NYR TODAY Mon. 11/28: Alumni Birthdays, Rangers Prospects Update

NYR Alumni Birthdayx November 28:

Michael Kostka D (2014-2015) Jim Neilson D (1962-1974) Art Strobel LW (1943-1944)

Rangers Prospect Update:
Defenseman Sergey Zborovskiy scored and was a plus-3 in Regina's 3-0 victory over Kamloops Friday. The 2015 third-rounder is riding a three-game point streak, including goals in back-to-back games. He has three goals and 13 assists for 16 points through 19 games, and is a plus-29 on the season, which is tied for the most in the WHL.

Winger Ryan Gropp scored a goal in Seattle's 5-2 win over Tri-Ctiy. The 2015 second-round pick has four goals and nine assists for 13 points in 17 games this season for the Thunderbirds.

Lastly, right winger Ty Ronning scored the only goal for Vancouver in a 10-1 loss to Spokane. Ronning, the Rangers' 2016 seventh-round pick, has eight goals and 11 assists for 19 points through 23 games with the Giants.

Forward Tim Gettinger picked up an assist for Sault Ste. Marie in its 5-3 win over Mississauga in the Ontario Hockey League Friday night. The 2016 fifth-round pick has been red hot as of late, posting eight points in his last five games. He has 10 goals and seven assists for 17 points in 23 games this year for the Greyhounds.


Over in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, forward Gabriel Fontaine registered an assist in Rouyn-Noranda's 5-4 loss to Victoriaville. The 2016 sixth-round pick has a three-game point streak, during which he's posted a goal and five assists. He has eight goals and 13 assists for 21 points in 18 games this year for the Huskies.

NYR TODAY TUES 5/10: IIHF MWC Notes, NYR Prospects, NYR Grades, Alumni, TDINYRH

RANGERS AT IIHF MEN'S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP UPDATE
DERICK BRASSARD Team Canada

Brassard is playing strong at the 2016 World Championships in Russia thus far picking up 2 goals, one of those a game winner vs Belarus and 3 assists in Canada's 3 victories so far in the tournament. Brassard has tallied at least one point in each of the 3 games for Canada giving him 5 points, 1 coming vs USA in the opening game and back to back 2 point games on Sunday vs Hungary and Monday vs Belarus.



NICKLAS JENSEN Team Denmark

Jensen scored 2 goals in Denmark's 3-0 Victory over Norway and has totaled 10 shots on goal during the tourney.







MATS ZUCCARELLO Team Norway

Zuccarello so far only has an assist during the tourney for Team Norway.










RAPHAEL DIAZ Team Switzerland

Diaz has collected 3 assists so far for the Swiss.

NYR PROSPECTS UPDATE

Rangers goaltending prospect Adam Huska was named the United States Hockey League's goaltender of the year, as voted on by the League's general managers.
Huska, the Rangers' seventh-round pick in 2015, finished the regular season 26-9-2 with a 1.82 goals against average and a .931 save percentage with four shutouts. He has committed to the University of Connecticut for next season.

2015 second-round pick Ryan Gropp has a goal and an assist through two games against Brandon in the Western Hockey League's championship series, which Seattle trails, 2-0.
Gropp has four goals and three assists for seven points through eight playoff games, after posting 34 goals and 70 points in 66 regular season games.

Rangers prospect Daniel Bernhardt and the London Knights are getting the best of fellow Rangers prospect Ryan Mantha and the Niagara IceDogs, as London leads their championship series, 2-0.

 RNYRF's GRADING THE RANGERS 2015-2016
RICK NASH Left Wing

After an impressive 40 plus goal season during the 2014-2015 campaign big things were expected from Nash this past season. But much like his past playoff performances Nash disappointed the Garden Faithful posting up 15 goals and 21 assists in 60 games. Although injured for an extended period of time with a severe bone bruise Nash could even come close to the performance of the previous season. Nash did continue his defensive ways though and was an important part of the Rangers penalty kill once again this season along with being the teams leader in goals during the short 5 post season games vs Pittsburgh with 2 goals and adding 2 assists to his point total. Although Nash was supposed to be an important part of the team the Rangers seemed to play better without him during his stint on the IR. Rumors by the Media of the Rangers looking into trading Nash this coming summer now litter the sports pages once again. Whether Nash can come back and play as an elite power forward in 2016-2017 is a big question for the Rangers to examine this off season. If the Rangers can come up with a trade that makes sense and brings back an adequate return look for 2nd year GM Jeff Gorton to make a move and end the Nash era.
GRADE D-

NYR Alumni Birthdays 5/10 
Pete Babando LW (1952-1953) AB DeMarco Sr. C (1943-1947)

Today in NYR History May 10

1995: Brian Leetch records a goal and two assists in a 4-3 win over the Quebec Nordiques in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals at MSG.

