CAROLINA HURRICANES. NEWS CLIPPINGS March 31, GM search, Peters future, roster shakeup all up in the air for Hurricanes

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1 GM search, Peters future, roster shakeup all up in the air for Hurricanes In what will arguably be the most interesting offseason in team history, Carolina has several decisions to make March 30, 2018 Cory Lavalette Article, NHL, Sports Hurricanes head coach Bill Peters reacts from behind the players bench during Carolina's 6-5 win over the Arizona Coyotes. (James Guillory / USA TODAY Sports) RALEIGH The Carolina Hurricanes approaching offseason is brought to you by one word: Uncertainty. The biggest question mark is finding the team s next general manager, with Ron Francis essentially demoted upstairs in late February. There have been hiccups in that search, with the team s early transparency leading to many candidates publicly removing their name from consideration. The quest for Francis replacement has since gone underground, with outside candidates being evaluated and in-house options assistant GM Mike Vellucci and team president Don Waddell have both notably taken on bigger roles since Francis was relocated to president of hockey operations a possibility. Until new owner Tom Dundon chooses the franchise s next general manager, there won t be many answers. I think there s a lot of uncertainty in the whole organization in terms of what s going on, especially in the offseason, for next season, said center Derek Ryan, who will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason, when asked if he had discussions with the team regarding a new contract. Yeah, I don t know. I hadn t heard anything about it. The same holds true for goaltender Cam Ward, who was drafted by the organization in 2002 and is finishing his 13th season with the team. Obviously I take pride in being a Hurricane for as long as I have and I certainly would like, if I had my way, to play my whole career as a Hurricane, he said following Thursday practice at PNC Arena. But we ll wait to see what happens here at the end of the season. I m going to try to end on a positive note this last week, go into my exit meetings and hopefully have a little more guidance one way or the other what the plan is, he added. Ryan also said he wanted to return to the Hurricanes. We love it here. We love Raleigh, we love the organization, believe in what s going on here, he said. But at this time last year, I didn t know anything either. It s more wait until the season s over until we re back in Spokane (Washington, his hometown), and my agent will start talking to the team and kind of move from there. And the biggest speculation surrounds the future of coach Bill Peters, who will be completing his fourth season in Carolina and will again come short of leading the Hurricanes back to the postseason. Peters is already in exclusive company. Since 2000, only three other NHL coaches have missed the playoffs four straight years to start their tenure with a team. Wayne Gretzky coached the Phoenix Coyotes from , never reaching the postseason. Gretzky had a long leash because: a) He is Wayne Gretzky; b) He was a part-owner of the team. Gretzky both resigned and relinquished his ownership stake of the team that offseason when the team went bankrupt. Ron Wilson coaching under Providence College teammate and longtime friend Brian Burke was fired by the Maple Leafs after Game 64 in in his fourth season with Toronto s fate outside the playoffs already sealed. Finally, Barry Trotz missed the playoffs five consecutive seasons while guiding the expansion Predators. Nashville GM David Poile s patience paid off, however, with the Preds making the postseason in seven of the next eight campaigns. Trotz left Nashville after the season, having missed the playoffs his final two years. Trotz, as one can see, was the only coach to get a fifth season. Dundon, in an interview with North State Journal about two weeks ago, said a decision on Peters future with the team wouldn t happen until a new GM was in place. It seems, however, the decision could be Peters to make. Sportsnet s Elliotte Friedman reported Wednesday that several sources told him Peters has a clause in his contract that would allow him to opt out of the final year of his deal, and he has approximately one week after their season ends to activate it. Friedman said Peters salary for next season, the second year of a two-year extension signed in the summer of 2016 when the coach still had a year left on his initial three-year deal, is $1.6 million. When asked Thursday about the clause, Peters said he hadn t read the report and was unaware of the parameters of his deal.

2 I d have to look at it, to be honest with you, he said. We did that contract at the draft in Buffalo, whatever year that was, a couple years ago, and I haven t looked at my contract since. No need to. Peters added that he and Dundon talk about next year all the time, then said the team s post-draft development camp was already set, and he was awaiting information on September s Traverse City prospects tournament. Peters sounded like a coach who was already making plans for for what would be a nearly unprecedented fifth chance at returning the Hurricanes to the playoffs. With management changes in the works and questions about the coaching staff, there have also been assurances from both Dundon and Waddle that the on-ice personnel needs to be changed. Ward, Ryan and Lee Stempniak are all unrestricted free agents, and RFAs Elias Lindholm and Noah Hanifin will be among those the team needs to make decisions on this offseason. Furthermore, Jeff Skinner enters the final year of his sixyear, $34.35 million contract and could be shopped if he s not in the team s long-term plans. Co-captain Justin Faulk, with two years left on his contract, has often been mentioned as a target of other teams as well. And then there s Scott Darling, who has floundered in the first season of a four-year, $16.6 million contract and is likely one of the reasons Francis was reassigned. Decisions on all above the above players are set to begin when the team names its next GM, though Peters could conceivably leave the team and Dundon searching for a new coach as well. We haven t talked about, Peters responded when asked if Dundon had given him assurances he d be back next season. There s lots of time for that. Lots of time. It ll all come due at the end of the year, right? Faulk scores as Hurricanes beat Capitals 4-1 Posted 11:03 p.m. yesterday Updated 11:04 p.m. yesterday By RICH DUBROFF, Associated Press WASHINGTON Carolina is a long shot to make the playoffs. Coach Bill Peters is still looking for a strong finish for the Hurricanes. Justin Faulk scored midway through the second period, and Carolina beat the Washington Capitals 4-1 on Friday night to remain in the postseason race. Final Tot Carolina Washington Preview Box Gameview Recap Three Stars 1: Derek Ryan, Car (1G, 1A) 2: Justin Faulk, Car (1G) 3: Scott Darling, Car (20 Saves) It was the fourth win in five games for the Hurricanes, who haven't made the playoffs since Carolina must win its final four games while Florida and New Jersey lose their remaining games in regulation to play beyond the regular season. Asked if the playoffs were a realistic goal, Peters answered tersely: "No." But Peters believes there are genuine incentives for his team. ADVERTISING "You've got to play," he said. "These guys are pros. You're paid to play." Metropolitan Division-leading Washington had won five in a row. Michal Kempny scored his first goal with the Capitals after he was acquired in a February trade with Chicago. "We've been playing great the last month," Capitals forward Devante Smith-Pelly said. "I don't want to say this was expected, but a game like this maybe was going to happen eventually. It was probably better tonight than Sunday." Washington visits Pittsburgh on Sunday, and the teams have a long history. "Overall, obviously we don't like those guys," Smith-Pelly said. "It's a huge game. We'll be back." Carolina goaltender Scott Darling stopped 20 shots, and Braden Holtby had 26 saves for Washington.

