FRANK VATRANO

You're not going to find many established players under 50 percent who can sufficiently score, fire plenty of pucks on net and participate on a top-10 power play. Noesen skates on the fourth even-strength trio but is being trusted on Carolina's top power play even though he's never previously held this role. Power sat for three appearances following a lower-body issue and returned Thursday to post two helpers, including one on the power play. With Columbus already missing two major blueliners, his presence was welcomed back last Friday on the lead power play, and he skated 20:09 overall. So let's go ahead and recommend an up-and-coming defender who participates on that power play.

The Anaheim Ducks have signed John Klingberg to a one-year, $7 million contract.

Lightning Rangers Hockey New York Rangers' Filip Chytil celebrates goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the second period of Game 1 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoffs Eastern Conference finals Wednesday, June 1, 2022, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II) (Frank Franklin II)NEW YORK — (AP) — Filip Chytil scored twice in the second period and the New York Rangers routed the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning 6-2 on Wednesday night in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals. Kaapo Kakko had the puck behind the Lightning net, came out to the goalie's right and sent a pass to Chytil in slot that he fired it past Vasilevskiy. It gave the Rangers a goal with the man advantage for the sixth straight game, tying a franchise playoff record, previously accomplished in 1986 and 1990. Kreider got the Rangers on the scoreboard first 1:11 into the game on the game's first shot on goal.

Filip Chytil scored twice in the second period and the New York Rangers routed the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning 6-2 on Wednesday night in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals.

Hurricanes Rangers Hockey New York Rangers fans react after center Mika Zibanejad (93) scores on Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Antti Raanta in the second period of Game 4 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series, Tuesday, May 24, 2022, in New York. Game 5 is in Raleigh, North Carolina, on Thursday night, and Game 6 at Madison Square Garden on Saturday. About a minute into the Hurricanes' advantage, the Rangers had a 2-on-1, short-handed chance but Raanta made a sprawling save on Zibanejad. The Rangers were unhappy with a fight that broke out at the end of Game 3 on Sunday between Lindgren and Domi. POWER PLAYSThe Rangers were 1 for 4 on the power play and are now 2 for 11 in the series.

Andrew Copp had a goal and two assists, and Frank Vatrano and Adam Fox each had a goal and an assist as the New York Rangers beat the Carolina Hurricanes 4-1 in Game 4 to even their second-round series.

The Tampa Bay Lightning don’t want to get ahead of themselves in their bid to become the first team in 40 years to win three consecutive Stanley Cup titles.

Sidney Crosby had a goal and three assists to become the sixth player in NHL history to reach 200 career playoff points and the Pittsburgh Penguins throttled the New York Rangers 7-2 to take a 3-1 lead in their Eastern Conference first-round series.

Panarin then extended the lead to 4-2 when his centering pass from beyond the goal line deflected off Penguins defenseman Mike Matheson and past Domingue at 8:02. He deflected Frank Vatrano's point shot past Domingue for his second goal of the series at 7:54. Copp got the Rangers on the scoreboard first again as he got a pass from Panarin and quickly fired a shot past Domingue from the inside edge of the right circle at 6:50. Guentzel got the rebound of a shot by Marcus Pettersson in front and fired a slap shot past Shesterkin at 8:52. The Penguins were without RW Rickard Rakell, who left in the first period of Game 1, and D Brian Dumoulin.

Artemi Panarin and Frank Vatrano each had a goal and two assists and the New York Rangers beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-2 in Game 2 on Thursday night to even the best-of-seven first-round series.

Seth Jarvis and Jordan Staal scored third-period goals and Frederik Andersen made 28 saves as the Carolina Hurricanes beat the New York Rangers 4-2 in a showdown for first place in the Metropolitan Division.

The combination of jumbled standings in the Western Conference and a flat salary cap has stalled much of the trade market around the NHL.

Anthony Duclair scored twice, Jonathan Huberdeau had a goal and four assists, and the Florida Panthers romped to a 9-3 rout of the NHL-leading Tampa Bay Lightning.

The Florida Panthers have matched the best 11-game start in NHL history.

Aleksander Barkov and the Florida Panthers have agreed on an $80 million, eight-year contract extension with an annual cap hit of $10 million.

The Florida Panthers entrusted their season to a rookie goalie making his playoff debut.

There used to be a thing called the Governor’s Cup, a trophy presented to whichever team won the annual regular season series between the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning.

Chris Driedger stopped 30 shots to record his third shutout of the season, Juho Lammikko scored a short-handed goal, and the Florida Panthers secured home-ice advantage for the opening round of the Stanley Cup playoffs with a 4-0 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning in the regular season finale for both clubs.