NEW YORK _ Alain Vigneault doesn't want to tank.
A day after Rangers management essentially said the team was committed to changes to help the franchise long-term rather than push for the playoffs, Vigneault refused to wave the white flag.
"I'll tell you what I told my GM, what I told my president, what I told my owner: I'm going to try to win every game, that's what we have to do as a group," he said before a skeleton crew of Rangers, with two defensemen making their NHL debuts, rallied in the third period to edge the Calgary Flames, 4-3, to snap a four-game losing streak.
Trailing 3-2 after two periods at Madison Square Garden, Rick Nash, a leading candidate to be traded, scored at 6:41 of the third, his second in two games and 17th of the season. Then J.T. Miller found Mika Zibanejad open at the back door and he beat Mike Smith for the Blueshirts' second power-play goal at 12:41.
Henrik Lundqvist, who relieved starter Ondrej Pavelec to start the second period after the Czech backup injured his knee, was spectacular in holding the lead late by denying Mikael Backlund point-blank and drawing a standing ovation.
Hayes was called for tripping with 1:22 left, making the final minute tense. But the Rangers held on.
The next two games are on the road, in Winnipeg and Minnesota.
