2006–07 New York Rangers season

NHLTeamSeason
Season=2006–07
Team=New York Rangers
Conference=Eastern
ConferenceRank=6th
Division=Atlantic
DivisionRank=3rd
Record=42–30–10
HomeRecord=21–15–5
RoadRecord=21–15–5
GoalsFor=242
GoalsAgainst=216
GeneralManager=Glen Sather
Coach=Tom Renney
Captain=Jaromir Jagr
AltCaptain=Brendan Shanahan
Martin Straka
Arena=Madison Square Garden
Attendance=18,200
GoalsLeader=Jaromir Jagr (30)
AssistsLeader=Jaromir Jagr (66)
PointsLeader=Jaromir Jagr (96)
PIMLeader=Sean Avery (174)
PlusMinusLeader=Marek Malik (+32)
WinsLeader=Henrik Lundqvist (37)
GAALeader=Henrik Lundqvist (2.34)
StanleyCup=
PresidentsTrophy=
ConferenceWin=
DivisionWin=The New York Rangers 2006–07 season saw the team attempting to build off their surprising run into the playoffs the prior year.

After being swept by their cross-river rivals the New Jersey Devils in the first round of the 2006 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Rangers looked to add playoff experience through off-season free agent signings. As such, the Rangers signed forward Matt Cullen [http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app?articleid=276362&page=NewsPage&service=page New York Rangers add former Carolina Hurricanes forward Cullen] - accessed May 7, 2007] and defenseman Aaron Ward [http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app?articleid=276624&page=NewsPage&service=page Rangers sign defenceman Aaron Ward away from champion Hurricanes] - accessed May 7, 2007] from the Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes in addition to three-time champion Brendan Shanahan [http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app?articleid=276994&page=NewsPage&service=page Free agent winger Brendan Shanahan signs with New York Rangers] - accessed May 7, 2007] from the Detroit Red Wings. However, the Rangers lost a few big names from their strong regular season run, including assistant captain Steve Rucchin [http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app?articleid=276614&page=NewsPage&service=page Thrashers sign unrestricted free agents Steve Rucchin, Glen Metropolit] - accessed May 7, 2007] , Martin Rucinsky [http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app?articleid=278404&page=NewsPage&service=page St. Louis Blues sign free-agent forward Martin Rucinsky] - accessed May 7, 2007] , Tom Poti [http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app?articleid=276980&page=NewsPage&service=page Poti leaves Rangers, signs one-year deal with rival Islanders] - accessed May 7, 2007] and Petr Sykora. [http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app?articleid=278664&page=NewsPage&service=page Free-agent forward Petr Sykora signs one-year deal with Oilers] - accessed May 7, 2007]

Regular season

The Rangers opened regular season play at Madison Square Garden on October 5 2006 against the Washington Capitals. In the 5–2 victory, Jaromir Jagr scored on the season's first shot, and Brendan Shanahan scored twice, to tally his 600th career NHL goal. [http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app?articleid=280581&page=NewsPage&service=page Rangers forward Brendan Shanahan scores twice to reach 600 NHL goals] - accessed May 7, 2007] Despite a 2–0 start, the Rangers struggled through the month of October and finished the calendar month in the midst of their west coast swing with a 5–6 record.

Things began to turn in the right direction for the team in the month of November. The Rangers began the month with wins over Anaheim and San Jose to bring their record above .500 and after an 8–3–3 month, the Rangers had a 13–9–3 record.

The Rangers rose high in December, with a five game winning streak during the second week, but then crashed hard back to Earth. A 9–2 loss at Toronto on December 16 keyed a seven game losing streak which included two heart-breaking losses in Florida (one to the Panthers in which the Rangers led 2–0 after two periods and lost 3–2 and another two nights later to the Lightning in which the Rangers led 3–0 after two and lost 4–3). The Rangers were also shutout in their final two losses of the streak. The Rangers got back on the right track and snapped their losing skid with a 4–1 win against the Capitals in their final game of 2006. This win would key a four game winning streak; however, the Rangers lost 8 of their next 11 games as they limped into February.

On February 5 2007, in a trade with the Los Angeles Kings the Rangers acquired the agitator Sean Avery. [http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app?articleid=288543&page=NewsPage&service=page Rangers acquire forward Sean Avery in five-player swap with Kings] - accessed May 7, 2007] Avery's first few games with the Rangers saw an increase in the team's intensity, but still a lack of luck in the standings. In his first game, the Rangers lost to the Devils 3–2 in a shootout, then proceeded to win three straight against the likes of Tampa Bay, Washington, and Carolina.

