Latest news with #WillBorgen
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Postgame takeaways: NY Rangers skid continues with fourth straight loss
WINNIPEG - The Rangers opened this three-game road trip exactly how they left off at home. With another loss. They played better while dropping a 2-1 result Tuesday at Canada Life Centre against the Winnipeg Jets, who are marching toward the Presidents' Trophy that belonged to New York last season. But the Rangers have fallen off a cliff since that memorable 2023-24 campaign, with slight improvement in a losing effort no consolation given their precarious position in the standings. Advertisement "That's what makes it way worse," defenseman Braden Schneider said. "That last effort we had (in Sunday's 7-3 loss to Columbus) was not a good game for us. And I thought we played hard (Tuesday); we just couldn't get any past them. We need the two points, and it's tough to swallow." Analysis: Rangers' man-to-man defense has major holes They've gone from the best record in the league a year ago to two points out of a wild-card spot with 17 games to play. That's far from insurmountable, with the rival Devils doing the Blueshirts a favor by knocking off the Blue Jackets' team they're chasing on Tuesday. But their recent skid isn't inspiring confidence in their ability to rally. The Rangers (31-28-6) have now lost four straight for the first time since Dec. 22-30, which concluded a nightmare 4-15 stretch at the time and created the current hole they're trying to dig out of. Advertisement "We're in a playoff fight right now," defenseman Will Borgen said. "We're battling for every point, and when you don't get the outcome you want, it sucks. That's part of a long season, too. You're going to go through these droughts, but we've got to string along some wins if we want to make the playoffs." There aren't many soft spots left on the schedule to make up ground, either. They travel to Minnesota next to face the Wild on Thursday, continuing a stretch of eight consecutive games against teams currently in playoff position. Those matchups with the NHL's upper echelon haven't worked out well to this point, with the Rangers 9-18-4 against postseason-bound opponents. "It's frustrating, for sure," head coach Peter Laviolette said. "Our guys did play hard tonight, (but) we couldn't get it to swing our way." Mar 11, 2025; Winnipeg, Manitoba, CAN; Winnipeg Jets forward Gabriel Vilardi (13) is congratulated by his teammates on his goal against New York Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin (31) during the second period at Canada Life Centre. 'The gray areas' It's probably not a great sign that we've reached the point where putting forth quality effort is viewed as a positive takeaway, but the Rangers mostly hung with the best of the Western Conference. Advertisement The problem is, their five-on-five scoring has dried up lately and they can't seem to avoid costly defensive breakdowns. There were a few glaring examples Tuesday, including at least three breakaways allowed and a total of 17 high-danger scoring chances, according to Natural Stat Trick. But the one that hurt the most came on sloppy transition coverage 5:18 into the game. Cole Perfetti made a sharp cut to the left side as he approached the Rangers' net, drawing Igor Shesterkin out of position in the process, and while all five New York skaters backchecked their way into the play, no one bothered to put a body on Vladislav Namestnikov. The collective puck-watching allowed the former Blueshirt to charge toward the far post and get a wide-open look on Perfetti's centering pass. Advertisement "We've got to do a better job at sorting out in our end," Schneider said. "It's all the gray areas. It's all those ones that you get mixed up and and guys are crisscrossing, and you lose the man a little bit. We've just got to make sure we're doing a better job at sorting out and and taking away those big chances that are backside, that our goalie doesn't have chance to save." Power play finally gets one, but nothing at 5v5 That made it 1-0 Jets, but the Rangers would respond by shaking their recent power-play woes. They entered having only scored once in their previous 21 attempts, including zero PP goals in their last four games. But J.T. Miller found Mika Zibanejad for a one-timer in the slot at the 11:00 mark that ended the drought and tied the score at 1-1. Unfortunately for the Rangers, they couldn't muster anything at even strength. They managed only 22 shots and failed to solve Vezina Trophy front-runner Connor Hellebuyck on all but one of them. Advertisement "They get a lot of blocks," said Zibanejad, referring to Winnipeg's 21 blocks. "I still think we can do a better job. I think we're going to the net, but (we're not) giving our (defensemen) an option on the side of net, and just getting other looks than what we did today. Once we get down there, we put pressure on them, and I think we get a good cycle game going. But it's obviously not enough to score only one goal." The forwards they count on to carry the scoring load were mostly held in check. Zibanejad led the team with 10 shot attempts (only three of which made it on net), but Miller (zero), Chris Kreider (one), Alexis Lafrenière (zero), Artemi Panarin (two) and Vincent Trocheck (one) combined for only four shots on goal. The most effective line in that regard was the fourth featuring Jonny Brodzinski with rookies Brennan Othmann and Matt Rempe. They produced more SOG (six) than any other Rangers' trio while allowing only two, despite receiving the least ice time together (5:28). Advertisement "We had looks," Laviolette said. "I think we hit the post three times. I think there was enough there; we just didn't walk away with anything, and that goes back to the frustrating part of it. Defensively, we held them down. We held their attempts down, zone time down. We did a pretty good job with regard to that, and then just not able to get the run support that we need to win." A rare PK letdown Winnipeg would add a PP goal of its own to take a 2-1 lead in the second period. The Rangers' penalty kill − one of their few true strengths this season − was in control for its first 3:55 of shorthanded ice time against the league's top power play, but the final five seconds of their second PK proved fatal. Advertisement It was Perfetti with the setup once again, this time finding an open Gabriel Vilardi in the slot for what turned out to be the winning goal. "It was kind of a broken play," Laviolette said. "When something happens and it's a broken play, everything gets off a little bit. The defender's timing, the goalie's timing, whatever it might be. It just gets off for a second, but they've got a top power play unit. I thought our guys did a pretty good job." The Rangers probably shouldn't have been in that position in the first place. The goalie interference penalty that led to the PP goal was highly suspect, with Rempe clearly getting pushed by Jets forward Morgan Barron to cause the contact with Hellebuyck. But the 6-foot-9 forward always seems to have the attention of the referees and rarely gets the benefit of the doubt. "They're saying they want to protect the goaltenders," Laviolette said. "But I just didn't agree with it." Advertisement Winnipeg had a third goal overturned on a successful goalie interference challenge by Laviolette, but it didn't end up mattering. Questionable lineup change Laviolette felt he needed to make a change following Sunday's 7-3 loss to the Blue Jackets, but his choice for who to pull from the lineup was a questionable one. Granted, rookie Brett Berard has his share of defensive miscues. But that could be said about the entire team − and at least with the 22-year-old winger, you know he's going to bring it every shift. Berard's non-stop motor is especially noticeable on the forecheck, where his speed-and-hustle combo makes him a pest for opposing teams to deal with, and he adds a shooting mentality that several regular forwards lack. Advertisement It's not only in the Rangers' best long-term interest to give him valuable experience, but he also gives them the best chance to win right now. Yet, as former Ranger Kaapo Kakko pointed out the day before being traded to Seattle in December, it's often the young guys who make the easiest targets. "It's 12 forwards that can go in, and so, it's tough," Laviolette said prior to the game. "But he's a young player. You can see the energy. We talk with him and work with him on the game and the defensive part of it to try and continue to grow his game and improve his game. But you've got to love his fire and his energy that he brings." Arthur Kaliyev slotted in for Berard, making his first appearance since Feb. 23 following seven straight healthy scratches. Outside of one shift where he earned his only shot on goal, the 23-year-old wasn't much of a factor while logging a team-low 7:49 TOI. Vincent Z. Mercogliano is the New York Rangers beat reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Read more of his work at and follow him on Twitter @vzmercogliano. This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Postgame takeaways: NY Rangers skid continues with fourth straight loss
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
What channel is New York Rangers vs Calgary Flames on today? Time, TV, streaming
What channel is New York Rangers vs Calgary Flames on today? Time, TV, streaming The New York Rangers will take on the Calgary Flames inside Madison Square Garden Tuesday night after falling to the Edmonton Oilers Sunday, 3-1, which brings the team to 32-29-6 on the season. Here's how to watch the Rangers game, including time, TV schedule and streaming information: What channel is New York Rangers vs Calgary Flames game on today? Time, TV schedule Mar 15, 2025; Columbus, Ohio, USA; New York Rangers left wing Artemi Panarin (10) celebrates his goal with defenseman Will Borgen (17) during the second period against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena. Cable/Network TV: MSG Network, NHL Network (nationally, outside NYC market) Advertisement Start time: 7 p.m. Where to watch Rangers vs Flames on livestream You can stream the game on The Gotham Sports App. Gotham Sports App is available with a cable or satellite login and also has options for non-cable subscribers and for individual games. TV streaming: You can also stream if you have subscriptions to Spectrum, Optimum, Verizon Fios, DirecTV Stream or fuboTV. Nationally televised games may be available on ESPN+ (if broadcast on ABC, ESPN or carried by ESPN+), Hulu (ESPN+ broadcasts) or MAX (TNT/TBS/TruTV broadcasts). J.T. Miller exclusive: NY Rangers building around center who plays 'on a sharp sword' New York Rangers remaining March 2025 schedule Advertisement Emily Barnes reports on consumer-related issues for the USA TODAY Network's New York Connect Team, focusing on scam and recall-related topics. Follow her on X and Instagram @byemilybarnes. Get in touch at ebarnes@ This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Watch Rangers vs Flames game today: Channel, time, streaming
