RANGERS AT CANUCKS POST GAME WRAP UP 2/18

LUNDQVIST, RANGERS DOWN CANUCKS 6-5 IN OT

WIN FIRST GAME IN LAST EIGHT CONTESTS

50 Saves by Henrik Lundqvist backstopped the Rangers through the overtime win in Vancouver. Jumping ahead to an early lead the Rangers' Kevin Hayes, 2 golas and Jimmy Vesey set the Rangers up for a win until Vancouver scored 3 unanswered goals in the first into the second to tie the game 3-3. Newcomer Vlad Namestnikov scored his 21st goal and first as a Ranger to put the Rangers back in the lead to end the second period 4-3.

Vancouver once again tied the game in the third after the Rangers killed a 5 on 3 man advantage. The Rangers retook the lead 5-4 on a goal by Mika Zibanejad on a beautiful pass from Chris Kreider. New York tried to hold on in the final minute but Vancouver once agin came back to tie the game with just over 45 seconds remaining, sending the game to overtime.

Under 2 minutes into the overtime period another newcomer, Ryan Spooner raced down the right side into Vancouver's end sending the pass back to rookie John Gilmour who roofed one over Anders Nilsson for the game winner.

Spooner collected his 5th assist in 2 games since coming to the Rangers. Namestnikov pcked up a goal and an assist in his Rangers debut.

Henrik Lundqvist stopped 40 plus shots in a game for the 26th time in his career and a career high 8th time this season.

FINAL GAME STATS

RANGERS 5 CANUCKS 5

FINAL OVERTIME

GOALIES:
NYR Henrik Lundqvist 50  SV

VAN Jacob Markstrom 2 SV, Anders Nilsson 19 SV

SOG: NYR 27 VAN 55
PPO: NYR 0/2 VAN 1/3
PIM: NYR 6 VAN 4

FO WINS: NYR 27 VAN 38

HITS: NYR 25 VAN 14

TAKEAWAYS: NYR 4 VAN 9

GIVEAWAYS: NYR 6 VAN 5

SCORING SUMMARY

1st Period

1:22 K. Hayes (16) Assists: R. Spooner, B Skjei 1-0
2:05 J. Vesey (12) Assists: N. Pionk, V Namestnikov 2-0

12:29 K. Hayes (17) Assists: R. Spooner, N Pionk 3-0
14:12 B. Boeser (28) Assist: B. Horvat 3-1
19:12 B. Horvat (17) (PPG) Assists: H. Sedin, D Sedin 3-2

2nd Period

11:01 D. Sedin (20) Unassisted 3-3

14:58 V. Namestnikov (21) Unassisted 4-3

3rd Period

12:17 N. Goldobin (4) Assists: B. Leipsic, D Pouliot 4-4

14:47 M. Zibanejad (18) Assists: C. Kreider, J. Fast 5-4

19:14 B. Boeser (29) Assists: B. Leipsic, B Horvat 5-5

Overtime

1:22 J. Gilmour (2) Assist: R. Spooner 6-5

PENALTY SUMMARY

1st Period

18:19 J. Fast: 2:00 High Sticking

2nd Period

0:23 A. Edler: 2:00 Slashing

3rd Period

4:28 B. Leipsic: 2:00 Slashing

9:20 M. Zibanejad: 2:00 Slashing

10:13 P. Carey: 2:00 Slashing

Overtime

None

RANGERS STARS OF THE GAME

Namestnikov, Lundqvist

TEAM COMPARISONS

NEW YORK RANGERS
Players    G    A    +/-    SOG    PIM
M. Staal    0    0    2    1    0
C. McLeod    0    0    -1    0    0
D. Desharnais    0    0    -1    1    0
R. Spooner    0    3    1    1    0
M. Zuccarello    0    0    0    1    0
K. Hayes    2    0    1    3    0
C. Kreider    0    1    1    1    0
P. Carey    0    0    -2    0    2
V. Namestnikov    1    1    1    3    0
M. Zibanejad    1    0    1    4    2
R. O'Gara    0    0    -1    0    0
J. Fast    0    1    0    0    2
B. Skjei    0    1    0    0    0
P. Buchnevich    0    0    2    3    0
J. Gilmour    1    0    1    5    0
J. Vesey    1    0    2    2    0
A. DeAngelo    0    0    0    1    0
N. Pionk    0    2    1    1    0
Goalies    GA    SV    SV%   
H. Lundqvist    5    50    .909   

