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Kotes too cold for Torts
Ales Kotalik’s audition with the Rangers’ top duo of Marian Gaborik and Vinny Prospal appears to be a one-and-done affair, because John Tortorella didn’t exactly care for it: “I don’t think he can play there, I ...
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NHL
New York Rangers
Marian Gaborik
Drury may be closer; Kotalik moves up
Sounds as though Chris Drury is improving and may be inching his way toward a return - the Ranger captain is to be examined this afternoon by a team neurologist and if all goes well could cross a major hurdle toward rejoining the lineup.
John ...
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NHL
New York Rangers
Ovechkin's ready; Naslund returns in Sweden
From the Caps’ morning skate today: Alex Ovechkin has tested the ice and the body at the Garden this morning and everything appears set for the superstar’s return to the Capitals’ lineup for tonight’s game, even if no one ...
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NHL
New York Rangers
Alexander Ovechkin
Fit to be tied, but winners anyway
“We found a way to win a hockey game,” John Tortorella said after this 2-1 shootout victory over the Senators. But it’s going to be tough to find this way on a consistent basis.
This was Henrik Lundqvist’s game today, a ...
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NHL
New York Rangers
Ottawa Senators
Take coverage!
It’s one of today’s more pressing tasks for the Rangers, who buried themselves with breakdowns in the first two periods against Atlanta on Thursday and, because of that, came away with no points to show for one of their best periods of ...
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NHL
New York Rangers
Ottawa Senators
Parenteau in the mix, Higgins in the middle
Quick notes from practice, and then there’s a plane to catch, which should be a treat (high winds + tiny plane = fun fun fun). P.A. Parenteau got in just fine, though; he arrived this morning and was on the ice today, with Dane Byers having ...
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NHL
New York Rangers
Christopher Higgins
Henrik's good to go; Brash bats 1,000
Twenty bodies at the morning skate today, just enough to field a team against the Atlanta Thrashers tonight - and that team will have Henrik Lundqvist starting in its nets. Lundqvist was on the ice for only the third time in the last seven days but ...
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NHL
New York Rangers
Henrik Lundqvist
Drury stays off ice after concussion
The Rangers were back on the ice Wednesday morning in Greenburgh after no skate the previous day to lick their various wounds.
All were present and accounted for except injured center Brandon Dubinsky (broken hand) and captain Chris Drury, who ...
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NHL
Chris Drury
New York Rangers
Atlanta Thrashers
'The closest thing I've seen to Bobby Orr'
Those are the words of Steve Yzerman in his Hockey Hall of Fame induction speech tonight, talking about watching Brian Leetch play in the 1994 playoffs (which Yzerman had plenty of time to watch after the expansion Sharks knocked off his Red Wings in ...
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NHL
New York Rangers
Slats: We have enough at center
Glen Sather is up here in Toronto for Brian Leetch’s Hall of Fame induction tonight, and said his plan is to sit tight with his roster and let the current crop fill the holes at center. With Chris Drury and Brandon Dubinsky injured in Saturday ...
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NHL
New York Rangers
Chris Drury
Brandon Dubinsky
Toronto Maple Leafs
Concussion for Drury; possible broken bone for Dubie
Most of the Rangers on the bench didn’t see the hit, but the ones who did - and some of them were upstairs - were incensed by Curtis Glencross’ blindside, away-from-the-puck hit on a helpless Chris Drury that left the Ranger captain laid ...
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NHL
New York Rangers
Chris Drury
Henrik's hurtin', won't play tonight
Change of plan: It’ll be Steve Valiquette in the nets tonight for the Rangers in Calgary, not Henrik Lundqvist, who has what seems to be a right leg injury and will be held out of his second straight game tonight. Lundqvist was out there for ...
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NHL
New York Rangers
Henrik Lundqvist
Changing Shooey
As the rest of New York shakes the ticker tape out of its hair (congrats, Yanks), I bid you hello from Calgary, where the Rangers will be playing on "Hockey Night in Canada” for the fourth time already this season. And while the Rangers made ...
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NHL
New York Rangers
Calgary Flames
Byers banned, Torts fined; Lisin should return
Dane Byers has been suspended and John Tortorella fined coming out of Byers' fight late in the Rangers' 4-1 loss to the Canucks on Tuesday. The penalties are automatic - per NHL rules, when a player receives an instigator penalty in the last five ...
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NHL
New York Rangers
Vancouver Canucks
Marian Gaborik
Renney reflects on Rangers
Tom Renney is behind the visitors' bench at Nassau Coliseum tonight and he doesn't have half the building rooting for his team (or half the building even full), so you know something is very different. But it was certainly a pleasure to be able to ...
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NHL
New York Rangers
Tom Renney
Bon voyage, Blueshirts
The Rangers have gone from the Garden to the airport for this week's Western Canadian swing, and the 1-0 victory over Boston will make this flight is a whole lot more pleasant, even if plenty of icepacks will be making the rounds on the plane.
One ...
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NHL
New York Rangers
Get well, Gabby
The Rangers can't get Marian Gaborik back soon enough, but they have to be wondering where they can get him back soon at all. On a day Gaborik tested his injured right leg in the morning and said it just didn't feel right, the Rangers put on an ...
