Bantering Points: 5/29/24

Here are today's news and links:

Rangers News:

Highlights: FLA 3, NYR 2 (5:03 video via NHL.com)

Game Recap: The Rangers put on a repeat performance of Game 3, spending the majority of the third period in their defensive zone, but were unable to repeat the Game 3 ending as Florida converted on yet another power play early in overtime to tie the series (CBS Sports)

Christian Arnold points to the Panthers' third period pressure as something the Blueshirts should consider themselves thankful to escape from after two games with a split (NY Post)

Larry Brooks summarizes New York's Game 4 effort as one where they were out manned, out hustled, and out played en route to the Eastern Conference Final now being a best of three affair (NY Post)

Ethan Sears notes that through the first four games of this series, Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider have been erased by Florida's stifling defense (NY Post)

Sears also saw Blake Wheeler's game-ending hooking penalty in the opening minute of overtime as a rough ending to what was otherwise a feel good story for the veteran forward's first game since February (NY Post)

Neil Best argues that with the remainder of this series being a race to two wins, the Rangers need to pick up the pace (Newsday)

Vincent Mercogliano offers his takeaways from New York's first overtime defeat of the 2024 playoffs (LoHud)

Lucas Standel credits Barclay Goodrow for stepping up his game in the playoffs on the heels of a regular season to forget (The Hockey Writers)

Around the NHL:

New York Islanders' forward Anders Lee won the King Clancy Memorial Trophy for his leadership qualities and contributions to his community on and off the ice (Sportsnet)

The Tuscon Roadrunners, the AHL franchise formerly affiliated with the Coyotes, will be playing the majority of their home games in Tuscon after a local board voted to keep them in Tuscon rather than allow the Roadrunners to leave for Tempe as former Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo was seeking to do (ESPN)

The Chicago Blackhawks agreed to contracts with forwards Zach Sanford (one year, two-way deal) and Martin Misiak (three year, entry-level deal) (TSN)