Rangers Daily: Ex-Blueshirt is double-OT hero; Flyers eliminate Penguins
Brett Howden was a member of the New York Rangers for three seasons before being traded to the Vegas Golden Knights in July 2021. He’s become a useful bottom-six center with Vegas, helping the Golden Knights win the Stanley Cup in 2023.
The former Ranger added to his list of accomplishments on Wednesday night with a historic goal to give Vegas a 5-4 double-overtime win over the Utah Mammoth in Game 5 of their Western Conference First Round series.
Howden became the second player to score a shorthanded winner in a playoff game that required multiple overtimes (since 1933-34 when the NHL began tracking goals by type). The only other player to do so is Howden’s current teammate, Tomas Hertl, who did it in Game 6 of the 2019 First Round against the Golden Knights while he was a member of the San Jose Sharks.
The Golden Knights lead the best-of-7 series 3-2 and can advance with a Game 6 win in Salt Lake City on Friday night.
Rangers news and analysis
There’s been lots of scuttlebutt about the possibility that the Rangers (or another team) could trade for Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk this summer. However, Tkachuk himself put a damper on all rumors, hoping to shut down speculation about his future, saying on Wednesday that “I have been fully committed to this team, to this city and (the rumors), it’s just become a distraction. Frustrating to deal with.”
Our Jim Cerny looks at the spark former Rangers fan favorite Mats Zuccarello gave his current team, the Minnesota Wild, by scoring the opening goal in Game 5 of their Western Conference First Round series against the Dallas Stars. Back in the lineup after missing three games with an upper-body injury, the 38-year-old scored the first goal in Minnesota’s 4-2 road victory. The Wild lead the best-of-7 series 3-2 and can advance with a win tonight at home.
NHL news and rumors
Montreal Hockey Now: The Montreal Canadiens are one win away from advancing to the second round after defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 in Game 5. Marc Dumont looks at the boost the Canadiens got from the return of veteran forward Brendan Gallagher, who score the game-opening goal.
Sportsnaut: The Lightning are one loss away from a fourth straight opening-round elimination after being outplayed for much of the night and seeing Vezina Trophy finalist Andrei Vasilevskiy allow a bad goal early in the third period that proved to be the game-winner.
NHL.com: Vasilevskiy is among the three finalists for the NHL’s top goaltender award, along with Jeremy Swayman of the Boston Bruins and Ilya Sorokin of the New York Islanders.
Philly Hockey Now: William James looks at the Philadelphia Flyers’ series-clinching 1-0 overtime win against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 6 on Wednesday. Cam York scored at 17:32 of OT to give the Flyers their first playoff series win since 2020.
Pittsburgh Hockey Now: Dan Kingerski looks at the Penguins side of the loss to their cross-state rivals, noting that while the Penguins had the better of the play in OT, they couldn’t get a puck past Dan Vladar.
NHL.com: With the Penguins done for the season, what’s the future for their “Big Three” – Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang. Crosby said emotions after the loss were too raw to consider what happens next. The trio completed their 20th season together, a record for North American pro teams.
TSN: The Edmonton Oilers will once again lean on their superstars as they try to stay alive against the Anaheim Ducks. Coach Kris Knoblauch says Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl will continue to play on the same line in Thursday’s must-win Game 6.