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NHL
New York Rangers
Minnesota Wild
Marian Gaborik
Gabby doubtful for Wild homecoming
If you're a Minnesota Wild fan who coughed up a bunch of money to see Marian Gaborik's return to St. Paul, sorry, you may be out of luck - and if you're a Ranger fan hoping to see your best player get back in the lineup tomorrow, well, same deal, ...
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NHL
New York Rangers
Marian Gaborik
Minnesota Wild
Gaborik out vs. Isles
Scratch Marian Gaborik from the Ranger lineup for the first time this season, meaning the Rangers may have to tap some new sources for a little finish. P.A. Parenteau, the AHL’s leading scorer with eight goals in nine games, arrived from ...
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NHL
New York Rangers
Marian Gaborik
New York Islanders
Gaborik off; Henrik in fender bender
Marian Gaborik was off the ice today, but so was Henrik Lundqvist after the Rangers' franchise goaltender was involved in a single-car accident on his way up to practice - he was unhurt. Apparently Lundqvist's car skidded on the slick surface of the ...
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NHL
New York Rangers
Marian Gaborik
Henrik Lundqvist
Gaborik: 'It's nothing major'
Seeing Marian Gaborik flexing a leg and leaving a game before the final horn sounds obviously is going to kick up much more of a fuss than most other players, because of his history and because of the skill that was on display again tonight. It's ...
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NHL
New York Rangers
Marian Gaborik
Higgins in yellow; Henrik honors Plante
Henrik Lundqvist was on the ice (in a replacement helmet) and Christopher Higgins was out there, too (in yellow) - the news of the day from Ranger practice today.
Higgins, benched yesterday after a penalty and a blown coverage in the second ...
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NHL
New York Rangers
Henrik Lundqvist
Christopher Higgins
On lineups, Lisin, et les Alouettes
Forget about Marc Staal and Dan Girardi being split up, at least for the start of this game - John Tortorella had been contemplating the change and had them apart in practice yesterday, but he'll begin tonight's game here in Montreal status quo on ...
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NHL
New York Rangers
Shake 'em up
Just about everybody was playing with somebody new in practice today, some of it a holdover from the juggling John Tortorella did against the Devils but this time stretching into the defense pairs, too. Torts didn't want to beat up Marc Staal and Dan ...
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NHL
New York Rangers
Montreal Canadiens
Torts: You gotta produce!
In virtually a mirror image of Monday’s drubbing at the hands of the Sharks, it was the start that hurt the Rangers this time, something they couldn’t overcome with a solid final 40 in a 4-2 loss to New Jersey. That, and, as I wrote in my ...
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NHL
New York Rangers
Richter & Messier honored with Lester Patrick Award
Wrapping up from Gotham Hall, where Mark Messier, Mike Richter and Blues, Islanders and Red Wings executive/architect Jim Devellano were honored tonight with the Lester Patrick Award, which recognizes outstanding service to hockey in the United ...
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NHL
New York Rangers
Mark Messier
Vallie & win streak take it on the chin
Give Steve Valiquette credit for one thing. Those of us who cover the team would say you'd be hard-pressed to find a time Vallie wouldn't want to have a chat with you, but I imagine tonight was one of those times - still, he came out after everyone ...
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NHL
New York Rangers
Shark from the North Shore
There is certainly no shortage of Long Island representation in tonight's Rangers-Sharks game at the Garden, so when I decided to take a little detour today to check out the Sharks' morning skate at MSG, I spent a little time chatting with San Jose ...
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NHL
New York Rangers
San Jose Sharks
Hits on Henrik keep on comin’
John Tortorella was trying to get a message out when he spoke up after the game that teams are being allowed some liberties with Henrik Lundqvist, and it strikes me that the man has a point. There are only so many times you can see your goaltender ...
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NHL
Dealing with success
Getting set to drop the puck on the second meeting in six days between the Rangers and the Leafs in Toronto, where the issues of the day involve two teams who have gone in opposite directions out of the gates, and also the return of local kid Michael ...
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NHL
New York Rangers
Toronto Maple Leafs
Brashear's status: 'Fantastic'
That's how Donald Brashear would like to be listed on the injury report, please - Brashear is "fantastic" for tomorrow night's game against the Maple Leafs in Toronto, this news coming a couple days after the big guy's status was the much more boring ...
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NHL
New York Rangers
Toronto Maple Leafs
Donald Brashear
Kings for another day
The L.A. Kings left Madison Square Garden tonight with some pretty impressed New Yorkers liking the way their rebuilding has finally taken shape. The Rangers left the Garden with two points in their pocket, so the home team still got the better deal. ...
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NHL
New York Rangers
Los Angeles Kings
Marian Gaborik
Mornings at the Garden
Maybe John Tortorella should put a call into Tom Coughlin to ask how to deal with trap games, given the Giants’ recent pummeling of three straight struggling/awful opponents. We’re not calling the Toronto Maple Leafs the Oakland ...
