Off-Topic » Chubb with the No. 3 pick. Indianapo

John Tavares heard the New York Islanders fans chanting his name in the closing minutes of the team’s final home game of the season.

The captain Shaquem Griffin Jersey Seahawks , set to be a free agent this summer, was thankful for the support and reiterated he hopes to be back next season.

”It was really nice from the fans,” Tavares said after the Islanders continued their recent mastery of the Rangers with a 2-1 victory over their crosstown rivals Thursday night.

”I’ve always been treated since Day 1 very well,” he said. ”They’ve always stuck by me and been really proud to have me here and made it a lot easier for me to just kind of grow into the player and person that I am. I’m just appreciative of that. I’m not trying to look at it as it’s the end because obviously that hasn’t been determined. I’ve always wanted it to work out and stay, so that’s still what I hope transpires.”

Thomas Hickey and Anthony Beauvillier scored 2:32 apart in the second period and Jaroslav Halak stopped 34 shots as the Islanders beat the Rangers for the 11th time in the past 12 meetings.

They swept the four-game season series for the second time in the past three seasons, after never previously doing it since joining the NHL in 1972. The Islanders are also 6-0-0 at home against the Rangers since moving to Barclays Center in 2015.

”We just want to beat them no matter what the game is,” Halak said. ”Obviously tonight, for both teams we are out of the playoffs and it doesn’t really mean anything but we still have to finish the season strong. … It’s always a good feeling after these games when we beat them.”

Halak improved to 18-7-0 in his career against the Rangers, including 10-2-0 since joining the Islanders before the 2014-15 season. This season, he went 4-0-0 with a shutout and a 1.47 goals-against average against them.

”The numbers are eye-opening,” Islanders coach Doug Weight said. ”It’s not just a good roll, he gets up for those games. He competes and finds a way to beat them.”

Kevin Hayes scored and Ondrej Pavelec finished with 20 saves for the Rangers, who lost for the eighth time in 10 games (2-6-2).

”We got quite a few pucks at the net but against a goaltender that’s got our number the way their guy has right now, you need to get on the inside Bills Authentic Jerseys ,” Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said. ”You need to get more traffic and you need to create second opportunities and we didn’t do that well enough.”

This is the first time since 2010 – and just the second since 2001 – that neither team will be in the postseason.

The Rangers will miss out for the first time since that 2009-10 season, and second since the lockout wiped out the 2004-05 campaign.

The Islanders, who won for the fourth time in the past nine overall but just the fifth in 21 (5-12-4), are missing the playoffs for the second straight year, and eighth in the past 11.

”We’re a skilled team, were a good team. We should be a playoff team,” Weight said. ”We have to find a way to be more consistent because we don’t belong where we are right now.”

The Islanders trailed 1-0 after one period and were outshot 13-5 in the second, but scored twice to take the lead.

Hickey tied it on a one-timer off a pass from Mathew Barzal as his shot from the left point deflected off a Rangers player and past Pavelec at 4:55.

Beauvillier put the Islanders ahead on a give-and-go with Andrew Ladd for his 21st at 7:27. It gave the second-year forward a goal in five straight games.

The Rangers got on the scoreboard on a power play 4 1/2 minutes into the game. Brady Skjei’s one-timer went over the net, bounced off the glass to Hayes on the left side and he quickly put it in for his 25th. It gave Hayes a point (four goals, one assist) in five straight games.

NOTES: Barzal got his 61st assist, moving one away from tying Sergei Makarov (62 for Calgary in 1989-90) for third-most by a rookie since the 1983-84 season. Barzal is also two away from tying Bryan Trottier for the Islanders’ rookie mark set in 1975-76. … Anders Lee was initially given credit for Hickey’s goal, but it was later changed. That kept Lee one away from becoming the first Islanders player to have 40 since Jason Blake in 2006-07. ”He came off the ice and said `I didn’t touch it,”’ Weight said. … Barzal has 10 goals and 14 points in his past 12 games. … Beauvillier has seven goals and 11 points in his past eight games. … Hayes has 15 goals and 26 points in 32 games since returning from an injury Jan. 25. … Vigneault remained tied with Ron Wilson for 10th place on the career wins list at 648.

UP NEXT

Rangers: At Philadelphia on Saturday in the season finale.

Islanders: At Detroit on Saturday night in the season finale.

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Follow Vin Cherwoo at The New York Jets shook up the NFL draft on Saturday by soaring three spots to No. 3 overall in a stunning swap with the Indianapolis Colts.