Against the Philadelphia Flyers on February 17, the Rangers lost not only the game (5–3) but also lost Shanahan to a concussion after an open ice collision with Mike Knuble in the third period. [http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app?articleid=289185&page=NewsPage&service=page Rangers forward Shanahan hospitalized following collision with Philadelphia's Knuble] - accessed May 7, 2007] Shanahan would miss the next 15 games. As of the trading deadline on February 27, the Rangers were 29–27–6 and a run at a playoff berth looked unlikely.

During the month of March, the Rangers lost a number of other players to injury, including Fedor Tyutin [http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app?articleid=289941&page=NewsPage&service=page Tyutin out 3 to 4 weeks due to sprained knee ligament] - accessed May 7, 2007] , Marcel Hossa [http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app?articleid=290115&page=NewsPage&service=page Rangers' Hossa out 3–to-4 weeks with knee injury] - accessed May 7, 2007] and Karel Rachunek [http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app?articleid=290511&page=NewsPage&service=page Rangers D Rachunek joins growing list of injuries] - accessed May 7, 2007] all to MCL sprains. However, thanks to the stellar play of goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, the Rangers went 10–2–3 in the month of March to move into playoff position and on April 5 2007, with a 3–1 win over the Montreal Canadiens, clinched a playoff berth for the second consecutive season. The Rangers concluded the regular season with a record of 13–3–4 after the trading deadline and 17–6–6 after the acquisition of Avery from Los Angeles.

On their final night of the regular season, the Rangers lost 2–1 to Pittsburgh, but thanks to Tampa Bay's shootout loss to Atlanta, the Rangers locked up the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs for the second straight year.

eason standings

Game log

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October

January

April

Player stats

katers

"Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/- = Plus/Minus; PIM = Penalty Minutes"

Free agents acquired

Waiver losses

Playoffs

As the second seed in the Atlantic Division, the Wolf Pack opened up the playoffs against the third seeded Providence Bruins. With home ice advantage secured, Hartford won Game 1 5–1, but fell behind early in Game 2 and lost 4–2. With the series even and headed to Providence, the Wolf Pack reclaimed home ice advantage in the series thanks to a 5–2 victory in Game 3. Providence evened the series again in Game 4 with a big 5–1 victory, but the Wolf Pack used a 26–save Al Montoya shutout in Game 5 (a 1–0 victory) to take a 3–2 series lead back home to Hartford. Providence stayed alive in the series by winning Game 6 convincingly by a 5–2 score to force a seventh game. Tied 3–3 in the third, the Bruins scored two goals in a span of 58 seconds to take a 5–3 lead which Hartford could not come back from, falling 5–4 and losing the series 4 games to 3.

Charlotte Checkers (ECHL)

Charlotte finished the regular season 42–27–1–2 for 87 points, making 2006–07 the third best regular season finish in franchise history (behind 93 points in 2001–02 and 94 points in 1995–96). The Checkers also qualified for the playoffs for the third consecutive season. In each of the past two years, the Checkers were eliminated in the third round of the Kelly Cup Playoffs. Mark Lee led the team in scoring with 80 points, Bruce Graham led the team in goals with 33, and goaltender Chris Holt finished the season with a 24–18–0–2 record with a 3.15 goals against average.

Regular season standings

Playoffs

The fourth seeded Checkers played the fifth seeded Augusta Lynx in the American Conference's Southern Divisional Quarterfinals, a best-of-three series, sweeping it 2 games to 0. Charlotte won both games in overtime, 2–1 in Game 1 and 3–2 on the road in Game 2. Daymen Rycroft scored the game winning goal on both occasions.

The Checkers would then play the top seeded Florida Everblades in the Divisional Semifinals, a best-of-five series. Florida took Game 1 by the score of 3–2, then pounded the Checkers in Game 2 by scoring early and often, en route to a 7–2 win. Back home for Game 3, the Checkers could not stave off the sweep, falling 4–0 in their final game.

ee also

*2006–07 NHL season

References

*Game log: [http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/teams/schedule?team=nyr&year=2007 New York Rangers game log] on espn.com
*Team standings: [http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/standings NHL standings] on espn.com
*Player Stats: [http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/teams/stats?team=nyr New York Rangers 2006–07 Reg. Season Stats] on espn.com
*Draft picks: 2006 NHL Entry Draft
* [http://www.newyorkrangers.com Official site of the New York Rangers]