FROM THE CREASE with BRUCE BERLET

BY: Bruce Berlet

GREENBURGH, N.Y. – There was a passing of the veteran center guard in New York Rangers camp on Thursday.

A day after buying out the final year of Trumbull native/captain Chris Drury’s five-year, $35.35-million contract, the Rangers signed veteran John Mitchell, the Connecticut Whale’s best player in the playoffs in April.

Mitchell, 26, was acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs on Feb. 28 for a seventh-round pick in 2012 to help compensate for the loss of Tim Kennedy, who was part of a deal with the Florida Panthers that helped the Rangers land defenseman Bryan McCabe. Mitchell signed a two-way deal for $650,000 in the NHL and $105,000 in the AHL after having a one-way deal at $725,000 last season, according to capgeek.com.

FROM THE CREASE with BRUCE BERLET

BY: Bruce Berlet

More future Connecticut Whale players will be selected in the NHL draft Friday night and Saturday at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn.

The parent New York Rangers have the 15^th pick and are likely to take a forward considering goaltending is in good hands for years with Henrik Lundqvist, who is getting married this summer in his native Sweden, and the defense is full of youngsters such as former Hartford Wolf Pack blueliners Marc Staal, Dan Girardi, Michael Sauer, Ryan McDonagh. And Michael Del Zotto who played in the NHL and AHL last season before being sidelined March 5 with a broken hand sustained when hit by a puck in a 2-1 overtime victory over the Springfield Falcons.

FROM THE CREASE – SEASON IN REVIEW with BRUCE BERLET

By Bruce Berlet

HARTFORD, CT – With the sting of another first-round playoff elimination fresh in everyone’s mind, it can be difficult to find positives in even the most trying of seasons.

But New York Rangers assistant coach/assistant general manager and Connecticut Whale GM Jim Schoenfeld found plenty to be thankful for from members of the parent club’s top affiliate that helped keep the “Black-and-Blueshirts,” as New York Post hockey writer Larry Brooks coined them, afloat when a plethora of injuries to key personnel hit in record numbers.

THEY’LL TAKE IT

  VERSUS  

NEW YORK RANGERS POST-GAME NOTES

Eastern Conference Quarterfinals – Game Three

Madison Square Garden, April 17, 2011

	1st	2nd	3rd	OT	Final	Click Here For:
Washington Capitals	0	1	1	-	2	Game Summary
New York Rangers	0	1	2	-	3	Event Summary

Team Notes:

- The Rangers defeated the Washington Capitals, 3-2, today at Madison Square Garden, in Game Three of their Eastern Conference Quarterfinal match-up.  New York trails in the series 2-1.

THREE TIMES THE CHARM? SOME GOALS WOULD HELP!

NY RANGERS vs. WASHINGTON CAPITALS
2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs – Eastern Conference Quarterfinal, Game Three
Sunday, Apr. 17, 3:00 p.m.
Madison Square Garden • New York, NY
Rangers (Regular Season): 44-33-5 (93 pts)
Capitals (Regular Season): 48-23-11 (107 pts)

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)

RANGERS HUNGRY FOR CHEESESTEAKS

NY RANGERS at PHILADELPHIA FLYERS
Sunday, Apr. 3, 12:30 p.m.
Wells Fargo Center • Philadelphia, PA
Rangers: 41-32-5 (87 pts)
Flyers: 46-22-10 (102 pts)
* All information through NHL games on Apr. 1

WATERBOARDED ON THE ISLAND

VERSUS

NEW YORK RANGERS POST-GAME NOTES
March 31, 2011 – New York Rangers 2, New York Islanders 6 (Game No. 78, Away No. 40)

RANGERS LOOK TO CENSURE SENATORS

NY RANGERS vs. OTTAWA SENATORS
Thursday, Mar. 24, 7:00 p.m.
Madison Square Garden • New York, NY
Rangers: 40-30-4 (84 pts)
Senators: 27-37-9 (63 pts)
* All information through NHL games on Mar. 22

HOME COOKING

VERSUS

NEW YORK RANGERS POST-GAME NOTES AND QUOTES

March 18, 2011 – New York Rangers 6, Montreal Canadiens 3 (Game No. 72, Home No. 36)

Click Here For The Official Game Summary