CHICAGO — If the New York Rangers were attempting to find a way to build some confidence as they embark on a nine-day Authentic Stephen Johns Jersey , four-game swing, Mika Zibanejad provided a performance the Rangers hope they can build on.The Rangers open their trip west on Wednesday against the Chicago Blackhawks fresh off a 5-2 victory over the Florida Panthers that was sparked by Zibanejad, who tallied two goals and two assists in the victory on Monday night.New York was efficient offensively in the victory, netting four goals in just 19 shots as the Rangers continued to play well at home, where they have won three of their past five games. Now, as they prepare for Wednesday’s game in Chicago and three more games in California before they return back to Madison Square Garden on Nov. 4, the Rangers will look to do what they can to replicate Tuesday’s victory on the road.Article continues below ...New York is 0-2-1 in road games this season. Rangers coach David Quinn is hoping that the performance his team got from Zibanejad against the Panthers can help provide some magic in the upcoming road trip.“I can’t tell you how happy I am for him that he’s getting rewarded statistically, because I know early on he was playing really good hockey and not getting rewarded,” Quinn told reporters following Tuesday’s victory. “I’ll tell you, he’s a complete player. I knew he was a good player before I got this job, I didn’t know he was this good. This is a guy that does a little bit of everything — he’s got skill Youth Tyler Pitlick Jersey , he’s tough, he can skate. And he’s an unbelievable guy, too. He’s a fun guy to be around and we’re lucky to have him.”Tuesday’s win followed up a Rangers loss over the weekend in which New York could only manage one goal against the Calgary Flames on 45 shots. But after showcasing a much different result Tuesday against the Panthers, the Rangers hope to follow a similar game plan Thursday against Chicago.“I think we were shooting pucks,” Zibanejad told reporters. “We were moving it quickly. We took advantage of the way they played. We got shots on goal and pucks to the net and it’s not much more difficult than that.”Like the Rangers, the Blackhawks enter Thursday coming off a much-needed bounce-back performance. Brandon Saad scored a pair of goals in a 3-1 victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday that came just two days after a forgettable 6-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday in which Chicago allowed 55 shots on goal, including a record-setting 33 in the second period alone.Corey Crawford, who made his third start of the season on Tuesday, finished the game with 24 saves.As important as it was for the Blackhawks to get back on track in the midst of a three-game homestand, Saad’s performance may have been equally vital. Saad had been relegated to the fourth line and Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville repeatedly told reporters he needed to see more from Saad.Saad responded on Tuesday and now hopes to use the two-goal game as a reminder that he can be an effective part of Chicago’s scoring attack when needed.“I thought (Saad) had the puck way more, I thought he took it to the net more and I think his speed was noticeable Tyler Seguin Jersey ,” Quenneville told reporters Tuesday, according to the Chicago Tribune. BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Jeff Skinner knows how much the Sabres and their playoff-starved fans want him to stay in Buffalo beyond this season.“Ha, ha, I’ve heard,” the forward memorably said with a laugh in December. “I’m having a lot of fun, too.”And yet, two months later, Skinner is nowhere closer to providing anything resembling a definitive answer regarding where he’ll be playing once his contract expires after this season.“The present is still where we are, and that sort of thing will play itself out,” he said Thursday. “I think there’s no point in really talking about it now because there’s nothing really to talk about from me on my end.”Skinner Anthony Duclair Jersey Womens , however, can’t hide his emotions when asked how much he enjoys Buffalo.His eyes brighten and he breaks into wide, toothy smile in saying: “I like it here. Yeah, I like it.”Cast off by Carolina as part of the Hurricanes‘ latest rebuilding plan, the three-time 30-goal-scorer and 2011 NHL rookie of the year is approaching career-best numbers since being traded to the Sabres in August.H has a team-leading 34 goals —e three short of matching a career high — and is second in the NHL behind Washington’s Alexander Ovechkin (38). His seven game-winning goals are second in the NHL and most in Buffalo since Derek Roy had nine in 2008-09. Skinner has been so consistent, his longest goals drought was four games to start the season.And he and captain Jack Eichel have been inseparable on a top line that’s played a significant role in keeping Buffalo in playoff contention in a bid to end a seven-year postseason drought, and on a team that finished last in the overall standings in three of the previous five years.Despite going 11-15-5 since a 10-game win streak in November, the Sabres (28-21-7) already have 63 points — one more than they had last season — and sit 10th in the Eastern Conference, four points behind eighth-place Pittsburgh.The topic of Skinner’s future is once again rising to the forefront with the NHL’s trade deadline looming on Feb. 25, and after Skinner was spotted having a lengthy conversation with his agent, Don Meehan Chris Kreider Jersey , following a 3-1 win over the New York Islanders on Tuesday.“To me it was just checking in,” Skinner said, referring to the meeting. “No details to discuss. Nothing really to report.”As for the approaching trade deadline, Skinner shrugged and said: “I don’t think about it at all.”It remains unlikely the Sabres will consider trading Skinner by Feb. 25.General manger Jason Botterill told The Associated Press in December he didn’t consider that date as being a deadline for contract talks. And there has been no indication — publicly or privately — that Botterill’s stance has changed since.Botterill has maintained regular contact with Meehan, and has said he wants Skinner to focus on playing and familiarizing himself with his new surroundings. What bolsters Botterill’s hopes is noting how Skinner chose to play in Buffalo by waiving his no-trade clause in a deal the Hurricanes acquired prospect forward Cliff Pu and three draft picks.Eichel laughed when asked if he’s aware of Sabres fans campaigning for Skinner to stay.“He has how many goals, 34?” Eichel said as Buffalo prepares to close a seven-game homestand against the New York Rangers on Friday. “I’m sure Sabres fans want him to stay. I mean, would they want him to leave?”Eichel’s certainly on board, too.“I’m not Skins’ agent. I’m not our GM, but he’s been a big part of our team this year,” he said. “You could probably say we wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for him.”It will ultimately be up to Skinner to decide.One positive is how much the Toronto-born player has enjoyed playing closer to home, and having his family attend games in Buffalo (essentially a two-hour drive) as opposed to Raleigh Henrik Lundqvist Jersey Kids , North Carolina (roughly a two-hour flight).Coach Phil Housley noted Skinner’s proximity to home and family has provided incentive. And it helps playing alongside Eichel.“Jeff finds that open area, he’s a positional player, and Jack seems to find him in those areas,” Housley said. “They just seem to have a great chemistry together.”Skinner must also weigh what offers he might command in free agency at a time more teams are spending less in free agency and committing more salary cap-space to re-signing their own players.All that can wait.“As a player, you can only sort of control a small number of things,” Skinner said. “For us right now, that’s moving on to tomorrow’s game and getting ready for that.”