3 Capitals coach Barry Trotz thought his team was simply outplayed. "This league is way too good if you have a little bit of an offnight or you're not on your 'A' game, this league can humble you in a very hard way and a quick way," Trotz said. "We didn't have enough invested. We didn't have enough guys pulling on the rope." Kempny put the Capitals in front at 2:35 of the second, but Carolina's Derek Ryan quickly responded. He beat Holtby for his 14th goal at 3:15. "There's pride on the line," Ryan said. "We're not quite in the playoff race. We're not eliminated, but we realize where we're at. We're just continuing to play our game. We're not thinking about it. We have four games, so we're going to make those games count." Faulk's eighth goal of the season put the Hurricanes ahead to stay at 11:43. It was Faulk's first goal since he scored three times in a 7-3 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Feb. 13. Sebastian Aho's 28th goal at 14:36 of the third made it 3-1, and Brock McGinn added an empty-netter at 17:50. NOTES: Trotz said he enjoyed the story of emergency goalie Scott Foster's outstanding performance for Chicago on Thursday night. Trotz doesn't know who the Capitals' emergency goalies are. "I just know that we have them," Trotz said. "Someone has a phone book with numbers. If you need a goalie, you start phoning.... I'd like to meet them, just not on our bench."... Washington F Lars Eller played in his 600th career game.. Capitals F T.J. Oshie, who had an assist on Kempny's goal, logged just 14 minutes of playing time, his lowest since Dec. 30. Trotz said Oshie was being checked for an injury, but wouldn't comment on its specifics.... Carolina D Jaccob Slavin had two assists. UP NEXT Hurricanes: Host New York Rangers on Saturday Capitals: Visit Pittsburgh on Sunday Gameday: Rangers vs. Hurricanes by Michael / CarolinaHurricanes.com 2:00 AM Hope you all have enjoyed season two of the Hurricanes Homegrown Series! This is the gameday hub, where you can find all the latest news and information you need to know for tonight's intradivisional match-up between the New York Rangers and Carolina Hurricanes. Make Hurricanes.com a regular stop throughout the day, as we update this hub with notes, videos, photos and more as puck drop draws near. On the second half of a back-to-back with travel, the Hurricanes will not hold a morning skate. We'll chat with head coach Bill Peters in the early evening. Last updated: 2:00 a.m. CANES HOST RANGERS IN PENULTIMATE HOME GAME 2:00 a.m. The Carolina Hurricanes' penultimate home game in the regular season also draws to a close the team's 18th and final back-to-back set of the season. After defeating the Washington Capitals 4-1 on Friday night, the Hurricanes return to Raleigh to host the New York Rangers, the fourth and final meeting between these two Metropolitan Division opponents this season. Scott Darling made 20 saves on 21 shots and Justin Faulk scored the game-winning goal in The District. "I felt like we dominated portions of the game, for sure," said Derek Ryan, who scored a goal in the second period. "We realize where we're at. We're continuing to play our game and not think about it. We have four games left, and we're going to make those games counts." "We were good. I liked the way we played, especially in the first half of the game," head coach Bill Peters said. "I thought we made a lot of plays and hung on to pucks." Now, just four games - two at home and two on the road - remain in the Canes' season. Their playoff chances might be nearly mathematically null, but that's not going to dictate how the Hurricanes finish in the final week. "Every win is sweet, whether you're in the playoffs or out of the playoffs," Ryan said. "There's always pride. We're playing in the NHL. It's our job to play our best." "You've got to play. These guys are pros," head coach Bill Peters said. "You want to do it right. You want to look across at the guy sitting next to you and know that he's going to go to work." "We're professionals, and we have pride," Darling said. "We're not just going to go out there and throw our sticks on the ice. We want to finish strong. There are guys here -

4 myself included - trying to prove that you deserve to be here." The Rangers were in action on Friday night as well; they were routed 7-3 by the Lightning in Tampa Bay and have won just one out of their last seven games. The Hurricanes are against the Rangers this season and have been outscored 17-5 in those games. CLICKS AND CLIPPINGS Articles Hurricanes Homegrown Guide: March 31 Recap: Darling, Canes Defeat Capitals Videos Highlights: CAR 4, WSH 1 Gameday Links Buy Tickets Hurricanes Homegrown Series Fan Appreciation Week FANuary Concessions & Parking Discounts Pet Supply Drive Season Ticket Memberships First Goal Contest presented by Kayem Recap: Darling, Canes Defeat Capitals Darling makes 20 saves, Faulk nets GWG in 4-1 win by Michael / CarolinaHurricanes.com March 30th, 2018 WASHINGTON - Scott Darling made 20 saves and Justin Faulk tallied the game-winning goal in his return to the lineup, leading the Carolina Hurricanes to a 4-1 victory over the Washington Capitals. Derek Ryan, Sebastian Aho and Brock McGinn (empty net) also scored for the Hurricanes, who won the four-game season series (2-1-1) against their longtime divisional opponents. Here are five takeaways from tonight's game. One Though the Hurricanes are a mere point from being mathematically eliminated from playoff contention, their effort