Bantering Points: 1/12/25

Here are today's news and links:

Rangers News:

Highlights: NYR 2, VGK 1 (5:03 video via NHL.com)

Game Recap: Unlikely heroes shone for the Blueshirts once again as Adam Edstrom broke a third period tie to secure the game-winning goal and lead the Rangers to consecutive victories for the first time in nearly two months (CBS Sports)

Mollie Walker chatted with Reilly Smith about how the veteran forward thought his career was nearing its end before he ended up as a member of the Vegas Golden Knights in the club's inaugural season (NY Post)

Walker also pointed to the return of Jimmy Vesey to the lineup after sitting as a healthy scratch in the prior contest (NY Post)

Colin Stephenson credits Vincent Trocheck for filling in admirably at Chris Kreider's net front role on the power play (Newsday)

Jesse Courville-Lynch speculates about Zac Jones' future in the wake of the news that Jones has been given permission to seek a trade (The Hockey Writers)

Remy Mastey offers his take on New York's decision to send Brett Berard to AHL Hartford and recall Bo Groulx to take Berard's place (The Hockey News)

Peter Baugh grade$ the Blue$hirt$ defen$eman and goaltender$ through the fir$t half of the 2024-25 campaign (The Athletic)

Around the NHL:

The USHL's Dubuque Fighting Saints retired No. 8 in honor of the late Johnny Gaudreau, who donned the number when he spent the 2010-11 season with the team and helped the Fighting Saints win the league championship that year (TSN)

Anaheim Ducks forward Cutter Gauthier was serenaded with boos in his first game in Philadelphia since requesting a trade out of the Flyers organization as Philadelphia blew out Anaheim 6-0 (Sportsnet)

Alex Ovechkin pulled closer to Wayne Gretzky's all-time goals record as the Washington Capitals captain scored in his team's 4-1 victory over the Nashville Predators (ESPN)