RANGERS THEME – TOM PETTY’S FREE FALLIN’
OFFICIAL GM REPORTS GOALIES
Game Summary BOS: A. Khudobin (W) NYR: H. Lundqvist (L), O. Pavelec (ND)
Event Summary
KILL ZONE – The Rangers were 2-for-2 (4:00) on the penalty kill in tonight’s contest.
HOT AT THE DOT – The Blueshirts won 31 of 49 faceoffs in tonight’s game (63.3%), and all four Rangers who took a faceoff posted a faceoff win percentage of 50.0% or better.
Rick Nash tallied a goal and led the Rangers with four shots on goal. As of the conclusion of tonight’s game, Nash is tied for third in the NHL in goals since Jan. 16 (seven). He has registered eight points (seven goals, one assist) in the last 10 games, and he ranks second on the Rangers in goals (16) and even strength goals (13) this season. Nash recorded his 797th career NHL point in tonight’s contest.
Kevin Hayes tied for the game-high with eight faceoff wins (8-for-12; 66.7%) and was credited with two hits.
Mika Zibanejad tied for the game-high with eight faceoff wins (8-for-10; 80.0%), recorded two shots on goal, and registered two hits.
Cody McLeod led all skaters with five hits and was assessed two fighting majors in tonight’s contest. He has registered 22 hits in four games with the Rangers.
- Alain Vigneault, New York Rangers head coach
On tonight’s game…
“We started off the game well. We had good energy. We were following the game plan. We were doing our jobs on the ice. Cody [McLeod] went out and showed some aggressiveness. I thought we deserved better than being down by a goal but there’s no doubt that in the 2nd period that after that third and fourth goal, we fell hard after that. We stopped doing our jobs on the ice.”
On the team’s performance…
“I think tonight there’s no doubt that our guys were prepared to play and we knew what we had to do. We came out and we were doing it. That third and fourth line I believe should be able to respond after that, but we didn’t respond. We stopped doing our jobs on the ice and there’s no doubt that they made us look very bad tonight.”
- Bruce Cassidy, Boston Bruins head coach
On effort tonight…
“For a back-to-back, you are always concerned about whether you have your legs. I thought we had our legs and in the first period, our goaltender was terrific. We had some breakdowns in the slot which is a little uncharacteristic of us. Give credit to the Rangers for getting there, but we got through it. We got a lead going into the second and once that happened, our group thought we would be in good shape after getting through the first period.”
On Khudobin’s big saves in the first…
“The one on Nash was unbelievable. It happened last week with Tuukka at home when he made that big save backdoor and we ended up winning. That sometimes gets lost, but it wasn’t on us tonight. He was excellent in the first period. There were some things we need to do better – starting with breakouts – but he was there for us. Our slot coverage is generally pretty solid most nights, but for whatever reason, it wasn’t there in the first period. But like I said, he was the difference tonight and he was good all year.”
- Ryan McDonagh, New York Rangers defenseman
On tonight’s game…
“It’s probably one of the worst games of my career and one of the worst games I’ve ever been a part of in my Rangers career, so that pretty much sums it up.”
On playing Calgary on Friday…
“I think it’s one of the last teams we haven’t played yet. All I know is if we have any kind of effort like tonight, it’s going to be a similar result. We need a lot better from everybody and definitely myself.”
On the recent tough stretch for the team…
“It’s been brutal, no question about it. With everything going on with the team, we need to stay focused on trying to put together somewhat of a complete game. We’re not getting close.”
- Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers goaltender
On tonight’s game…
“I think it was disappointing, frustrating, and embarrassing. For me personally, I think I start the game the way I want, aggressive. Then we make a couple mistakes there and it costs us. I think the way things have been going a little bit lately takes me from being the way I want to be – on my toes, aggressive – to being a little passive in the second, late to react when he misfired on that third one, and just passive on the fourth goal. For me personally, I think it’s obviously just a mental thing right now, it’s not technical. I think last game I played exactly the way I want to play. And today, after they scored two in the first, instead of staying aggressive the way I need to be aggressive I become passive. When you lose a lot, obviously it’s going to affect you a little bit and you have to work harder to stay in a certain mindset. As a group, we start the game well, we do. But after that, I don’t know if the goals affect us as a group as well, the way it affected me.”
On Bergeron’s first goal…
“He misfired. I read it high. I think he’s going high so my body is kind of going up and the puck stays on the ice, so I was late to close it with my pad. Again, being a little bit passive in the second period after those first two goals in the first. I have to be more aggressive and then maybe I react faster, but he tricked me. I tried to go up with my body and it went on the ice when he misfired. Coming from last game, I felt really good, played the way I wanted to play. Those two goals in the first had a negative effect on my play. Knowing how hard it is for us right now to score goals and get going, we make a couple mistakes and it cost us. I think that’s the key right now, not to overreact when bad things happen. It’s hard when things have been going as bad as they have lately, to stay the course and stay focused on the right things. Personally, and as a team, we are not even close in the second half of the game, but part of that is because of my two mistakes in the second.”
- Zdeno Chara, Boston Bruins defenseman
On tonight’s game…
“The first period was a pretty even one. I think both teams were trying to establish their game. We got a lucky bounce when we scored early and tied the game. And after that Anton (Khudobin) made some really good saves for us and we got ahead. That first period, it was pretty even and then we started moving the puck and established ourselves much better, establishing the forecheck and placing pucks to establish our game and make more executions. We scored some goals that put us in a good spot into the third period.”
On the team playing hard on a back to back…
“We were talking we wanted to keep making strong plays and play well defensively. We want to play up to a certain standard and not worry about what the other team does. We just want to focus on us.”
Tomorrow (Thursday, Feb. 8): Practice, 12:00 p.m. at MSG Training Center
Next Game: Friday, Feb. 9 vs. Calgary (7:00 p.m. ET – TV: MSG Network)
*Schedule subject to change
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