Bantering Points: 2/27/17

After falling to the Columbus Blue Jackets by a 5-2 margin yesterday, the Rangers are down to only one game before this Wednesday's trade deadline. However, the Rangers historically prefer to make their acquisitions the day before the deadline in order to get the players to New York, so yesterday's game could have been the last game for a number of Blueshirts. Anyway, here are today's news and links:

Rangers News:

• Highlights: CBJ 5, NYR 2 (3:54 Video via NHL.com)
• Brett Cyrgalis discusses how the Rangers were the real winners from last night's action at Madison Square Garden (NY Post)
• Justin Tasch relays word that New York has looked at the Vancouver Canucks' upcoming schedule in order to take precautionary measures against the mumps outbreak ravaging Vancouver's locker room (NY Daily News)
• Steve Zipay recaps yesterday's loss against the Blue Jackets (Newsday)
• Tom Dianora gives his take on the Rangers' rumored interest in Detroit Red Wings defenseman Brendan Smith (The Hockey Writers)
• Scott Charles offers his thoughts on New York's 5-2 loss from the world's most famous arena (Blueshirt Bulletin)
• Postgame Notes: Jesper Fast's goal with 0.3 seconds remaining in the game was the latest goal scored by the Rangers in more than five years (Official Team Site)
• Postgame Interviews: Alain Vigneault,(1:33) Henrik Lundqvist,(2:27) Ryan McDonagh,(1:50) and Rick Nash (0:56)/

Around the NHL:

• Chris Johnston rounds up the trades from around the NHL, including Ben Bishop being traded from the Tampa Bay Lightning to the Los Angeles Kings, and Martin Hanzal (and Ryan White) moving from the Arizona Coyotes to the Minnesota Wild (Sportsnet)
• Josh Cooper takes note of how Arizona Cooytes captain Shane Doan was visibly upset by the events that transpired with his team yesterday (Puck Daddy)
• With the trade deadline only two days away, the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals have enteed the Kevin Shattenkirk sweepstakes (TSN)/

Do you know who the Ranger in the picture is?