New York Times
04-03-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Rangers' Cuylle and Borgen impact, Shesterkin gets revenge: 4 takeaways vs. Islanders
NEW YORK — It's standing-watching season, and the Rangers players aren't immune. 'All the time,' Will Borgen said when asked how often he's looking where the Rangers stand. 'We know — I know, at least — where we're at. All the games matter.' And the Rangers won a big one Monday, beating the rival Islanders 4-0 to move into a tie with Detroit for the second wild-card spot. The Red Wings have a game in hand, and the Senators have a higher point percentage, too, but the Rangers have nearly climbed out of the chasm they dug themselves earlier this year. The playoffs are a distinct possibility. Advertisement 'I don't think we shoot ourselves in the foot the same way we've maybe done before,' Mika Zibanejad said. 'I don't think we're panicking as much. If they have momentum, alright, let's try to break it.' Monday was an example. Coach Peter Laviolette thought the Islanders controlled the first eight or so minutes, but Igor Shesterkin kept them off the board until the Rangers got up to their speed. New York then controlled the rest of the game. It led the Islanders in shots (26-21), five-on-five expected goal share (56.35 percent, per Natural Stat Trick) and won the special teams battle. 'We know we have to play that way every game to try to make playoffs,' Borgen said. 'It's a close race right now, so all the points matter.' Here are four takeaways from the game. Playing in his 100th career game, Zac Jones tried to shoot a puck late in the first period, but Kyle Palmieri blocked it with his skate. Fortunately for the Rangers, it still went in the general direction of the net. Will Cuylle had positioned himself in front, and the puck bounced off his helmet, over Ilya Sorokin and into the net. 'I saw the puck the whole way,' Mika Zibanejad said. 'I felt like it was in slow motion.' 'A real beauty,' Laviolette said with a smile. 'One he'll remember probably for the rest of his life.' It was that kind of night for the Rangers. Between the flukey (and fun) Cuylle goal and an Anders Lee Islanders' goal getting overturned because Casey Cizikas went offside, the Rangers got the breaks in the first period. The Rangers committed a pair of too-many-men penalties in the first period Monday, bringing their season total up to nine. That's a concerning trend, but it did the opposite of hurting them against the Islanders. With less than a minute left in the first and the visiting New York club on the power play, Noah Dobson laid a huge hit on Cuylle, trying to stop him from grabbing a puck in the Rangers' defensive zone. Cuylle managed to get the puck into the neutral zone while absorbing the contact, though, and Sam Carrick retrieved it. He led a rush into the offensive zone and dropped a pass to Will Borgen. The defenseman zinged a puck bar down and in. 'He's been great ever since he's come this way,' Laviolette said of Borgen. 'His skating and his ability to defend makes it difficult on the opposition. He's physical, he plays with an edge, he makes good plays to get out of our end, and then you love to see him jump up on a play like that.' Will Borgen jumps up and blasts home Carrick's pass for a shorthanded goal!#NYR — Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights & News (@HockeyDaily365) March 4, 2025 It all started with Cuylle, though. 'That's winning hockey right there, what he did,' Borgen said. 'Taking a hit to make the play, it's not always fun, but it works.' After his two-point night, Cuylle has 17 goals and 33 points on the year. He played 18:51 against the Islanders, his third-highest ice total of the season. He's seized more and more responsibility as the season has gone on and is now on the top line with Zibanejad and J.T. Miller. Advertisement 'I don't think he's doing anything that we didn't know of him already,' Zibanejad said. 'People tend to notice it more when it results in goals, but if you look back at the games he doesn't score and doesn't have points, I would say he does that over and over again anyways.' The short-handed goal highlighted the Rangers' night of penalty killing, but the group also staved off two other Islanders power plays. The Islanders had only two shots total in six minutes of five-on-four ice time. They have the worst power play success rate in the league, and it was clear why Monday. 'We just do our jobs, Borgen said. 