tonight didn't indicate such. The Hurricanes, facing the top team in the Metropolitan Division, controlled much of the play and handed the Capitals their 11th home regulation loss of the season. "I felt like we dominated portions of the game, for sure," Ryan said. "We realize where we're at. We're continuing to play our game and not think about it. We have four games left, and we're going to make those games counts." "We were good. I liked the way we played, especially in the first half of the game," head coach Bill Peters said. "I thought we made a lot of plays and hung on to pucks." The Canes, in all mathematical likelihood, will fall short of their team goal to qualify for the postseason for the first time since But there remains plenty to play for, and it's always nice going home with two points (and the Biscuit Cup, for the first time since ). "Every win is sweet, whether you're in the playoffs or out of the playoffs," Ryan said. "There's always pride. We're playing in the NHL. It's our job to play our best." "You've got to play. These guys are pros," Peters said. "You want to do it right. You want to look across at the guy sitting next to you and know that he's going to go to work." "We're professionals, and we have pride," Darling said. "We're not just going to go out there and throw our sticks on the ice. We want to finish strong. There are guys here - myself included - trying to prove that you deserve to be here." Two Darling, just as he was at Capital One Arena on Jan. 11 in a 3-1 Canes win, was on his game tonight for the Hurricanes. He faced just 21 shots, a credit to how the team in front of him frustrated a talented Capitals' offense, and stopped 20 of them. "I felt good tonight. The guys played good and kept the shots down," he said. "It was good to get the win." Darling made a number of quality saves tonight, but he seemed to particularly have Jakub Vrana's number. Twice Darling stoned Vrana in spectacular fashion. Early in the second period, Vrana didn't get all of his shot on goal, but Darling still had to be sharp diving across the crease and locating the floating puck with his glove. In the third, Vrana had a breakaway attempt that Darling also shut down. "I thought our goaltender was real good and made some big saves when we broke down," Peters said. Three Michal Kempny opened the scoring in the second period on a shot from the point that beat Darling, but the Capitals didn't hold the lead for long. It only took the Hurricanes 40 seconds to respond and even the score once again. Jaccob Slavin skated with the puck down the far wing and centered to Joakim Nordstrom. Braden Holtby made the initial save on his chance, and Ryan was there to bang home the rebound. "That's big. We always talk about the bump-up shift," Ryan said. "That's a big shift. You can kind of steal some

5 momentum back, and we were able to do that with the goal right away. I think we kind of took over from that point on." "That goal was huge, especially after getting scored on," Darling said. "It was a good pick-me-up for the team. We kept rolling from there." "Those are huge. It's a big momentum swing right there. That's the response and answer you want when you give one up," Peters said. "We were fortunate to get one. Then it's a level playing field again and you don't have to chase the game." Four Faulk returned to the lineup tonight after missing the team's last three games with an upper-body injury. Faulk, who leans on opposing teams' forwards in his own end, can also be dynamic with the puck at the other end. In the second period, the Hurricanes hemmed the Caps in their own zone. All Chandler Stephenson could to in an attempt to clear the zone was poke at the puck, and it ended up on Faulk's stick at the point. Faulk shook Stephenson with a quick dangle, skated to the middle of the ice and scored off a simple wrist shot, giving the Canes a 2-1 lead that they wouldn't relent. "He's got some leadership presence, for sure," Ryan said of Faulk. "He's physical. I saw him make a couple big hits and get the momentum going on our side that way. He's just a smart, veteran, skilled player. He makes the right decisions with the puck. It makes his teammates around him better." "He's great. When the puck is on his stick, you know he's getting out of the zone. He's making plays good plays offensively and being smart defensively," Darling said. "That was a great goal by him tonight, and we're happy to have him back." Five The Hurricanes preserved their lead in the third period, still limiting Washington's chances and building their lead at the other end of the ice. Aho scored his team-leading 28th goal of the season in transition. Valentin Zykov recorded the primary assist on that goal, and he remains a point-per-game producer since being recalled with six points (3g, 3a) in as many games. McGinn added an empty-net goal in the game's final minutes to seal the victory. "We just had to keep doing what we were doing," Darling said of the third period. "We were working hard, staying above guys, hemming them in their zone and getting pucks to the net. That's what we kept doing in the third." "We needed to keep playing aggressively and make sure they spent some time in the D-zone. They pushed," Peters said. "I thought for the most part we did a good job." Up Next The Hurricanes return home to close out their 18th and final back-to-back set of the season on Saturday night against the New York Rangers. Rangers, Hurricanes hoping for strong finishes