Bantering Points: 4/11/25

Here are today's news and links:

From Blueshirt Banter:

Joe Fortunato and Ethan Haas discussed the state of the Rangers with an eye on the future in the latest episode of the Blueshirt Bandwidth podcast (BSB)

Joe also gave his post-game thoughts following the team's Wednesday night defeat against the Philadelphia Flyers (BSB)

Chris Feldman recapped the Blueshirts' frustration-venting drubbing of the Islanders (BSB)

Rangers News:

Highlights: NYR 9, NYI 2 (4:59 video via NHL.com)

Game Recap: With their backs against the wall, the Rangers put together one of their best efforts in recent memory and hung a nine spot on the Islanders to, if only for one more evening, keep their playoff hopes alive (CBS Sports)

Mollie Walker notes that Thursday night's one-sided affair in Elmont was enough to keep the Blueshirts mathematically in the playoff race (NY Post)

Colin Stephenson ponders whether this nightmare season will go down as the beginning of the end for this iteration of the Rangers or a one year slip-up (Newsday)

Neil Best bemoans the lack of stakes in the latest edition of the Rangers-Islanders rivalry with both teams all but assured of missing the playoffs (Newsday)

Vincent Mercogliano offers his takeaways from the Blueshirts' demolition of the Islanders (LoHud)

Remy Mastey points to the healthy scratches of Brennan Othmann and Gabe Perreault as a trend of Laviolette's in what are likely his final games behind New York's bench (The Hockey News)

Anthony Russo examines the options regarding Chris Drury's future as the team's general manager (The Hockey Writers)

Around the NHL:

The Washington Capitals defeated the Carolina Hurricanes in a shootout to earn a 5-4 victory and clinch the top seed in the Eastern Conference (NBC Sports)

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck became the seventh goaltender in league history to record 45 wins in a single season following a 4-0 victory over the Dallas Stars on Thursday (TSN)

David Morassutti ponders if any player will approach Alexander Ovechkin's all-time goals record (Sportsnet)