Rangers’ extra time in video room pays off in big way on ice

dramatic improvement in the Rangers points into play 23 General last year to 49.2 percent in the fourth in the NHL at 54.4 percent entering Sunday's game at the Garden against the Coyotes are not just a matter of chance. Jonathan Toews Jersey.

"During the summer, Arnie [associate coach Scott Arniel] sent all our images centermen video other players into play in the league," coach Alain Vigneault said before the 3-2 win when his team went 29-31 on draws. "It was a very complete video, and that with our improved internal videos, we are able to share information with our centers."

Mika Zibanejad improved from 50.5 percent last year to 57.7 in Ottawa after a night he mysteriously only nine involved. Derek Stepan, with a notoriously low percent career efficiency 44.6 was over 50 percent before going 5-13 therein. Kevin Hayes, a dismal 36.4 percent through his first two seasons, was 52.7 percent.

"Arnie has sent 300 minutes centermen rightists who were good on draws. I think it was [Claude] Giroux, [Patrice] Bergeron, [David] Backes and another guy," said Stepan The Post. "Looking at them made me much more aware of how to position my body. It certainly helped.

"It's part of the game in which I can definitely improve. It is important to win draws. I'm much more aware. Maybe in the past I was not paying enough attention to him, but he was rightly talked about as a weakness in my game that I am more than willing to put in the time, so I can improve. "

Rangers carry the max 23 men on the active list, including eight defensemen and 13 forwards. When Pavel Boutchnevitch (back spasms) may return IR, management will have a staff decision to make.

"We have internal discussions on how to resolve things," said Vigneault. "Do we carry eight defensemen, should we have 14 attackers? There is money [CAP] issues that come into consideration. "

If the Blueshirts do not want to carry two extra attackers, they should probably risk losing Josh Jooris, who scored his first goal on Sunday and played well on the fourth line, an exemption. Then there is the dilemma Dylan McIlrath. The Rangers probably will not carry eight defenders for a long time, but like rather not lose McIlrath, installed in the eighth slot, for nothing via waivers.

Adam Clendening was the healthy scratch to accommodate the return of Dan Girardi to the range.

Henrik Lundqvist played back-to-back just four times last year (and nine times the last three seasons under Vigneault), but the king was in the nets for it after his strong performance in the 4-2 victory Blueshirts in Washington.

"We have not played a lot of hockey, we have two days off before our next game [Wednesday at the Garden against the Bruins], so the timing is allowing me to use our # 1 in these situations.

"This is a good time to get Hank on top of his game and we need him in this way."

Vigneault said before the season that ideally he would limit Lundqvist, very strong in both competitions of the weekend, despite the hiccups puck handling, between 55 and 60 departures. Boston Bruins.

"If you saw our schedule in November and December, both Hank and Antti [Raanta] will have a lot of games."

Lundqvist started five of the first six matches of the club.