AV about his accomplishment, AV quickly mentioned all the good players that he’s had the good fortune to coach. One player is Rick Nash as he scored his league leading 35th goal of the year.
Another one of those players going forward could be Kevin Hayes who scored a gorgeous shorthanded goal. The score put the Rangers up 3-1 and all but secured the victory. For Hayes it was his 4th goal and 9th point in his last 8 games.
LAST DAY OF THE KEVIN HAYES BLOWOUT SALE!
The Rangers tacked on two more scores off the sticks of Marc Staal and Lee Stempniak. However, the key moment for the Blueshirts came off the the pads of Cam Talbot who stopped a penalty shot in the third period.
After Nash gave the Rangers a 2-1 lead, Dom Moore took down Tobias Rieder and the ref signaled penalty shot. Raider came in with speed and went backhand looking to slide it in between Talbot’s legs. He managed to squeeze them tight and hold the one goal lead. It set up the Rangers offensive explosion and another critical road win.
For Talbot this is a tremendous audition to the league that he can be a team’s number 1. “He’s been waiting for an opportunity to prove he can play on a consistent level,” Vigneault said and now he’s making the most of it. Talbot will get a chance to do something Lundqvist hasn’t this season. On Monday, he gets an opportunity to stop the Islanders dominance over the Rangers this year.
If he pulls that off, it is quite the audition indeed.
NOTES
#NYR @KevinPHayes12 is the first Ranger to record a PPG and a SHG during his rookie season since Mikael Samuelsson in 2001-02.
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) February 15, 2015
#NYR now have a SHG in 4 of the last 8 games, which is the first time they have done so since they recorded one in four of six games in 2001
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) February 15, 2015
Vigneault, who has coached 942 games in the NHL, reached 500 wins in the fourth-fewest contests in league history (@EliasSports) #NYR — New York Rangers (@NYRangers) February 15, 2015
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