Rangers ready for 1st taste of exciting player in Rick Nash deal
PHILADELPHIA — Ryan Lindgren, the promising 20-year-old defenseman whose rights the Rangers obtained from Boston as part of the Rick Nash deal, is expected to make his pro debut with the AHL Wolf Pack on Saturday.
Lindgren, who opted to leave the University of Minnesota following his sophomore season, will play under an ATO (amateur tryout) before his three-year entry level deal kicks in next season. The Wolf Pack, which have 10 games remaining, have a home-and-home this weekend against the Hershey Bears that kicks off Saturday afternoon in Hartford.
The 6-foot, 198-pounder — the 49th-overall selection in the 2016 draft — is renowned for his leadership ability and eagerness to step up for his teammates.
“I talked to Gorts and he spoke very highly of his competitive nature,” coach Alain Vigneault said, referring to general manager Jeff Gorton. “He comes to play, and he plays hard. He’s a real character young man.”
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Mika Zibanejad keeps rewarding Rangers faith, even in latest loss
PHILADELPHIA — This is the Mika Zibanejad the Rangers envisioned…
Jesper Fast, who scored twice in Thursday’s 4-3 defeat to the Flyers, has recorded eight points (three goals, five assists) in six games since he was elevated to the first line with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider.
Fast, who has scored a career-high 13 goals, has a seven-game point scoring streak in which he has posted nine points (3-6).
The Rangers appeared to have tied the game 4-4 at 10:09 of the third period on a Kreider power-play goal, but the play was whistled offside on an apparently incorrect call.
“It looked like it was onside,” said Vigneault, irate when the call was made. “It was a call that unfortunately didn’t go our way.”
Blueshirts’ tragic number for elimination dipped to seven points.
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Henrik Lundqvist has scary collision in Rangers latest loss
It is almost impossible to comprehend. Henrik Lundqvist, whose 430…
Henrik Lundqvist did not make the trip for Thursday’s match against the Flyers after feeling the effects of his collision on Tuesday with the Blue Jackets’ Matt Calvert.
“Hank is feeling a little better,” Vigneault said. “But he still has some neck issues.”
Alexandar Georgiev allowed four goals on 33 shots while Ondrej Pavelec served as the backup, dressing for the first time since sustaining a knee injury Feb. 9.
Ryan Spooner moved to the middle and Vladislav Namestnikov shifted to left wing, the first time for each as a Ranger. Neither was particularly effective.
Namestnikov, who opened with Kevin Hayes and Mats Zuccarello, was demoted to the fourth line starting late in the second period while Cody McLeod moved up.