RALEIGH, N.C. -- Two teams that are not in line to make the playoffs will see if they can gain some good vibes nonetheless with the end of the regular season just about a week away. by STATS 9h ago 2 min read Update 9h ago RALEIGH, N.C. -- Two teams that are not in line to make the playoffs will see if they can gain some good vibes nonetheless with the end of the regular season just about a week away. The New York Rangers visit the Carolina Hurricanes for Saturday night's game at PNC Arena. These teams were contending for a playoff spot, but they have mostly fallen by the wayside. Now it's a matter of trying to put on strong performances the rest of the way. "We want to play the right way," Carolina coach Bill Peters said. The teams are in similar spots in the Eastern Conference standings below the wild-card playoff line. The Hurricanes avoided official elimination with Friday night's 4-1 victory at Washington, but their situation had become dire during the past couple of weeks. The Hurricanes must win their remaining games along with the New Jersey Devils losing in regulation for the rest of the regular season to make the postseason. Carolina has four games remaining, though Saturday night's game marks the second-to-last home game. "We're not going to go out there and just throw our sticks on the ice," Hurricanes goaltender Scott Darling said. "We want to finish strong.? Rangers coach Alain Vigneault also said it's an important time to conclude the schedule the right way. "We've talked to our group about being professionals," Vigneault said. "Having them to understand to come in every day whether it's a practice or a game and give your best. (I've) given them very precise instructions on what we want them to do and how they can get better."

6 The Rangers are in their last seven games after allowing five goals in the third period of a 7-3 loss to Tampa Bay in its final home game. Vigneault said he's impressed with the positive reinforcements that have been provided from veterans such as defenseman Marc Staal and right winger Mats Zuccarello "I'm very proud of how those two have conducted themselves," Vigneault, noting the positive examples that have been on display." For Staal, this will be another chance to play against his brother, Carolina center Jordan Staal. The Hurricanes have called upon several younger players during the past couple of weeks. Still, since the last home game they reassigned forward Warren Foegele and defenseman Roland McKeown to Charlotte of the American Hockey League. Foegele, 21, scored his first NHL goal and earned his first assist in his NHL debut against Ottawa on Monday and then added another goal the next night in New Jersey. Carolina has had some recent shortcomings with special teams. "Let's not go to the box unnecessarily," Peters said. "Let's not take the penalties that are because of a lack of moving your feet." Hurricanes defenseman Justin Faulk returned to action Friday night after missing about a week with an upper-body injury. Peters said it was undetermined if Faulk would be used in both games on back-to-back nights. The Rangers are against Carolina this season, outscoring the Hurricanes by a combined 17-5 score. That includes a 6-3 win on March 12 when Jimmy Vesey recorded a hat trick and the Rangers blocked a season-high 30 shots. New York is 14-3 in the last 17 meetings since April 8, Checkers Pick Up A Point In OT Loss To Amerks Written by Nicholas Niedzielski Published: March 30, 2018 The Checkers picked up a key point in the standings but couldn t keep their road winning streak alive in Rochester, falling to the Americans 4-3 in overtime. The back-and-forth contest saw the Checkers hold a lead three different times, but the Amerks punched back each time. The first came from Trevor Carrick in the opening frame as a puck he flung on net took a fortuitous bounce off a Rochester defender and ended up in the net. Alex Nylander opened the second period with Rochester s first tally of the night, but a snipe from Julien Gauthier again put the Checkers on top. With part of man advantage carrying over into the third, the Americans drew things even again right off the bat in the final frame, though a power-play tally by Greg McKegg pushed the Checkers ahead midway through the period. The neckand-neck race shifted back into the Americans favor down the stretch, as they dominated possession and notched the equalizer late to send the game to overtime. Rochester wasted no time in the extra frame, carrying that momentum and springing Colin Blackwell for a breakaway game-winner, securing the second point for the home squad. NOTES Tonight was the first overtime loss of the season for Charlotte The Checkers finished their season series with the Amerks Tonight was the second time in 34 games this season that the Checkers have not gotten a regulation win after leading through two periods Lucas Wallmark saw his point streak end at eight games, tied for the longest by a Checker this season Greg McKegg extended his point streak to eight games, tying for the longest by a Checker this season Colin Blackwell s four points are tied for the most by a Checkers opponent this season Jake Chelios and Andrew Miller missed the game due to injury Josiah Didier missed the game while serving the last of his three-game suspension Zack Stortini, Mike Ferrantino, Sergey Tolchinsky and Tyler Ganly all served as healthy extras UP NEXT The Checkers finish off their road trip with a visit to Syracuse tomorrow for a 7:00 p.m. puck drop.

