Youth Movement Energizing Blueshirts

The infusion of youth into the Rangers' lineup over the last month even has Henrik Lundqvist thinking back to his days as a rookie with the Rangers.
"You see yourself in a lot of these players. They come in and play their first couple games and you remember how special that was," Lundqvist said of his new teammates. "But they're also here for a reason. They're here because they're very talented and good players. When you're out there, you don't really look at age or number of games - this is what we need to do and we expect everybody to do it for us.
"There's definitely moments when you get reminded how young they are," he added. "It's the start of their careers and it's a special moment."

Rookies Neal Pionk, John Gilmour and Rob O'Gara have a combined 41 games of experience, while second-year blueliner Tony DeAngelo has 67 games under his belt. In most defensive groups, Brady Skjei would be the fresh face, but his 153 games of NHL experience place him second behind Marc Staal.
But what these players - including goaltender Alexandar Georgiev and forwards Vinni Lettier and Boo Nieves earlier in the year - lack in experience they make up for in effort and enthusiasm.
"Absolutely," Pionk said when asked about the importance of bringing a youthful energy to the team. "When we first got up here we were told that times are a little tough but just bring a smile and some energy to the group. I think we've done a good job of that."
On an individual level, it's a key for these young players to show what they have during this stretch run of the regular season. They're using these 25 games or so as an audition of sorts for next season when all hope to be on the NHL roster come October.
But that feeling is also rubbing off on others in the room, and it's showing on the ice, as the Blueshirts take their three-game winning streak into a tilt with the Jets at The Garden Tuesday night.
"That's an important thing they have to bring, that energy," Lundqvist said. "Being excited and want to learn and get going. You have a lot of guys that have played a lot of games, but you also need that hunger from young guys that come in."
The kids have contributed greatly to this recent run of success that's seen the club earn seven out of eight points. Gilmour scored the game-winner in Vancouver and added an assist against the Oilers, while Pionk had his first multi-point effort in the victory over the Canucks. Georgiev, meanwhile, made 35 saves to secure his first NHL win in Edmonton.
Have there been growing pains? Of course, but that's to be expected as players learn the game at the NHL level.
"There's no doubt they're competing hard and giving their best every time they're on the ice," coach Alain Vigneault said. "Very coachable and working to get better. We're trying to tighten up a couple areas defensively, trying to keep shots below 50 would be a good one. They're working real hard and that's what you want from your players."
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Mika Zibanejad will not play tonight against the Jets.
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Defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk skated with the team for the first time since undergoing knee surgery in late January to repair a meniscus tear in his knee.
"He is coming along real well," Vigneault said. "He's been skating for a long time. His rehab is right where he's supposed to be. We'll be in that six-week range."
Vigneault said Shattenkirk was scheduled to travel with the club to Florida on Wednesday, but an impending snow storm moved the team's flight up and thus Shattenkirk will remain in New York.
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Rangers lineup at the morning skate:
Chris Kreider - David Desharnais - Pavel Buchnevich
Ryan Spooner - Kevin Hayes - Jesper Fast
Jimmy Vesey - Vladislav Namestnikov - Mats Zuccarello
Cody McLeod - Peter Holland - Paul Carey
Brady Skjei - John Gilmour
Marc Staal - Neal Pionk
Rob O'Gara - Tony DeAngelo