VANCOUVER CANUCKS
Players    G    A    +/-    SOG    PIM
D. Sedin    1    1    -2    6    0
H. Sedin    0    1    -2    1    0
A. Edler    0    0    0    2    2
B. Sutter    0    0    -2    2    0
S. Gagner    0    0    -1    5    0
M. Del Zotto    0    0    -1    3    0
E. Gudbranson    0    0    -1    1    0
D. Archibald    0    0    -1    0    0
S. Baertschi    0    0    1    4    0
D. Pouliot    0    1    1    0    0
B. Horvat    1    2    3    5    0
T. Motte    0    0    -1    0    0
B. Leipsic    0    2    2    7    2
T. Stecher    0    0    -2    1    0
J. Virtanen    0    0    -1    3    0
N. Goldobin    1    0    -1    3    0
B. Hutton    0    0    -1    6    0
B. Boeser    2    0    2    6    0
Goalies    GA    SV    SV%   
J. Markstrom    3    2    .400   
A. Nilsson    3    19    .864   

RANGERS AT CANUCKS GAME DAY PREVIEW 2/28

RANGERS START THREE GAME WESTERN CANADA ROAD TRIP

New York Rangers (27-30-6) vs Vancouver Canucks (24-32-7)

TONIGHT 10:00 PM TV: MSG RADIO: WEPN

Rogers Arena Vancouver, BC, CA

Tonight in Vancouver the Rangers open up a three game Western Canada Road Trip then heading to Calgary and Edmonton before returning home to face Winnipeg . It should be interesting to see how the Rangers react following Monday’s trade deadline moves that saw Captain Ryan McDonagh and veteran center J.T. Miller sent to Tampa Bay for center/wing Vladislav Namestnikov, prospects and draft picks. While missing long term teammates and friends at least the pressure of waiting for the ax to drop is over and some players should be feeling less pressure now that the deadline has passed.

Namestnikov was still traveling to Vancouver yesterday and was not able to participate in team practice so it is not known at this time where he will slot in at this time. Possible position is as third line center where Peter Holland who was placed on waivers February 24th centered Jimmy Vesey and Mats Zuccarello in practice yesterday. Namestnikov would slot in place of Holland.

Starting tonight Vladislav Namestnikov comes in taking over the Rangers point lead from Mats Zuccarello (43) with 44 points and the scoring lead that was held by Mika Zibanejad (17) with 20. Zuccarello still leads the team in assists with 33.

The Rangers who are coming off a 3-2 overtime loss to Detroit on Sunday will be looking to win their first game in the last eight. The Rangers with 60 points currently sit in 8th in the Metro Division and 13th in the Eastern Conference. They are now 9 points out of the last and final playoff wild card spot currently held by Columbus with 69 points.

In a similar position as the Rangers, Vancouver with 55 points sits in 7th place in the Pacific Division, 14th in the Western Conference. The Canucks start tonight’s game 19 points out of the final wild card spot in the West, held by Anaheim with 74 points. Brock boeser leads the Canucks in goals, 27 and points with 52. Goaltender Jacob Markstrom leads the team with a record of 17-21-5, a GAA of 2.71 and a .911 save percentage.

This is the second and final meeting between the Rangers and Canucks. In the first contest at MSG the Rangers earned a 4-3 shootout victory over Vancouver. Kevin Shattenkirk, Rick Nash and Jimmy Vesey all scored in the shootout that took five rounds to complete. In regulation play Jesper Fast, Michael Grabner and Vesey tallied New York’s 3 goals while Henrik Lundqvist backstopped the Rangers with 32 saves.

GAME DAY TEAM LEADERS

Rangers

POINTS: Vladislav Namestnikov 44

GOALS: Vladislav Namestnikov 20

ASSISTS: Mats Zuccarello 33

Canucks

POINTS: Brock Boeser 52

GOALS: Brock Boeser 27

ASSISTS: Henrik Sedin 39