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Rangers excited for matchup with Canadiens

By WTOP Staff

IRA PODELL
AP Sports Writer

GREENBURGH, N.Y. (AP) — Coach Alain Vigneault, Brad Richards and the rest of the New York Rangers couldn’t hide their excitement about facing the Montreal Canadiens in the Eastern Conference finals.

They already knew their next opponent would be a fellow Original Six team, but facing the storied Canadiens carries a little more cache than playing the Boston Bruins.

Montreal advanced to the final four with a 3-1 win at Boston in Game 7 on Wednesday night. The Rangers moved on one night earlier, knocking off the Penguins in Pittsburgh in another Game 7 — capping a comeback from a 3-1 series deficit.

The series begins Saturday in Montreal.

“I’m not going to lie, it’s the best place to play,” Richards said Thursday. “I’ve been fortunate enough to see Super Bowls, I was at Yankees-Red Sox at old Yankee Stadium Game 7, World Series, I’ve played in the Stanley Cup finals.

“I can’t imagine any other sporting event that is this amazing of an atmosphere. It’s very special.”

Vigneault was a bit more tempered, and looked relaxed in sandals while speaking to reporters in English and French following his team’s optional practice. Vigneault is in his first season as Rangers coach, following a long stint with Vancouver. The Canadiens hired him back in 1997 for his first NHL head coaching job.

“I’ve got nothing but positive memories from my time there,” said Vigneault, a day after his 53rd birthday. “I’ve worked with some great people. I’m here today because I started there.

“Original Six games are always exciting and there’s a lot of history associated with both teams. Playing against the Montreal Canadiens, it’s going to be a lot of fun. Our group is real excited about this opportunity, and I’m sure the Habs feel the same.”

Montreal won the last of its record 24 Stanley Cup titles in 1993, and the Rangers ended a 54-year championship drought the following season but haven’t captured the Cup since.

These teams are meeting in the playoffs for the first time since 1996, when the Rangers won the first-round series in six games. Overall, they have faced off in the postseason 14 times with each team winning seven. This is the third matchup since Montreal knocked off the Rangers in five games in the 1979 Stanley Cup finals.

“For a Canadian kid, for the guys from Quebec it’s really special,” said Richards, a native of Prince Edward Island. “From where I’m from, there’s a lot of Montreal fans. It’s the closest NHL city in Canada to us. Our whole life was Montreal. That’s all you get to see on TV.

“It’s an amazing place. It’s going to be so fun. It’s a great opportunity for us.”

The Canadiens were the only team from north of the border to qualify for this year’s playoffs, and they have certainly proven they belong. They swept the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round and then outlasted Boston — the NHL’s best team during the regular season — after trailing that series 3-2.

They are 4-1 at home in these playoffs. The Rangers and Canadiens went 1-1-1 against each other during the regular season. New York earned a 1-0 victory in Montreal on Nov. 16 and lost 1-0 in a shootout there to complete the regular season.

No. 1 goalie Henrik Lundqvist didn’t play in either game there, a building in which the Rangers have struggled to win in recent years — going 1-7-2 in their last 10 visits.

“It’s so long ago since I played there, so I don’t really remember,” said Lundqvist, with a laugh. “I look forward to going there. I am excited to play. It’s a conference final in Montreal. I will try to go out and play the same way. Don’t overthink it. Go out and enjoy it.

“As much as you focus on yourself, it’s a team game. Going up there, sticking together, and believe that we can do it.”

The Rangers are still dealing with the unexpected death of forward Martin St. Louis’ mother before Game 5 against Pittsburgh. St. Louis briefly returned home to Montreal, but rejoined his teammates. He then scored a goal on Mother’s Day in the Rangers’ Game 6 win.

Funeral plans had been made for Saturday, and the Rangers were unable to change the starting of Game 1 that day because of television commitments for NBC.

“Marty, being who he is, was able to move the funeral to Sunday,” Vigneault said. “So, Sunday, as a team we’ll be able to attend his mother’s funeral. Hopefully, we’ll play a good game Saturday and get ready for the next one after.”

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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