7 Hurricanes hold off elimination by ending Capitals' winning streak Washington fails to pad division lead with first loss in six games by Brian McNally / NHL.com Correspondent March 30th, 2018 WASHINGTON -- The Carolina Hurricanes kept their slim Stanley Cup playoff chances alive with a 4-1 win against the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena on Friday. Scott Darling made 20 saves for the Hurricanes ( ), who have won four of five and are eight points behind the New Jersey Devils for the second wild card from the Eastern Conference with four games remaining. "We've had too many of those games where you played well and haven't gotten a point or two points, and tonight we were able to seal the deal and get the two points," Carolina coach Bill Peters said. Braden Holtby made 26 saves for the Capitals ( ), who had their season-long five-game winning streak end. Washington remained five points ahead of the Pittsburgh Penguins for first place in the Metropolitan Division; each has four games remaining and play each other Sunday. Michal Kempny scored on a point shot at 2:35 of the second period to give the Capitals a 1-0 lead. It was his first goal in 18 games for Washington since being acquired Feb. 19 in a trade with the Chicago Blackhawks. Derek Ryan tied it 1-1 at 3:15 of the second period on a rebound after a Phillip Di Giuseppe shot. Justin Faulk put Carolina ahead 2-1 at 11:43 when he scored from the high slot after a Washington turnover. "We dominated some portions of the game, for sure," Ryan said. "They got some sustained zone time. That's to be expected. They're a skilled team. They're a good team. We knew coming in that we were going to have to play some time in our own zone and try not to get running around, play structured. We did that." Sebastian Aho pushed the lead to 3-1 at 14:32 of the third period. Brock McGinn scored an empty-net goal at 17:50 to make it 4-1. "Just not really our best game," Capitals forward Lars Eller said. "I still feel we had another gear or two that we didn't show." Darling made three saves on Nicklas Backstrom late in the second period to keep the Hurricanes ahead 2-1, and one on a Jakub Vrana breakaway at 6:14 of the third period. Darling, who entered with an.886 save percentage, also stopped Dmitry Orlov on a backhand in tight at 14:21, and Aho scored 11 seconds later. "It's been an adjustment all year long with that, not getting the shots, especially like the [flutter] shots, but still getting the Grade A chances," Darling said. "It's been a big transition for me." Goal of the game Faulk's goal at 11:43 of the second period. Save of the game Darling's save on Vrana at 6:14 of the third period. Highlight of the game Aho's goal at 14:32 of the third period. They said it "I think it's just a coincidence. Maybe it's my old goalie coach [Capitals director of goaltending] Mitch Korn. It's his good energy I'm getting when I play here." -- Hurricanes goalie Scott Darling, who made 47 saves on 49 shots in two wins at Capital One Arena this season "This league is too good. You have to have lots of skin in the game and I didn't think we had enough skin in the game emotionally. Carolina is too good of a team." -- Capitals coach Barry Trotz Need to know Capitals forward T.J. Oshie (lower body) left the game in the third period and will be re-evaluated Saturday.... Capitals forward Lars Eller played his 600th NHL game.... Aho has 13 points (five goals, eight assists) in his past 11 games. What's next Hurricanes: Host the New York Rangers on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; FS-CR, MSG 2, NHL.TV) Capitals: At the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday (7:30 p.m. ET; NBCSN, NHL.TV)

8 TODAY S LINKS New York Rangers Ryan McDonagh, J.T. Miller, Dan Girardi beat Rangers in first return to MSG with Lightning JUSTIN TASCH NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Updated: Saturday, March 31, 2018, 1:42 AM Hundreds of times these venerable defensemen entered the Garden, made their way toward the Rangers dressing room and prepared to sacrifice their bodies. On Friday, they returned and needed assistance finding the visitors room. Walking in here, I really didn t know where to go to be honest with you, Dan Girardi said. I really was trying to figure out my way in the dressing room just now. It really is a weird feeling. In what was the Rangers final home game of the season, longtime pair Dan Girardi and Ryan McDonagh, along with J.T. Miller, made their first return to the Garden with the Lightning since departing New York, a poetic end to the home slate for the rebuilding Rangers as they say goodbye to their past. Miller had a goal and assist and Girardi scored in the Rangers 7-3 loss. The trio started Friday for Tampa, were on the ice right before puck drop when a video tribute played featuring some of each player s signature moments as a Ranger and saluted the crowd when it gave them an ovation once it ended. They re chasing the Stanley Cup now with Tampa Bay alongside ex- Rangers Anton Stralman and Ryan Callahan, who preceded McDonagh as Rangers captain. First they had to experience the gamut of emotions that come with this return in particular Girardi and McDonagh, who served as the Rangers top pair for so long and are paired again. In what was the Rangers' final home game of the season, longtime pair Dan Girardi and Ryan McDonagh, along with J.T. Miller, made their first return to the Garden. It was pretty surreal, McDonagh said of his first Lightning shift with Girardi. Not even a year ago, but it feels a lot longer obviously with the new season and everything that s been going on with the team. It felt like old times, not to put it in that fashion. But it was great, great to be on the ice with him again and continue to do the same things we did for those years here in New York. McDonagh saw returning relatively soon after the Feb. 26 blockbuster trade as a positive. Different for Girardi, who was bought out last summer and had to wait all season. (Girardi) said as soon as the trade went down that we could ve ruined his tribute day back here at MSG, McDonagh said. But it s been fun knowing for the both of us, and J.T. as well, that we re all kind of going through this together. The two defensemen went to Starbucks, walked to the arena and were greeted by Rangers fans who thanked them for what they did as members of the Blueshirts. They would leave the building later hoping to achieve with the Lightning what they could not as Rangers despite deep playoff runs. The trio of former Rangers are now chasing the Stanley Cup with Tampa Bay alongside ex-rangers Anton Stralman and Ryan Callahan. But will they have moved on? That s hard. It s hard to say when you finally move on, I guess, McDonagh said. You ask anybody about me, I care so much about the guys that I m in the room with. I think most importantly I want the guys on my team in Tampa to know that I m all in with them and I m for sure gonna give it my all every game. THANKS, HANK Henrik Lundqvist was voted by fans as the winner of this year s Steven McDonald Extra Effort award, given annually to the player who goes above and beyond the normal call of duty.... Filip Chytil scored his first NHL goal. New York Daily News LOADED: New York Rangers Rangers take glance back to honor past before moving forward By Larry Brooks March 31, :30am

