Here are today’s news and links:

Rangers News:

• Highlights: NYR 3, PIT 0 (5:07 video via NHL.com)
• Game Recap: A strong effort out of Igor Shesterkin propelled the Rangers to their most critical victory of the season yet as they gained ground in the jockeying for playoff seeding (CBS)
• Larry Brooks sees last night’s victory as another point in the direction of the Blueshirts looking like legitimate contenders (NY Post)
• Mollie Walker points out the high hit delivered to Tyler Motte as the source of tempers flaring late in yesterday’s contest (NY Post)
• Vincent Mercogliano offers his takeaways from New York’s crucial victory over Pittsburgh (LoHud)
• Tom Castro argues that Andrew Copp’s play since arriving at the trade deadline could make Ryan Strome expendable after the season (The Hockey Writers)/

Around the NHL:

• San Jose Sharks’ general manager Doug Wilson has stepped down from the position due to a medical issue (TSN)
• The Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Buffalo Sabres by a 5-3 margin in order to clinch their fourth consecutive berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs (Sportsnet)
• Adam Gretz recaps the action from around the league last night (NBC Sports)/