The man had surgery on his lungs. www.newsday.com/sports/hocke...

Chris Drury, on his Zoom call today, about RFA Braden Schneider: "He's a terrific young, right shot defenseman, has size, physicality, extremely high character. We're excited he's part of our group. We think he's scratching the surface on what he can be... and hope he's a Ranger for a long time."

Adam Edstrom said he had a fracture in his ankle that he played with for almost 6 weeks before the doctors told him he needed to take care of it. So he had surgery in December.

Matt Rempe expressed much frustration about the way his season went. He injured his left thumb in October and needed 2 surgeries. "It wasn't me," he said. "The toughest moment was definitely when I came back and I can't play my game, and I felt like I was just not good."

Vincent Trocheck said the injury that kept him out for 14 games early in the season was an infection that required surgery to remove fluid from around his lungs. "I thought I was going to die," he said.

JT Miller on his first year as captain: “There’s definitely moments that were challenging for me.”

Mike Sullivan at breakup day: “I feel like with some tweaks to our roster, get healthy again, we have the opportunity to be a competitive team.”

So, I'm at the #isles season finale at UBS Arena against Carolina and... The Hurricanes have a guy making his NHL debut tonight named Felix Unger (Felix Unger Sorum). I swear.

Flyers win the shootout and clinch. They are the final team in in the East.

Flyers win the shootout and clinch. They are the final team in in the East.

Hey folks, just a reminder that I did not make the trip and am not covering tonight's #NYR game, nor will I be posting about it. Enjoy the silence.

#Isles warmup lines and D pairs vs. Montreal: Lee-Horvat-Holmstrom Schenn-Barzal-Ritchie Duclair-Pageau-Heineman MacLean-Cizikas-Gatcomb Schaefer-Pulock Pelech-DeAngelo Soucy-Mayfield Sorokin Rittich

Greetings from UBS Arena, where I'm about to watch the #isles host the Montreal Canadiens in a game that seems, um, pretty big. The pregame news is: Sorokin starts; Palat is out, Duclair is in, and Alexander Romanov won't be coming to the rescue. He is officially done for the season.

Hey folks, just a heads up that I did not make the road trip and won’t be covering, or tweeting today’s #NYR game.

All 3 goalies are going on the road trip, Sullivan said. But the #NYR coach wouldn't say if Dylan Garand will get a game. "There's a plan," is all he would say.

PP1 is the same as usual: Fox, Mika, J.T., Trocheck and Laf. Laf and J.T. are switching back and forth between net front and right boards.

PP2: Gavrikov, Gabe, Sheary, Brodzinski, Cuylle

Lines and D pairs at #NYR practice are the same as they've been: Gabe-Mika-Laf Kartye-J.T.-Sheary Cuylle-Trocheck-Brodzinski Sykora-Laba-Chmelar Gavrikov-Fox Fortescue-Schneider Robertson-Borgen

I'm on assignment here in UBS Arena, where the #isles Matthew Schaefer has just scored his 23rd goal of the season, tying Brian Leetch's record for rookie defensemen. Tony DeAngelo and Ondrej Palat the assists. And the crowd is chanting, "Matthew Schaefer!"

Vincent Trocheck on the value of winning 5-of-the-last-7 at home. "It's been a tough year for everyone here, especially at home, so we know (the fans have) been frustrated. When we're on home ice, we want to do it for them. We haven't done a great job doing that this year."

And Zach Benson gets the empty-net goal, off a pass from Josh Doan, with 1:15 left. 5-3, BUF.

BUF's Josh Norris is called for hooking Tye Kartye, so he goes off and we have 4-on-4 hockey for the next 1:17, then a Rangers power play.

And now, Will Borgen is off for holding the stick of Beck Malenstyn. BUF to the power play.

Jason Zucker jams one in to put BUF back in front, 4-3.

3-3. Krebs shoots and it looks like Alex Tuch tips it in front.