9 The video tribute came before the game, the Rangers giving their due to Ryan McDonagh, Dan Girardi and J.T. Miller, who once were part of deep playoff runs in New York and now will shoot for the Cup in Tampa Bay. The battered fans at the Blueshirts Garden finale responded with a resounding ovation. It was a cool experience, what they did for us, Miller said following the Lightning s 7-3 wipeout of his former team Friday. It was definitely emotional. Miller, who has landed on a line with Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov, recorded a goal and an assist in 16:33. Girardi scored the final garbage-time goal while getting 18:47. McDonagh logged 23:01. The defensive pair that plays together, thinks together, and what both McDonagh and Girardi were thinking as they walked into the Garden together Friday night was that it was weird. It all kind of hit me, walking into the building and remembering all the times I had represented the Rangers, McDonagh, sent to Tampa Bay with Miller at the Feb. 26 trade deadline. I was asking questions about where to go. It was a weird feeling for sure. This final home game of the season for the Rangers marked the only Garden appearance by the Lightning, with whom Girardi had signed over the summer after having been bought out following 11 seasons wearing the Blueshirt. It s definitely a weird feeling. Me and Mac went to Starbucks, and as we were walking over a lot of fans thanked us for our years here, Girardi said. That was quite nice. There were guys named Rob O Gara, John Gilmour, Lias Andersson, Ryan Spooner and Ryan Sproul on one side. Guys named McDonagh, Girardi, J.T. Miller, Anton Stralman and (injured) Ryan Callahan on the other. Like sands through the hourglass. The team is a little bit different over there, Girardi noticed. Henrik Lundqvist, awarded the Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award before the match, backed up in this one. That allowed him the time to watch so many of his former teammates, ones with whom he d gone to conference finals and the Stanley Cup final, playing for the other side. I m sure that there will be times during the game that I ll think about it and appreciate what they brought to the team and how they helped me, Lundqvist told The Post before the match. Mac is so new, but when Dan happened, I thought about how good he was at shutting down the other team s top players. Even the other night in Washington, I was thinking about how he would go up against [Alex] Ovechkin. He was such a big part of our matchups and the way we played. He was such a big part of us winning. You know he s not there. At least I do, said the netminder. The style he played, we haven t seen it since he left. McDonagh and Girardi have been a matched set since they were united at the start of the season. What the buyout tore asunder, the trade mended. The Inseparables had been together for 140 minutes in the 10 games McDonagh had played for Tampa Bay on top of the 6,824 minutes they d been paired as Rangers. It s pretty surreal, McDonagh said. It wasn t even a year, but it seemed a lot longer. It feels like old times. McDonagh talked about the bond he had with his Rangers teammates. And when he did, it was clear that was already in the past tense. Ask anybody about me I care so much about the guys in the room, No. 27 said. There s a ton of skill here and a great hockey culture that they ve built. That takes a couple of years. Everybody is very hungry to win every night and trying to accomplish something special. I want to show this group I care. I want to play up to the expectations they have for me in Tampa. I want to be a part of the group success. I m all in. The Lightning skipped back into first place in the Atlantic by a point over the Bruins, who have two games in hand. They are an acknowledged power. The Rangers, after so many years as a contender, well, they are something else altogether. Things change in sports, Lundqvist said. We had some great times when they were here, and you appreciate that. But now you try and move forward. With the past in plain sight. New York Post LOADED: New York Rangers Zuccarello wants to be bridge to next great Rangers teams By Greg Joyce March 31, :12am Mats Zuccarello is torn. The Rangers winger is happy to see some of his best friends in contention to chase a Stanley Cup. He s just not happy that they re not still doing it together as teammates. It hurts sometimes to see that most of the guys are on Stanley Cup contender teams around the league, Zuccarello said Friday before the Blueshirts lost to the Lightning, 7-3, in the Garden finale. It for sure sucks to see that all of them have a chance to win the Stanley Cup, but I think everyone in here is really proud to be a Ranger. And Zuccarello wanted to make that clear. After hearing his name in trade rumors in the middle of the season, ones that might not go away in the offseason with one year left on his contract, he wants to be a bridge to the next great Rangers teams. On a day when five of his former teammates Ryan McDonagh, J.T. Miller, Dan Girardi, Ryan Callahan and Anton Stralman were in town with the Lightning for a pit stop at the Garden as they tune up for the playoffs, Zuccarello was where he wanted to be. The most important thing for me is to be here, Zuccarello said. I love it here and I m proud to be a Ranger and represent New York City. At the end of the day, I m happy. Zuccarello said he wasn t looking at Friday s game as potentially his last in a Rangers uniform at the Garden. He preferred to focus on the future, which to him meant getting this rebuilding group back on track next year after spending this spring watching the playoffs from home for the first time since We re starting something new here [with] some fresh blood, Zuccarello said. I think we re going to be good next year. Coach Alain Vigneault sees players like Zuccarello and defenseman Marc Staal as crucial to the overhaul. While the players change around them, both in names and ages, the two veterans have been indispensable in showing a host of newcomers how to handle themselves in the NHL.

