Chris Kreider ends four-game drought with goal, two assists
From left, Chris Kreider and Rick Nash of the Rangers celebrate Kreider's second-period goal against the Islanders at Madison Square Garden. (Jan. 21, 2014) Credit: Getty Images
Chris Kreider, who had 12 goals and 27 points coming into Tuesday night's game, had been without a point in the four previous games, his longest drought of the season.
But the 22-year-old left wing put up three points in a losing effort against the Islanders, with a goal and two assists.
Kreider had managed only four shots on net in those four previous games. He had three Tuesday night in 16:04 and scored on a tap-in at 9:34 of the second period.
"The way he plays is an up-and-down type game," coach Alan Vigneault said before the game. "But that line has been good for us, and one of the reasons it's good is how he gets in on the forechecks and backs up the opposition with his speed."
LeNeveu called up
Goaltender David LeNeveu, who has appeared in 22 NHL games with the Phoenix Coyotes and Columbus Blue Jackets, was summoned from Hartford as an emergency backup to Cam Talbot because of Henrik Lundqvist's illness.
A second-round selection by Phoenix in the 2002 draft, LeNeveu had a 5-9-2 NHL record with a 3.43 goals-against average and .887 save percentage. LeNeveu, 30, signed a two-way contract Tuesday.
LeNeveu played for the Pack on Friday, stopping 26 shots in a 4-2 win at Adirondack after being acquired from Providence. He originally came to the Rangers in a 2008 trade deadline deal with Phoenix, along with Fredrik Sjostrom and Josh Gratton for Al Montoya and Marcel Hossa.
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