The Rangers have seven games remaining, with five of the last six on the road, so time is running short for the only thing left for fans to do: Get to know — and evaluate — young players who might make a difference next season and beyond.
Take rookie defenseman Neal Pionk, who in a 5-1 victory over the Sabres on Saturday scored his first NHL goal, ran his streak of games with at least one assist to seven, led the team with 23:24 of ice time and tacked on a warm-and-cuddly coda by saying he would place the puck from that first goal in his father’s office back home in Minnesota.