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Rangers take down Nashville for their fourth straight win; Henrik Lundqvist collects 399th win
Bobby Bevilacqua
Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
- The Rangers improved to 35-18-1 with a 4-3 win over the Nashville Predators, erasing an early 2-0 deficit with four unanswered goals.
- Henrik Lundqvist had another strong showing, making 34 saves on 37 shots, including some truly impressive ones throughout the game. He’s been phenomenal over the last eight games and looks a lot like his usual self. It’s nice to see him back to normal. The Rangers need this Henrik Lundqvist in net. He’s one win away from 400 for his career which would be yet another monumental achievement.
- Kevin Hayes, Michael Grabner and JT Miller had an outstanding game. This line is seemingly here to stay after combining for three of the four goals this night. Grabner scored his 26th goal of the season and is showing no sign of slowing down. JT Miller tallied another two goals, extending his point streak to five games, with nine points (2-7-9) in that span. Kevin Hayes showed off his playmaking skills, tallying three assists and giving him 39 points in 49 games. Hayes and Miller especially have fantastic chemistry, and this line is on fire.
- Chris Kreider passed his career high in goals with 22, continuing his outstanding season. This is the player that fans have been hoping to see for years. He’s using his size extremely well, getting to the front of the net and utilizing his shot well. His combination of skills and ability to score or impact the game in many ways keeps defensemen guessing and throws them off track. It’s only February and there’s still room for him to grow.
- Ryan McDonagh picked up another assist, giving him 31 points (2-29-31) so far. That puts him on pace for a career high 47 points. He hasn’t got the same attention or praise as his 14 goal, 43 point campaign in 2013-14. His defensive play has been keeping the Rangers afloat, and he’s back to a productive offensive force again.
- Overall, this was a better game than the Anaheim victory where they were severely outshot. The Rangers had a lot of good chances and it was relatively even. Much better in that category for the Rangers, and let’s hope it stays that way moving forward.
Kevin Hayes rejoins lineup as Rangers look to extend win streak against Anaheim
Bobby Bevilacqua
Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
- New York Rangers (33-18-1, 67 PTS) vs. Anaheim Ducks (28-16-10, 66 PTS)
- The Rangers are coming off of a 4-3 win over the Calgary flames in the first game of their four game home stand. Rick Nash, Michael Grabner, Chris Kreider and Jesper Fast all scored goals and Henrik Lundqvist made 29 saves. Grabner’s goal was his 23rd, and his 22 even strength goals leads the NHL. Chris Kreider scored his 21st goal of the season, tying his career high. JT Miller picked up two assists.
- The Ducks lost in the shootout against the Tampa Bay Lightning in their last game, giving them two straight losses and a 1-2-1 record in their last four games. Defenseman Brandon Montour scored his first career goal and Ryan Getzlaf also scored. Jonathan Bernier made 35 saves but got the loss.
Rangers Practice Report: Kevin Hayes expected to return tomorrow, Staal misses practice with the flu
Bobby Bevilacqua
Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
The Rangers kicked off their four game homestand yesterday with a 4-3 win over the Calgary Flames, getting goals from Rick Nash, Michael Grabner, Chris Kreider and Jesper Fast. They skated today ahead of their matchup against Anaheim tomorrow in search of their third straight win.
Kevin Hayes participated in the full practice today and Alain Vigneault said that barring something in the morning skate, Hayes will rejoin the lineup.
Through 47 games this season Hayes has scored 35 points, and is just 10 points behind tying his career high of 45 set in his rookie season. His last game was Jan. 22 and he had been playing well at the time, with four points in four games. He’s been pretty consistent with his production overall, with 12 points (2-10-12) in the last 11 games he had played prior to his injury. Read the rest of this entry
BREAKING: Kevin Hayes to miss 2-3 weeks, but his absence presents big opportunity for Vesey
Bobby Bevilacqua
Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
This afternoon it was revealed that center Kevin Hayes will miss the next two or three weeks after an MRI revealed a lower body injury, according to the official New York Rangers Twitter.
The injury occurred in the second period of yesterday’s game against the Detroit Red Wings. Newsday’s Steve Zipay tweeted afterwards that he saw Hayes limping with a brace on his left leg.
This is a pretty big blow to the Rangers’ lineup. Hayes filled in remarkably well for Mika Zibanejad and is an integral part of the depth that has been a main reason for the Rangers success. Hayes is third on the team in scoring with 35 points (13-22-35), and was previously on pace for a 61 point season. Read the rest of this entry
Rangers aim to push winning streak to three against the Kings; Lundqvist back in net
Bobby Bevilacqua
Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
After an overtime win on the road against Detroit, the Rangers (30-16-1) are back at home to take on the Los Angeles Kings (22-20-4), closing out a back-to-back series and aiming for their third straight win.
The Rangers picked up their league-leading 17th road win of the season with a 1-0 overtime win against the Red Wings, with JT Miller scoring the only goal of the game. Henrik Lundqvist made 21 saves for his second shutout of the season, marking his 20th win of the year and making him the first goalie in NHL history to start his career with 12 straight 20 win seasons.
The Kings have not fared as well lately, and this season, dealing with some injuries, a struggling offense and inconsistencies. They’ve lost their last three games and are three points out of a playoff spot. This is the second game of a five game road trip, and they play nine of their next 10 games on the road. Read the rest of this entry
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