10 Both Mats and Marc Staal have done an amazing job, Vigneault said. You have to look at those two guys, what Marc has done with the six [defensemen] and what Zuccy s doing with the forwards, so much positive reinforcement. [They re an] example on the ice by how hard they re playing and how well they ve played throughout this stretch, when the trade deadline was over. That Zuccarello is all-in on the rebuild doesn t mean it s been easy or that he doesn t miss his old teammates, including the five that were back at the Garden on Friday just four years after they all went to the Stanley Cup final together. The 30-year-old Norwegian said he still misses McDonagh when he looks across the locker room, only to see a new name in the stall the captain formerly occupied. The two came into the NHL almost at the same time in the season and had shared their Rangers journey together until McDonagh was traded away in February. Zuccarello recalled his first Thanksgiving in the states, when McDonagh and his wife cooked for him, and we got a little drunk, he said. He had been in a scoring drought in the AHL, he said, but his first game after the Thanksgiving feast he scored three goals. To see him on the other team is going to be tough, for sure, but at the end of the day, we didn t have a good season here at the Rangers, Zuccarello said. We didn t make the playoffs. It s tough, so I m just happy for him that he gets to play in the playoffs and play on a good team. Before the puck even dropped, the crowd rose to its feet and roared after a video tribute for all three ex-rangers played, remembering some better times. Miller tallied a goal and an assist and Girardi added a late power-play goal as the Lightning ( ) jumped back into first place in the Eastern Conference. A lot of good friends there on the other side, so just tried to keep it serious and professional during the game, Miller said. It was a cool experience, what they did for me, G and Mac. Making his first start since suffering a sprained MCL on Feb. 9, Rangers goalie Ondrej Pavelec fell victim to odd-man rushes galore while making 43 saves. Before the pregame tribute, Henrik Lundqvist was announced as the winner of the 30th annual Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award for the second time. The fan-voted honor is given to the Ranger who goes above and beyond the call of duty in honor of NYPD detective Steven McDonald, who was shot and injured in the line of duty in 1986 and passed away last year. New York Post LOADED: New York Rangers New York Post LOADED: Rangers fall to Lightning, former teammates in home finale New York Rangers Rangers 18-year-old rookie provides ray of hope in latest loss By Brian Heyman Special to Newsday Updated March 30, :43 PM By Greg Joyce March 30, :48pm Updated On a night when the Rangers paid tribute to so much of their recent past, Filip Chytil provided a hopeful glimpse toward the future. The 18-year-old center scored his first NHL goal in the third period of a 7-3 loss to the Lightning on Friday night in the Garden season finale. Just when the Blueshirts ( ) looked lifeless, with the Lightning having scored five consecutive goals, Chytil jumped on a loose rebound to the side of the net and tucked it home for the milestone goal at 8:14. I m glad that I scored my first goal, finally, the 2017 first-round pick said after his fifth NHL game. It s something special and I m very glad my first goal was in Madison Square Garden. Chytil, who had a team-high four shots, said he would give the puck to his parents as a present. He became the first 18-year-old Ranger to score since Manny Malhotra during the season. The Czech Republic native s first tally came four days after fellow firstrounder and teenager Lias Andersson scored his first goal. It s great to see, said Chris Kreider, who added his 16th of the year in the third period. There were a couple times Fil took off tonight and you could see he s a bit of a horse there, flying down the outside. The rest of Friday was not just any other home finale for the Rangers. It also served as a homecoming for Ryan McDonagh, J.T. Miller and Dan Girardi. The video highlights of the three visiting players rolled and the cheers flowed from the Garden stands Friday night. The package closed with a shot of the three standing together on the ice in their old blue jerseys with two words above them: Thank You. Then came Rangers vs. Rangers South the East-leading Tampa Bay Lightning, which has five former Rangers, including the three who were returning for the first time. Captain Ryan McDonagh and J.T. Miller left on trade deadline day, Feb. 26, and Dan Girardi departed after last season. The threesome received the pregame tribute and the postgame satisfaction from a victory. Miller and Girardi each scored in the Lightning s 7-3 win over the rebuilding Rangers in their home finale. It was a pretty cool reception they had for us three, Miller said. It was fortunate we were able to come in here and get two points... It was definitely emotional for sure. McDonagh and Girardi walked to the Garden after a stop at Starbucks. Several fans approached them. It was really nice, thanking us for all the years here, Girardi said. The defensemen didn t know where to go once they arrived at their old home. Anyone know how to get to the visitors dressing room? I never imagined myself having to go through something like this, McDonagh said. But now that it is taking place, you remember everything you gave for this organization and everything the organization did for you and your family, too. And obviously the fan base here. Mats Zuccarello was sad when the eighth-year vet left. The 30-year-old wing had to play against one of his best friends.