The Jets acquired the third pick in a strong sign that they intend to get one of the top quarterbacks available. They sent the Colts their first-rounder 鈥?No. 6 overall 鈥?along with two second-rounders this year and a second-rounder next year to complete the massive deal.

Colts general manager Chris Ballard said the teams had been discussing a potential trade since early in the week.

"They had an interest to move up to (No.) 3 and kind of went back and forth for the last four or five days," Ballard said in a video posted on the Colts' website. "Talked to a couple other teams Cheap Josh Allen Jersey , but we still wanted to stay in position in that top 10 where we could still get a premium player. We feel like at (No.) 6, we'll still be able to get a premium player."

After losing out to Minnesota in the Kirk Cousins sweepstakes at the start of free agency, New York re-signed veteran Josh McCown and agreed to terms with Teddy Bridgewater, both on one-year deals. But it was believed the Jets would still focus on finding a quarterback of the future with their first-round pick in next month's draft.

By moving up to No. 3, New York assures itself of getting one of the top-rated quarterbacks available. USC's Sam Darnold, UCLA's Josh Rosen, Wyoming's Josh Allen and Oklahoma's Baker Mayfield are all considered potential top-five selections.


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鈥?New York Jets (@nyjets) March 17, 2018

General manager Mike Maccagnan has been zeroing in on the QBs up close, attending the pro days of both Mayfield and Rosen. He also plans to attend the pro days for Darnold and Allen.

The Jets have been very active during the first few days of the NFL's free agency period , which officially began Wednesday. In addition to the moves with McCown and Bridgewater, New York signed cornerback Trumaine Johnson , running back Isaiah Crowell, kicker Cairo Santos and linebacker Avery Williamson , and agreed to terms with center Spencer Long. The Jets also re-signed cornerback Morris Claiborne Vontaze Burfict Youth Jersey , defensive lineman Mike Pennel, offensive tackle Ben Ijalana and safety Terrence Brooks.

The flurry of activity comes as the Jets look to improve on two straight 5-11 seasons and try to end a seven-year playoff drought. Getting a quarterback to build around was a priority entering this offseason 鈥?familiar territory for a franchise that mostly has struggled to find sustained success under center since the days of Joe Namath. The Jets have had 30 starting quarterbacks since Broadway Joe's last game for them in 1976. The last time New York took a quarterback with a high first-round pick was 2009, when it drafted Mark Sanchez. After helping lead the Jets to the AFC championship game his first two seasons, Sanchez mostly struggled, and the likes of Greg McElroy, Geno Smith, Michael Vick, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Bryce Petty and McCown have all started games in the years since.

With this deal, New York has a chance to find its new face of the franchise. But Maccagnan & Co. know there will be big-time pressure on them to make the correct choice at No. 3. The last time the Jets had the third pick was 1981, when they took UCLA running back Freeman McNeil, who made three Pro Bowls during his 12-year NFL career and was inducted into the team's Ring of Honor.

For the Colts, they now have nine picks overall and appear to be in a rebuilding phase after going 4-12 and missing the playoffs for the third straight year. Getting extra picks from the Jets will surely help, giving Indianapolis four selections in the top 50 in this year's draft.


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鈥?Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) March 17, 2018

Questions still surround the status of quarterback Andrew Luck's surgically repaired right shoulder, leading rusher Frank Gore is a free agent and Indianapolis still needs to fix a leaky offensive line. The Colts also need improvements on defense after finishing 30th overall and 31st in sacks.

The Colts had done very little in free agency 鈥?until Saturday. They signed backup defensive end Denico Autry from Oakland to a three-year deal and already have lost two other key players: receiver Donte Moncrief, an occasional starter, and emerging cornerback Rashaan Melvin.

It is widely believed that the Colts were very interested in N.C. State defensive end Bradley Chubb with the No. 3 pick. Indianapolis still might be able to land the promising pass rusher at No. 6, especially if three or more quarterbacks are taken in the first five spots. That is, if the Colts don't do some more wheeling and dealing before the April 26-28 draft with their plethora of picks.

"We'll still be open if an opportunity 鈥?the right opportunity 鈥?presents itself at six to move down," Ballard said. "But right now, we feel pretty good. It would have to be a pretty attractive offer for us to move away from six because of the player we think we're going to get."
AP Sports Writer Michael Marot in Indianapolis contributed to this report.
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