FAN-FARE: THE AVERY LEGACY

BY: Adam Gavriel

It appears that the Sean Avery saga is finally coming to an end with the Rangers…again. Though this time it seems to be for good and not just with the Rangers, but with the NHL, KHL, SEL, AHL, or any hockey league you can think of.

Last night on Bravo’s Watch What Happens Live, Sean Avery proclaimed that he was retiring from hockey and that he, “…Threw his skates into the Hudson.” Many had speculated that the end of Avery’s career was right around the corner, that he had, between his actions and words, burned too many bridges in the NHL and its affiliates to have a legitimate shot at being put on re-entry waivers this season by the Rangers. Turns out, those speculations may have been correct.

SPOTLIGHT: TIM ERIXON

BY: Bruce Berlet

It was hardly surprising that the New York Rangers called up rookie defenseman Tim Erixon from the Connecticut Whale on Wednesday.

Erixon’s role with the AHL’s Northeast Division leaders has expanded, and his play has steadily improved since he was assigned to the Whale on Oct. 29. The 20-year-old had been on the Whale’s No. 1 power-play unit and become among the team’s top penalty killers as he put together a three-game assist streak with four assists. He also moved to first among defensemen and tied for sixth overall in team scoring with 12 points (one goal, 11 assists) in only 13 games.

ONE IS THE LONELIEST NUMBER FOR THE RANGERS

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NEW YORK RANGERS POST-GAME NOTES

December 13, 2011 (Game 28, Home Game 13)

Madison Square Garden – New York, New York

 

 

	1st	2nd	3rd	OT	Final	Click Here For:
Dallas Stars	0	0	1	-	1	Game Summary
NY Rangers	0	0	0	-	0	Event Summary

Team Notes:

-        The Rangers were defeated by the Dallas Stars, 1-0, tonight at Madison Square Garden.  After two scoreless periods, the Stars’ Trevor Daley tallied the game’s only goal with 4:59 remaining in regulation.

-        New York is now 17-7-4 (38 pts) on the season, including an 8-3-2 record at home.  The Rangers’ seven regulation losses are tied for the fewest in the league.

-        The Blueshirts held the Stars scoreless in two shorthanded situations (4:00), and have now held their opponent scoreless on the power play in four straight games (16-16, 100.0% over the span) while tallying three shorthanded goals during the stretch. The Rangers’ penalty kill is 26-28 (92.9%) in the last nine games.

WILL THE RANGERS DO TO THE STARS WHAT THE GIANTS DID TO THE COWBOYS?

NY RANGERS vs. DALLAS STARS
Tuesday, Dec. 13, 7:00 p.m.
Madison Square Garden – New York, NY
Rangers: 17-6-4 (38 pts)
Stars: 16-11-1 (33 pts)

* All information through NHL games on Dec. 11

TOMORROW’S GAME:

The Rangers will face-off against the Dallas Stars tomorrow at Madison Square Garden (7:00 p.m.), in their fourth game in six days. The Blueshirts currently rank second in the Atlantic Division standings, and fourth in the Eastern Conference, with a record of 17-6-4 (38 pts). The Rangers enter the contest having defeated the Florida Panthers, 6-1, on Sunday at Madison Square Garden, to sweep their weekend back-to-back set. New York has now recorded at least one point in 16 of their last 19 contests (14-3-2). The Stars enter the contest with a 16-11-1 (33 pts) record to rank third in the Western Conference, and have lost two of their last three games. Following tomorrow’s contest, the Rangers will face-off against the St. Louis Blues on Thursday, Dec. 15, at Scottrade Center (8:00 p.m.), to begin a three-game road trip.

BROADCAST INFORMATION:

· TV: MSG Network

6:30 p.m. – Rangers Pre-Game Show with Al Trautwig and Brian Leetch
7:00 p.m. – Rangers vs. Stars
Broadcasters: Sam Rosen (Play-By-Play), Joe Micheletti (Analyst), John Giannone (In-Game Reporter)

· Radio: 1050 ESPN Radio and newyorkrangers.com

6:30 p.m. – Rangers Pre-Game Show

7:00 p.m. – Rangers vs. Stars

Broadcasters: Kenny Albert (Play-By-Play), Dave Maloney (Analyst)

A KING AMONG ROAD WARRIORS

BY: Ray Schmitt, Voice of the Greenville Road Warriors

GREENVILLE, SC - The Greenville Road Warriors announced today that forward Tristan King has been assigned to the team by the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League.