11 I miss him when I look around the locker room, Zuccarello said. The Rangers bought out the final three years of Girardi s contract. But this return meant a lot. I had a great time here for 11 years; my blood, sweat and tears, Girardi said. Bled blue for 11 years. Now he s paired again with McDonagh. Girardi has five goals and 16 points and is plus-17 in 73 games. McDonagh has two goals and is minus-one in 10 games. Miller has nine goals and 16 points in 15 games. He s fit in great, McDonagh said. The Rangers acquired Vladislav Namestnikov, two prospects and two picks for McDonagh and Miller. More moves are surely coming. Zuccarello doesn t want to be going. I love it here, Zuccarello said. I m proud to be a Ranger. Zuccarello is enthused about the young players and the future, saying, I think we re going to be good next year. Notes & Quotes: Filip Chytil scored his first NHL goal for the Rangers... Henrik Lundqvist won the fan vote for the Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award. Newsday LOADED: LOADED: Florida Panthers This questionable call against Florida Panthers led to overtime loss against Senators BY CHRIS STEVENSON Special to the Miami Herald March 30, :34 AM OTTAWA Five takeaways from the Panthers 3-2 overtime loss against the Ottawa Senators on Thursday night that leaves Florida three points behind the New Jersey Devils, with a game in hand, in the fight for the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. 1. A controversial end: The Panthers, playing the second game of a back-to-back situation, let the Senators hang around for most of the night after the Panthers owned a 2-1 lead through two periods. They wound up in overtime after the Senators tied the game 16 seconds into the third period on some loose play and lost on a penalty shot goal by Senators forward Jean-Gabriel Pageau with 12.9 seconds left in the extra period. Pageau was awarded the penalty shot after Florida defenseman Mike Matheson dove at him as Pageau was cutting to the net off the right wing and Pageau fell to the ice. Pageau scored on a shot between the pads of Florida goaltender James Reimer. I watched it a few times. It s an iffy, iffy call, Panthers coach Bob Bougher said. It could have gone either way. I just think this time of year, the fight we re in, it would have been nice to see it be called just a penalty with 13 seconds to go in the game. It s a major decision that ended up costing us a point. Hopefully it s not a costly point at the end of the day. Despite salvaging the point, Boughner lamented the Panthers inability to gain ground on the Devils with six games left in the Panthers season. Any other time of the year, you probably play a back-to-back game and you get a point out of the building on a back-to-back, you d be happy with it, Boughner said. Two points are what matter the most for us in the race that we are in. We saw what was happening on the scoreboard on the Jumbotron. It was a chance for us to gain a point on a team we re chasing and we didn t get it done. We had chances in overtime, three or four chances and that s how overtime goes. Both teams get chances and it s whoever buries the first one. Disappointed, but we re still in this things and still a lot of hockey to be played by both teams. The Panthers finish off their four-game road trip (1-1-1 so far) Saturday in Boston against the Bruins. 2. Defenseman Mike Matheson: I feel like I let my teammates down. Matheson had a rough night. He couldn t corral a puck below the Panthers goal line seconds into the third period which led to a goal by Ottawa forward Magnus Paajarvi on a deflection at the 16-second mark. Then there was the penalty shot call which came after Matheson and his teammates had some great chances to end it earlier in OT. It s tough to say. I haven t see the replay of it, he said. Yeah, a tough game for myself and I kind of feel like I let my teammates down in that sense. It s tough, especially this time of year. Matheson said the Panthers didn t do a good enough job of converting the scoring opportunities they created. We had a lot of chances. We had a lot of chances throughout the game that didn t go in, he said. Sometimes that s the way it goes. At the end of the day, I think we played a good game and weren t able to capitalize on the chances. 3. Henrik Borgstrom skates solo in his NHL debut: Panthers forward Henrik Borgstrom got the rookie treatment as he made his NHL debut as his new teammates sent him out onto the ice at Canadian Tire Centre for three solo laps of the rink for the warmup. The 20-year-old, wearing No. 95, played 12:41, had six shot attempts (two shots on goal) and was 3-3 in the faceoff circle. Borgstrom, the No. 23 pick in the 2016 NHL Draft, signed a three-year entry level deal Monday after leaving the University of Denver after his sophomore season. It was an awesome, awesome experience, for sure, Borgstrom said. I was pretty nervous before the game. After the first shift, I wasn t that nervous anymore. We didn t get the win which is pretty heartbreaking. Borgstrom, a native of Helsinki, Finland, was named a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, given annually to the top player in NCAA hockey, on Thursday. The other finalists are Ryan Donato of Harvard University and Adam Gaudette of Northeastern University. The winner will be announced April 6 during the NCAA s Frozen Four in St. Paul, Minnesota. 4. A rare loss for Reimer against the Senators: Reimer, who made 27 saves, is now in his career against the Senators, by far the best record he has against one team. He didn t want to get into the merits of the penalty shot call against Matheson. Obviously you re biased and you wish it wasn t a penalty shot, he said. It s the ref s discretion and I m not going to argue with the calls they make. They have a tough job. Reimer said he had an idea of what Pageau was going to do. I just know that he is kind of a deceptive shooter, he said. I had an idea of what he wanted to do. Unfortunately, he executed and I didn t. That s