NYR TODAY TUES. 4/19: NYR GAME DAY, PROSPECTS, ALUMNI

EASTERN CONFERENCE QUARTER FINALS GAME 3
BEST OF 7 SERIES TIED 1-1
@RNYRF Staff Report
PITTSBURGH PENGUINS @ NEW YORK RANGERS
TONIGHT 7:00 PM, MADISON SQUARE GARDEN, TV; MSG, USA NETWORK

TEAM LEADERS
GOALS: NYR Derek Stepan 2, PIT Patric Hornqvist 3
ASSISTS: NYR J.T. Miller, J.T. Miller 3, PIT Nick Bonino 3
POINTS: NYR Derick Brassard 4, PIT Patric Hornqvist
GAA: NYR Henrik Lundqvist 2.25, PIT Jeff Zatkoff 3.08
SV%: NYR Henrik Lundqvist .929, PIT Jeff Zatkoff .908

RANGERS TEAM NOTES: The New York Rangers come into Game 3 having defeated the Penguins in their last 2 out of 3 playoff meetings at Madison Square Garden in last year's 2015 ECQF by the score of 2-1 in both games. In game 1 last year New York defeated Pittsburgh in regulation on first period goals by Derick Brassard and Ryan McDonagh. In Game 2 the Rangers lost 4-3 to the Pens In Game 5 where the Rangers struck first on a goal by Derek Stepan in the first period. The Rangers game winning goal in overtime coming off the stick of Carl Hagelin. Henrik Lundqvist garnered both wins with 24 saves in game 1 and 37 in game 5.

NYR NOTES:
Looks as though Rangers might be using same lineup as Game 2 even though Captain Ryan McDonagh was cleared for contact and took full part in practice drills yesterday. McDonagh's return to the lineup tonight was called doubtful by Head Coach Alain Vigneault but he did comment that stranger things have happened. Vigneault mentioned that he is hopeful for McDonagh to return for Game 4 on Thursday.
Henrik Lundqvist will once again get the start in net for the Rangers. Defenseman Raphael Diaz practiced with the team on Monday and could be available to play in Game 3. So it looks as though the defense will be a game time decision for Vigneault. The Rangers will look to continue their physical play having posted 107 hits against Pittsburgh in the the first 2 games of the series.

NEW YORK RANGERS PROJECTED LINE UP
FORWARDS
Chris Kreider-Derek Stepan-Mats Zuccarello
J.T. Miller-Derick Brassard-Rick Nash
Eric Staal-Kevin Hayes-Jesper Fast
Tanner Glass-Dominic Moore-Viktor Stalberg
DEFENSE
Marc Staal-Kevin Klein
Keith Yandle-Dylan McIlrath
Brady Skjei-Dan Boyle
GOAL
Henrik Lundqvist
BACKUP
Antti Raanta
SCRATCHES
Ryan McDonagh, Raphael Diaz, Oscar Lindberg, Marek Hrivik, Magnus Hellberg
INJURED
Dan Girardi (undisclosed injury)

RANGERS PROSPECTS UPDATE
The Hartford Wolf Pack ended their 2015-2016 campaign in 6th Place of the AHL Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division missing the post season, posting a record of 41-32-3 in 76 games.
Center Chad Nehring lead the scoring for the Pack with 22 goals, 26 assists for 48 points followed by Jayson Megna 44 points, Marek Hrivik 41 points, Nick Jensen 37 points and Matt Bodie rounding out the top 5 with 36. Goalie Magnus Hellberg led the Pack in games played posting a 30-20-3 record in 53 games. Jeff Malcom 7-5-2 and Mackenzie Skapski 4-7-0 split the remaining games.

In WHL Action 2015 2nd round pick Ryan Gropp helped his Seattle Thunderbirds advance to the Western Conference Final with 2 goals and an assist in the 2 games he played during the series. Gropp finished the regular season with 34 goals, 36 assists for 70 points and was a plus 10.

2015 3rd round pick Defenseman Sergey Zborovsky has 5 assists in his postseason with Regina going into their game 7 with Regina.

Goaltending Prospect Brandon Halverson's Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds were eliminated this weekend by the Erie Otters in the OHL's second-round. Halverson, the Rangers 2nd round pick in 2014 is expected to turn Pro next season. Halverson finished the regular season with a record of 20-17-4 with a GAA of 3.00 and a save % of .907 in 43 games.

Ryan Mantha a 2014 Rangers draft pick and the Niagara IceDogs advanced to their conference final. Mantha has 2 goals and 3 assists in 9 playoff games so far.

This past weekend the Rangers signed free agent forward Malte Stromwall to an entry level contract. Stromwall was teammates with Rangers 2015 3rd round pick Robin Kovacs.

NYR Alumni Birthdays 4/19 
Jarkko Immonen C (2005-2007)

TODAY IN NYR HISTORY APRIL 19
2013: The Rangers score five goals in 2:58 and defeat the Buffalo Sabres, 8-4. Brad Richards scores his first NHL hat trick.