WIN TO GET IN – WON AND IT’S DONE

VERSUS

NEW YORK RANGERS POST-GAME NOTES AND QUOTES

April 9, 2011 – New York Rangers 5, New Jersey Devils 2 (Game No. 82, Home No. 41)

Click Here For The Official Game Summary

• The Rangers defeated the New Jersey Devils, 5-2, today at Madison Square Garden, to complete their 2010-11 regular season schedule with a record of 44-33-5 overall, including a 20-17-4 mark at home.  New York posted a record of 11-4-1 in their final 16 contests, and won six of their last eight games at MSG (6-1-1).
• New York currently sits in eighth place in the Eastern Conference standings, and will advance to the playoffs with a Carolina loss tonight vs. Tampa Bay.
• The Blueshirts had 14 players register at least one point in the contest.  The last time they had 14 or more players with at least a point was January 19, 2010 vs. Tampa Bay (8-2 win, 16 players).
• Ryan McDonagh tallied his first career NHL goal, the game-winner, at 11:59 of the second period, and posted a plus-two rating in 22:12 of ice time.  McDonagh has posted a plus or even rating in 32 of his 40 games, and ranks second on the team and sixth among NHL rookies with a plus-16 rating.
• Rangers’ Captain Chris Drury notched a goal in his return to the lineup after missing the previous 27 games due to injury.  He tallied the goal at 3:14 of the first period, just 1:11 after the Devils took the lead.
• Vinny Prospal recorded his fifth multi-point performance of the season with two points, including the primary assist on the game-winner and a goal at 10:49 of the third period.  He has registered 20 points (seven goals, 13 assists) in the last 21 games, and leads the team with 14 assists and ranks second in scoring with 23 points (nine goals, 14 assists) in 29 games since returning from injury on Feb. 3.
• Henrik Lundqvist made 24 saves to improve to 36-27-5 overall, including a 16-14-4 mark at home.  His 36 wins are tied for sixth most in Rangers’ history.  He is 11-4-1 with a 2.10 GAA, .930 Sv% and three shutouts in the last 16 games.
• The Rangers were credited with 40 hits in the contest, led by Brian Boyle (eight) and Brandon Dubinsky (seven).  Entering today’s contest, Boyle led the Rangers and ranked 11th in the NHL with 232 hits.  Dubinsky also registered the primary assist on Brandon Prust’s goal at 16:06 of the second period.
• Wojtek Wolski notched a goal at 1:52 of the second period to tie the game at two goals apiece.  He has now registered three points (one goal, two assists) in the last three games.
• Brandon Prust tallied one goal and was credited with four hits in the contest.  The Rangers improved to 19-7-2 when he registers a point.
• Marian Gaborik recorded an assist on the game-winning goal, and registered a game-high, five shots on goal.  He has now tallied four assists in the last five games.
• Ruslan Fedotenko and Michael Sauer each tallied an assist on Wolski’s second period, game-tying goal.  Fedotenko has now registered three points (one goal, two assists) in the last four games.  Sauer has recorded three points (one goal, two assists) in the last three games.
• Erik Christensen and Mats Zuccarello each registered an assist on Drury’s first period goal.  Christensen has recorded 13 points (five goals, eight assists) in the last 18 games, and the Rangers improved to 15-4-0 when he registers a point.  Zuccarello has registered four assists in his last seven games.
• Dan Girardi, Derek Stepan and Artem Anisimov each recorded an assist in the contest.  Girardi completed the regular season with career-highs in assists (27) and points (31).  Stepan has recorded four points (one goal, three assists) in the last four games.  Anisimov has tallied 12 points (four goals, eight assists) in the last 16 games, and the Rangers improved to 24-6-2 when he records a point.
• The Blueshirts do not have practice scheduled for tomorrow, Apr. 10.

POST-GAME QUOTES

John Tortorella on the team…

“I think we have a plan.  I think that it is very important to have a plan.  I like the youth that we have infused.  I think we have used our minor league system.  The foundation, the guts of this team is our guys.  I think we are only going to get better.  I think we created an identity.”

Henrik Lundqvist on the year…

“I think last year was really tough.  This year, it feels like we have been consistent the whole year.  We had a couple bumps here and there.  It is hard to be satisfied or disappointed right now.  If we are in, I think it is a great year.  If not, you cannot be happy about the year.  We will see.”

Chris Drury on his goal…

“You don’t want to give them a chance to get comfortable with the lead and build momentum off of it.  Anytime you give up a goal you try to respond the right way and as fast as you can.”

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