'Coaches gave us a good pre-scout and we just followed it.' After Ilya Sorokin scored a goalie goal in the Islanders' win against the Predators, he made sure to chirp Igor Shesterkin, one of his close friends. 'I knew I'd do it before Igor,' he joked. Sorokin's goal was unconventional. Steven Stamkos tried to pass to a Nashville teammate, but the puck slid down the ice and into his own net. Sorokin, the last Islanders player to touch the puck, got credit on the scoresheet, but Shesterkin wasn't impressed. 'It's not a goal,' the Rangers' goalie cracked postgame. Shesterkin is still waiting for his first career goal — a feat he's tried to accomplish several times this season — but he settled for a shutout against the Islanders. New York made life in front of him fairly easy, allowing only 21 shots, but he had to step up with a difficult save on Brock Nelson during an Islanders' short-handed rush in the first period. 'Everyone just knew we had to just protect the net, make sure Shesty gets a clear line of view at all the shots,' Borgen said. 'If he gets a clear view he's making the save.' J.T. Miller picked up a secondary assist on Cuylle's goal, then all but clinched the game in the third period. He is up to seven goals and 14 points in 11 games since the Rangers acquired him in a trade from Vancouver. Advertisement Zibanejad, Miller's linemate, had a six-game point streak snapped in the win, but he had another strong showing. The Rangers led 12-5 in shot attempts with the Cuylle-Miller-Zibanejad line on the ice at five-on-five, according to Natural Stat Trick, and Zibanejad was on the ice for two goals.
Yahoo
26-01-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Former Kraken Defenseman Signs Long-Term Contract With Rangers
Former Seattle Kraken defenseman Will Borgen has signed a five-year, $4.1M AAV contract extension with the New York Rangers. BORGS ON BROADWAY.#NYR and Will Borgen have agreed to terms on a five-year contract extension. Details: — New York Rangers (@NYRangers) January 25, 2025 Borgen was sent to the Rangers as part of the package that brought Kaapo Kakko to the Kraken. The deal has worked out for both parties early on. Kakko has flourished in Seattle, recording four goals and 14 points in 17 games. The increased ice time and power play minutes alongside HC Dan Bylsma using him in more offensive advantageous situations has allowed Kakko to find parts of his offensive game that he hasn't seen since he was drafted in Rangers have liked what they have received from Borgen, handing him not just a long-term contract but an extension at a big-time price. The 28-year-old has been skating in the Rangers' top four with K'Andre Miller and has established himself as the second-best right-handed defender on the Rangers' blue line after Adam Fox. He's averaging a career-high in ice time and has earned the trust of his head coach. "For me, he's a big reason why things quieted down here a little bit," Rangers' HC Peter Laviolette said about Borgen. "You are right about Will, he skates well, he is physical, he plays with an edge, he doesn't back down from anybody. I think he's done a real good job." The change of scenery worked out for both players and teams are reaping the benefits of pulling the trigger on the move. Stay updated with the most interesting Kraken stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favourites on Google News to never miss a story.
Yahoo
26-01-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Former Kraken Defenseman Signs Long-Term Contract With Rangers
Former Seattle Kraken defenseman Will Borgen has signed a five-year, $4.1M AAV contract extension with the New York Rangers. BORGS ON BROADWAY.#NYR and Will Borgen have agreed to terms on a five-year contract extension. Details: — New York Rangers (@NYRangers) January 25, 2025 Borgen was sent to the Rangers as part of the package that brought Kaapo Kakko to the Kraken. The deal has worked out for both parties early on. Kakko has flourished in Seattle, recording four goals and 14 points in 17 games. The increased ice time and power play minutes alongside HC Dan Bylsma using him in more offensive advantageous situations has allowed Kakko to find parts of his offensive game that he hasn't seen since he was drafted in Rangers have liked what they have received from Borgen, handing him not just a long-term contract but an extension at a big-time price. The 28-year-old has been skating in the Rangers' top four with K'Andre Miller and has established himself as the second-best right-handed defender on the Rangers' blue line after Adam Fox. He's averaging a career-high in ice time and has earned the trust of his head coach. "For me, he's a big reason why things quieted down here a little bit," Rangers' HC Peter Laviolette said about Borgen. "You are right about Will, he skates well, he is physical, he plays with an edge, he doesn't back down from anybody. I think he's done a real good job." The change of scenery worked out for both players and teams are reaping the benefits of pulling the trigger on the move. Stay updated with the most interesting Kraken stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favourites on Google News to never miss a story.
