If there was ever a game that could bring out the Rangers true identity, it was last night’s contest. With their coach’s job likely hanging in the balance, the Rangers locker room came together during the second intermission and made a decision: They would not let their coach lose his job. An inspired third period effort propelled the team to a comeback win over the Vegas Golden Knights, and the team’s thoughts and emotions were on display Just a passing glance into any player’s eyes was enough to know they went out and played for the man behind the bench, the man who’s taken rosters with questionable talent and made them greater than the sum of their parts. The players wouldn’t allow themselves to let their coach down. Last night’s win was for Alain Vigneault, plain and simple Here are today’s news and links:

Rangers News:

• Highlights: NYR 6, VGK 4 (5:12 video via NHL.com)
• Game Recap: The most inspired twenty minutes of New York’s season earned them two points against the Golden Knights (CBS)
• Larry Brooks details how Brendan Smith has been a key factor in the team’s porous defense performance throughout October (NY Post)
• Frank Curto lists three possible successors to Alain Vigneault (Elite Sports NY)
• Peter Reichert also names five potential replacements for Alain Vigneault in case the franchise decides to scapegoat him for its own roster issues (Blue Line Station)
• Drew McCaffrey speculates on the Rangers’ center situation had they found a way to keep Oscar Lindberg in the fold (Blue Line Station)
• Dave Shapiro articulates how Chris Kreider is everything any reasonable fan could hope for and then some (Blue Seat Blogs)
• Ryan Mead breaks down the players’ Halloween costumes (Blueshirts Breakaway)
• Kevin DeLury offered his thoughts on the team prior to their victory over the Vegas Golden Knights (The Sports Daily)
• Michael Kaplan wonders if Montreal Canadiens forward Andrew Shaw could be the solution to New York’s issues (Full Tilt)
• Media Availability: Mika Zibanejad,(1:13) Marc Staal,(0:50) Ryan McDonagh,(0:40) and Mats Zuccarello (1:57) (Official Team Site)/

Around the NHL:

• Ryan Lambert dives into the three teams quickly emerging as the class of NCAA hockey (Puck Daddy)
• Paul Campbell analyzes what separates goaltenders Mike Smith and Carey Price’s puck handling abilities from each other, as well as the rest of the NHL (Sportsnet)
• Travis Yost examines players with decreased usage and roles that could be on the mover sooner rather than later (TSN)
• Shawn Thornton takes us off the ice and explores who some of the toughest people in his life really were (The Players Tribune)/