King, 20, comes to Greenville after beginning the season with the Idaho Steelheads of the ECHL. The second-year forward notched one goal in four games with Idaho this season. As a rookie in 2010-11 King split his time between Idaho and the Texas Stars of the American Hockey League. He produced four points (2G, 2A) in 11 games with the Stars and 13 points (3G, 10A) in 24 games with the Steelheads.

BRUCE BERLET REPORTS – AVERY, “I COULD PROBABLY PLAY”

BY: Bruce Berlet

Sean Avery, wearing a yellow no-contact jersey, skated for the first time in nearly three weeks Wednesday morning in a 50-minute workout with the Connecticut Whale at the XL Center in Hartford.

Avery participated in the entire practice, including special teams drills in which he actually played a little defense on the penalty kill. It was his first ice time since he was injured in his third preseason game with the parent New York Rangers on Sept. 30 in Gothenburg, Sweden. His workout ended with a brief chat with Whale coach Ken Gernander and more treatment on the injury.

RANGERS – WHALE MOVES STILL BEING MADE

RANGERS CLAIM DEFENSEMAN JEFF WOYWITKA
Defenseman Stu Bickel Assigned to Connecticut

New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced today that the team has claimed defenseman Jeff Woywitka off waivers from the Montreal Canadiens.  In addition, defenseman Stu Bickel has been assigned to Connecticut of the American Hockey League (AHL).

BABY RANGERS COME UP SHORT IN TRAVERSE FINAL

BY: Bruce Berlet

The New York Rangers prospects team felt it had a lot more to do and give Wednesday night after a lackluster effort during most of an overtime loss to the Carolina Hurricanes in their robin-round finale Tuesday afternoon.

The Rangers didn’t consistently have the speed, grit and play making that they had shown in convincing wins over the St. Louis Blues and Dallas Stars, and there would be no better time to atone for the unimpressive performance than against the Buffalo Sabres in the championship game of the prospects tournament in Traverse City, Michigan.

DESPITE OT LOSS, BABY RANGERS PLAY FOR TRAVERSE CHAMPIONSHIP WEDNESDAY NIGHT

BY: Bruce Berlet

Having already clinched a spot in the championship game, the New York Rangers prospects looked to enter their bid for a second tournament title undefeated Tuesday afternoon in Traverse City, Mich.

The winless Carolina Hurricanes provided the opposition, and the Rangers failed to show much of the speed, tenacity and play making they showed in their first two games, losing three leads and a 4-3 decision with 41 seconds left in a second overtime of 3-on-3 on Justin Shugg’s breakaway backhander off a turnover by Christian Thomas.

As Thomas, who scored the Rangers’ third goal with less than a second left in the first period, tried to make a play at the Carolina blue line, Skugg deftly poked away the puck, raced past defenseman/captain Dylan McIlrath and center Jonathan Audy-Marchessault and put a shot between the legs of Jason Missiaen (35 saves).

FROM THE CREASE with BRUCE BERLET

BY: Bruce Berlet

And on the third day, they rested – deservedly so.

Yes, Monday was an off day for the New York Rangers’ prospects team that moved to 2-0 in a tournament in Traverse City, Mich., with a 6-2 romp over the Dallas Stars on Sunday night. Left wing Ryan Bourque, son of NHL Hall of Famer Ray Bourque, had two goals to increase his total to a team-high three in two games and a team record eight in three tournament appearances. The Rangers broke open the game with third-period goals by Jason Wilson, Andrew Yogan and Bourque.

J.T. Miller, the Rangers’ first-round pick (15^th overall) in June, Shane McColgan and Bourque scored in the first period, when Scott Stajcer enabled the Blueshirts to enjoy a 3-1 lead by making 14 of his 26 saves. The Rangers allowed a power-play goal with only 17 seconds left in the second period that got the Stars to 3-2 and gave them a 25-20 shot advantage. But after a plea from coach Ken Gernander for better skating and pressure on Stars goalie Jack Campbell, the Rangers got the first 14 shots of the third period in amassing a 19-3 advantage in the final 20 minutes.