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NHL
New York Rangers
Toronto Maple Leafs
Avery's good to go; when to play Vallie?
Sean Avery says he's ready to go tomorrow, Steve Valiquette went through practice like a man taking the start in nets tomorrow, and John Tortorella wouldn't say a word about any of it.
Avery skated today for a second straight day with the ...
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NHL
New York Rangers
Sean Avery
All together now
After a lighthearted practice for a team on a three-game winning streak, a lot of talk about what John Tortorella won't do:
For starters, he wouldn't pile on Michal Rozsival or even delve into why he benched the struggling blueliner for all but ...
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NHL
New York Rangers
John Tortorella
Dizzy in D.C.
Tough to make heads or tails from a game in which the Rangers displayed so many flaws and so much grit at the same time. But they have Marian Gaborik now, so apparently they can get away with some things.
Including a goal Henrik Lundqvist let in ...
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NHL
New York Rangers
Grachev called up
Evgeny Grachev has been summoned from Hartford today and could make his NHL debut tonight if an upper-body injury means Ryan Callahan can't go.
Grachev, 19, was sent to Hartford last month after training camp convinced the Rangers that last year's ...
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NHL
New York Rangers
John Tortorella
Avery targets Sunday; Brash targets Caps
Count Sean Avery out of tomorrow night’s game in Washington, but get ready to see him back at the Garden on Sunday against the Ducks. Avery practiced once again today in his too-familiar no-contact jersey (back to orange this time), and while ...
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NHL
New York Rangers
Sean Avery
‘This isn’t run-and-gun’
Are these just the side effects of cramming on a new system with so many new faces over a couple weeks of training camp?
We’ll begin to find out soon enough whether the Rangers, who clearly are still getting acquainted, can clean up the ...
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NHL
Opening night: A is for Cally
Ryan Callahan will wear the 'A' this season as the Rangers' alternate captain as John Tortorella decided to give out one letter today rather than two. Callahan, who has been in the Rangers' organization since being drafted in the fourth round in ...
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NHL
New York Rangers
Avery out; Rangers un-sign Semenov
Hold the phone on that Alexei Semenov signing, at least for now. A night after the Rangers announced they had a contract with the big blueliner, Semenov was not on the ice at practice today and afterward, John Tortorella couldn't answer a question ...
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NHL
New York Rangers
Sean Avery
Alexei Semenov
Rangers sign Semenov
The Rangers have awarded Alexei Semenov’s strong camp with a one-year deal believed to be worth in the neighborhood of $600,000. So the Rangers’ seven defensemen are set heading into Friday night’s opener, and they’ll keep a ...
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NHL
New York Rangers
San Jose Sharks
Alexei Semenov
Avery skates, but still may sit
Sean Avery was back on the ice for the first time since Sept. 21, wearing an orange no-contact jersey (contact in practice started the problem in the first place) and mostly taking drills for the latter part of practice. Still up in the air as to ...
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NHL
Sean Avery
New York Rangers
Rangers make it a 'Late Night'
The Rangers will play late-night tonight when 10 players join the "Late Show with David Letterman" to read the show's "Top Ten list." Henrik Lundqvist, Sean Avery, Marian Gaborik, Marc Staal, Ryan Callahan, Chris Drury, Donald Brashear, Dan Girardi, ...
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NHL
New York Rangers
Henrik Lundqvist
Sean Avery
Marian Gaborik
Chris Drury
Donald Brashear
Who's here, who's not, who's on Letterman
The Rangers have their 22 on the roster and their 21 on the ice for practice today, and you could tell there is a meaningful game around the corner by the pace of today's session. With Evgeny Grachev in Hartford, the forwards are set at least until ...
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NHL
New York Rangers
'One last crack at it'
That's how Brian Boyle is approaching tomorrow's preseason finale in Washington, with the fourth-line center position the last up for grabs among the forwards the Rangers will take to Pittsburgh. John Tortorella said yesterday that Artem Anisimov had ...
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NHL
New York Rangers
Washington Capitals
Inside tracks
As the Rangers were coming off the ice and into the dressing room this afternoon, I asked three players an innocuous "How ya doin'?" and got the same response each time: "Tired." The hour-and-a-half practice (the goaltenders were on 15 minutes early) ...
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NHL
New York Rangers
With all due respect ...
Honestly, just a thought: Donald Brashear is a Ranger. Blair Betts is about to become a Flyer. Whose side are these Garden fans on, anyway?
I know old grudges die hard, and people here respected Bettsie, but in this case they die, then come to ...
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NHL
New York Rangers
Donald Brashear
Gilroy is top rook as Bobby gets hook
It's been that kind of camp: Matt Gilroy is winning awards, Bobby Sanguinetti is not quite there yet.
John Tortorella addressed the Rangers' demotion of their former first-round draft pick before the preseason match with the Capitals that is going ...
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NHL
New York Rangers
Sanguinetti to Hartford
John Tortorella was on his way off the rink at the end of the morning skate today, but on his way he stopped to have a lengthy talk with Bobby Sanguinetti.
Turns out that was the beginning of a meeting in which the coach informed the Trenton ...
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