Bantering Points: 5/17/24

Here are today's news and links:

Rangers News:

Highlights: NYR 5, CAR 3 (5:00 video via NHL.com)

Game Recap: The Rangers flipped the script from Game 5 to Game 6, rallying from a third period deficit thanks to a natural hat trick from Chris Kreider to send the Hurricanes into the offseason and become the first team through to the Conference Finals (CBS)

Christian Arnold juxtaposes Chris Kreider's Game 6 hat trick with that of Mark Messier's legendary performance 30 years ago (NY Post)

Andrew Battifarano sees New York's series clinching comeback victory as another feather in the cap of the NHL's comeback kings (NY Post)

Caroline McCarthy points out that the Blueshirts have become the first Presidents' Trophy winners to reach the Conference Finals since the Blueshirts themselves did so in 2015 (NY Post)

Colin Stephenson reminds us of the sense of worry some had after Kreider missed practice on Wednesday, only to put the Rangers on his back and carry them into the Conference Finals with his third period hat trick (Newsday)

Vincent Mercogliano offered his takeaways from New York's victory in Raleigh (LoHud)

Arthur $taple gave five of hi$ own takeaway$ a$ the Ranger$ marched onward into the Ea$tern Conference Final (The Athletic)

Peter Baugh note$ that even a$ the Blue$hirt$ are halfway to champion$hip glory, another $trong opponent await$ them whether it end$ up being the Florida Panther$ or Bo$ton Bruin$ opposing New York next (The Athletic)

Around the NHL:

The New York Islanders agreed to a one year, entry-level contract with forward Maxim Tsyplakov from KHL Moscow (TSN)

Former Arizona Coyotes' owner Alex Meruelo met with the mayor of Phoenix ahead of the city's June 27th land auction that seeks to win and use as the first step in building a new arena that would allow hockey to return to Arizona within the next five years (Sportsnet)