BTW, if the Rangers win tonight, they slip to 5th in the draft order... End 2, Rangers 3 (Laf 2, Fox), BUF 2 (McLeod, Benson). SOG 19-19. Per Natural Stat Trick, attempts are 46-42, scoring chances 25-21, and HD chances 11-10, Rangers.

Rangers go with two forwards (J.T. and Mika) and one D (Schneider) for the 5-on-3.

Gavrikov sent off for cross-checking Jason Zucker with 56 seconds left in the Trocheck penalty. 5-on-3 for :56 upcoming, and BUF uses its timeout.

Trocheck off for slashing. BUF to the power play. They're 0-for-1.

Adam Fox gets the goal, and the #NYR have their first lead, 3-2. Looked like Laf had the tip, but apparently he missed it. Ninth goal of the season for the red-hot Fox, who has a point in eight straight games. He's at 52 points in 51 games now.

BUF's Peyton Krebs has been sent off for hooking. #NYR will be on the power play when we return.

Fortescue sends Laf in on a breakaway and he snaps one up high. 2-2. #NYR

Adam Fox is off for tripping. BUF to the power play.

End 1, Sabres 2 (McLeod, Benson) #NYR 1 (Lafreniere PP). SOG 12-11, Rangers. Rangers when trailing after one period, are 5-20-5. Buffalo when leading after one are 24-2. Per Natural Stat Trick, shot attempts are 30-17, Rangers, scoring chances 14-8, Rangers, and HD chances 5-5.

That power play was going nowhere and all of a sudden, Adam Fox keeps a puck in at the right point, fires a shot, and Alexis Lafreniere deflects it in. #NYR within 2-1.

Ryan McLeod is off for tripping and the #NYR go to the power play.

Alexei Kovalev is in the house.

Rangers get caught in the middle of a line change, and they're scrambling in the D zone, and Rasmus Dahlin sends a shot into traffic and it deflects in off Zach Benson. 2-0, BUF. It's quiet in here.

Matthew Modine and Liam Neeson (in the flesh) are here.

Lotta cheers when Ryan McLeod scores to put BUF up, 1-0.

#NYR warmup lines and D pairs for the MSG finale are unchanged: Perreault-Zibanejad-Lafreniere Kartye-Miller-Sheary Cuylle-Trocheck-Brodzinski Sykora-Laba-Chmelar Gavrikov-Fox Fortescue-Schneider Robertson-Borgen Shesterkin Quick

Igor Shesterkin leads the #NYR onto the Garden ice for the final game here this season.

"So, let's dance The last dance Let's dance The last dance Tonight...." Testing, testing, people...

The Rangers have hired Kevin Maxwell as Director of Player Personnel and Director of Pro Scouting. He previously worked with the Rangers from 2008-2022 and spent the last four years working with the St. Louis Blues.

Pretty intense day-before-game practice for #NYR. Power play work now. PP1 is unchanged: Fox-Zibanejad-Miller-Trocheck-Lafreniere PP2: Gavrikov-Sheary-Perreault-Brodzinski-Cuylle

Lines and D pairs at #NYR practice today are the same: Perreault-Zibanejad-Lafreniere Kartye-Miller-Sheary Cuylle-Trocheck-Brodzinski Sykora-Laba-Chmelar Gavrikov-Fox Fortescue-Schneider Robertson-Borgen Vaakanainen-Iorio

While he was in Hartford, Matthew Robertson was confident he had the physical skills to reach the NHL, and figured it was the mental side that was holding him back. So he sought help. www.newsday.com/sports/hocke...

Will Cuylle on what his hat trick means to him: "It’s cool. First hat trick in the NHL, it’s kind of a dream come true. It’s great to have it in a game like today, where we had a full 60-minute from everyone, everyone contributing, and I’m just happy with the result."

More Fox: "We've tried to make an emphasis on reclaiming the home ice. That's usually a great advantage for us. Obviously, early in the year we we struggled here, and maybe it was a little bit of mental..."