Rangers will 'try and win' facing plans for roster changes

NEW YORK -- One day after the New York Rangers announced they were looking to the future, coach Alain Vigneault vehemently expressed his belief that he thinks they can make the Stanley Cup Playoffs this season.

"I'll tell you what I told my GM, what I told my president, what I told my owner: I'm going to try and win every game," Vigneault said Friday prior to a home game against the Calgary Flames. "That's what we have to do as a group. I believe that we're a goaltender getting on a roll away]*
New York entered Friday on a four-game losing streak, including 6-1 against the Boston Bruins on Wednesday. The Rangers had lost seven of eight and nine of their past 12 games.

Goalie Ondrej Pavelec started against the Flames after Henrik Lundqvist was pulled for the third time in his past five starts against the Bruins.
"These are probably unusual circumstances would be the way to put it," Vigneault said. "My job is to coach and get this team to win. Their job is to play and find ways to win. We're going to work together. We're going to keep this hockey mode. I really believe. I've been saying it for the last couple of days, I think we're playing better than our record indicates. [Lundqvist] is working with [goalie coach Benoit Allaire] right now. I'm going with [Pavelec] tonight. Hank has been working with Ben. I'm sure that their hard work together is going to pay off. Foundation for any team that wins, I'm telling you it's the goaltending. Goaltending gets on a roll, and Hank has done that so many times for us and I believe he's going to do it again."
The Rangers are playing without six regular skaters because of injury, with defenseman Ryan McDonagh the latest to be sidelined. Vigneault said McDonagh has had an upper-body injury since a 6-5 win at the San Jose Sharks on Jan. 25. The New York captain did not play Friday, and Vigneault said he isn't expected to go on a road trip to play the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday and the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday.
The Rangers also were without defensemen Marc Staal (cervical strain) and Kevin Shattenkirk (knee surgery), and forwards Chris Kreider (blood clot), Pavel Buchnevich (concussion) and Jimmy Vesey (concussion symptoms).
Defensemen Neal Pionk and John Gilmour made their NHL debut against the Flames.

"I was asked directly if I think we can win the Cup," Vigneault said. "I've had better teams, haven't won it yet. I believe we can get in and we're going to try hard, I'm telling you right now."