PHILADELPHIA (AP) — New York Rangers center Mika Zibanejad and coach Mike Sullivan reached career milestones Saturday, a day after team president and general manager Chris Drury sent a letter to fans expressing disappointment with the season.
Zibanejad became the Rangers’ all-time leader in power play goals and tied the franchise’s career hat trick record in New York’s 6-3 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. The win was Sullivan’s 500th career win.
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The 32-year-old Zibanejad scored his 117th power-play goal with a personal advantage in the second quarter. He shares the Rangers record 116 with Camille Henry and Chris Kreider.
“It’s definitely special,” Zibanejad said after the game. “It means I have the opportunity to be here for a long time, long enough to get close to that goal.”
Zibanejad’s ninth hat trick for the Rangers tied Bill Cook’s franchise record.
Sullivan praised Zibanejad for his example during a difficult season for the Rangers, who ended a five-game losing streak on Saturday.
“He’s really committed to playing the game the right way, the way we’re trying to play it,” Sullivan said. “I thought he embodied that most of the year. We asked him to use his size and physicality on offense and defense. I thought he really embraced that challenge. He played really well for us.”
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The Rangers faced their latest challenge on Friday, with Drury penning a letter to fans saying “we know and feel your disappointment that the season has gotten to this point.” The letter suggested changes may be on the way.
“Given our position in the standings and the injuries to key players this season, we have to be honest and realistic about our situation,” Drury wrote. “We will not rest on our laurels — this shift will allow us to be smart and opportunistic as we retool our team. This will not be a rebuild. This will be a reorganization around our core players and prospects.”
Zibanejad admitted there were “a variety of feelings” after the letter was sent and said he liked how the team responded. He said “it’s not an easy situation” but added that such a win can provide a spark.
“If there’s a change coming, try to make the most of the time we have as a team, the time we have right now,” Zibanejad said.
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Sullivan enters his first season with the Rangers with 480 career wins after coaching the Boston Bruins and Pittsburgh Penguins. In 10 years in Pittsburgh, he led the Penguins to back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 2016 and 2017.
“I’m grateful,” Sullivan said. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to coach in this league. It’s the greatest league in the world and it’s an absolute privilege to be a part of it in any capacity. It’s been an incredible honor to be a head coach so far.”
This latest win is particularly special because it was dictated by the circumstances.
“I just think it says a lot about the character of the people in the room,” Sullivan said. “The last few days have been very emotional for the entire team. To respond as hard as we did tonight…I think it’s a testament to these guys that they’re good people and they care deeply about each other and the Rangers organization.”
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AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/NHL
