New York Rangers Daily: Great California opportunity awaits; Officials stop goalie fight before it can start
The New York Rangers have a crucial late-season California road trip this week, one where they need to grab at least four of the possible six points in their desperate playoff push.
It starts off with a really tough on Tuesday against the Los Angeles Kings, who are not only hot right now, they’re one of the best home teams in the NHL this season. Then there’s a reunion game Friday against former Rangers captain Jacob Trouba and the Anaheim Ducks. That’s followed by an absolute must-win game against the last-overall San Jose Sharks.
Don’t overlook that final game of the trip. Not only is it the second of a back-to-back, but the Rangers have already lost twice this season against the team that was last overall in the League standings at that time.
Who can forget those uninspired losses to the Chicago Blackhawks on Dec.9 and Nashville Predators eight days later?
Of course, those defeats were in the darkest days of the Rangers season, their miserable 4-15-0 stretch. But don’t think the Rangers are incapable of another repeat Saturday. Just look at their no-show Tuesday against the Calgary Flames. And that win against the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday? For the most part, that was no beauty either.
But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. The Rangers practice in L.A. on Monday and their focus right now is on the Kings. If they can somehow pull out a win Tuesday, their outlook really changes. That’d be two in a row with two must-haves against weaker opposition to close out the trip.
The way their playoff rivals are playing these days, that could really putt he Rangers in a good spot coming home next week.
Then again, these are the 2024-25 Rangers, when nothing positive can be expected.
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New York Rangers news
The Rangers headed West on Sunday and will play three-games in California this week, including a visit to Anaheim to face former captain Jacob Trouba and the Ducks on Friday. John Kreiser breaks down the Rangers week ahead.
Jonny Brodzinski admitted that there was “little bit of yelling in the locker room” on Saturday before the Rangers regrouped to score four goals in the third period and defeated the Vancouver Canucks 5-3.
Our Tom Castro presents the case for why giving Brennan Othmann more top-six minutes is important for the Rangers now, and in the future.
In his final season behind the Rangers mic after 40 years, Sam Rosen admitted he’s trying to “drag this team into the playoffs with me” this past weekend.
NHL news and rumors
The Canucks are in need of some good news and got some on Sunday when Thatcher Demko practiced for the first time since early February. Their No. 1 goalie has had a pair of extended injury absences this season.
However, Canucks forwards Elias Pettersson and Nils Hoglander didn’t practice and are questionable for their game Monday against the New Jersey Devils. Each player was injured Saturday against the Rangers.
The Reeling Columbus Blue Jackets will get a boost to their lineup when forward Sean Monahan and defenseman Erik Gudbranson return from extended injury absences Monday for a crucial matchup against the Islanders.
Tomas Hertl was injured late when hit hard into the boards late in the Vegas Golden Knights’ 4-2 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning, and Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy wasn’t happy at all about it.
The St. Louis Blues won their sixth straight game, defeating the Nashville Predators 4-1 as Jordan Kyrou scored his 30th goal. The Blues opened up a four-point lead for the second wild card in the Western Conference.
The Rangers next opponent, the Los Angeles Kings, hammered the Boston Bruins 7-2 and extended their home points streak to 14 games. They’ve won eight of nine games in a row overall.
Late in the second period of that game, Kings goalie Darcy Kuemper and his Bruins counterpart Jeremy Swayman nearly had a goalie fight at center ice but were held apart by the on-ice officials.
Taylor Hall had a hat trick and the Carolina Hurricanes won for the ninth time in 10 games, knocking off the Anaheim Ducks 5-2.
The Winnipeg Jets stumbled Sunday, losing to James Reimer and the Buffalo Sabres 5-3.
Tristan Jarry was really good again for the Pittsburgh Penguins, but they lost anyway, 4-3 in the shootout to the Florida Panthers.
Connor Bedard scored his 20th goal to lead the Chicago Blackhawks past the Philadelphia Flyers 7-4. That was Philly’s fifth straight loss.
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