Mike Milbury says the struggling Rangers won’t make the playoffs despite the efforts of Henrik Lundqvist and John Tortorella. (NBC Sports)

New York Rangers Alex Auld makes team debut and shines, making 26 of 28 saves and keeping the team in the game all night, but not enough to get the win in D.C.

One week ago, the hockey world was buzzing about how great the Winter Olympic gold medal game was. That gold medal match between rivals USA and Canada was a ratings bonanza. We were told how the success of Team USA would trickle over into the NHL season ..

WASHINGTON — Marian Gaborik returned and, with that, both head coach John Tortorella and the Rangers fell into familiar patterns that concluded in a 2-0 loss here last night to the Capitals. Given the opportunity to heap ice time on his top two lines with his lone elite goal-scorer in…

As we said last night, this is the time of the season for the Ranger prospects to make statements about their wish for a contract from the New York Rangers. The Rangers may have almost a month to go in their season but for the prospects just about every game now is “win or go home” Sure those are the corny cliches that everyone pulls out but in many a case they are as true a statement as this is the time of the year where prospects can earn that desired contract.

The Washington Capitals defeated the New York Rangers 2-0 in Jose Theodore’s first shutout of the season; and they continue to prove that their trade deadline moves are taking them in the right direction.

There are games that remind me just how great the divide is between the Rangers and the top teams in the league.  This was one of them.  The Capitals were far from their best.  Ovechkin looked average.  And even when the Caps sat back with the lead in the third period they still surrendered scoring chances. 

That the game was so close was very unexpected, but the result was pretty much a given. The Rangers just don’t match up against the Caps.

The Rangers take on the Capitals Saturday nigh on the front end of back-to-back games, which culminate Sunday at home against the Sabres. In what has to be viewed as a strange move, Alex Auld gets his first start as a Ranger. That is not the strange part as the Rangers should rest Henrik Lundqvist when they can, but why do it against Washington rather than a weaker offense of Buffalo and at ho…

Good evening folks. The New York Rangers are back in action tonight as they take on Alex Ovechkin and the Caps. The Blueshirts have shown that they can skate with the Caps this season and will be looking to do the same in tonight’s tilt in D.C.