Derek Stepan registered his third goal of the playoffs in Thursday's 3-2 overtime loss to Boston.
He didn't record a point in Games 5, 6 and 7 against Washington in the first round. Stepan's marker ended that cold streak and it gave the Rangers a 2-1 lead early in the third.

Derek Stepan got the game-winning goal for the Rangers on Monday night.
Stepan led the Rangers in points this season, but his playoff struggles have continued this year -- he had just one goal and nine points in 27 games entering this one. Though he wasn't on his game early on, he came up big to deflect in Rick Nash's pass. "I think maybe early on tonight I had a little struggle the first two periods," Stepan said. "I just seemed to be maybe a step behind or something, so it was a good goal for me and it definitely helped."

Derek Stepan is saying the right things despite being praised for his work this season by coach John Tortorella.
Tortorella has called him the team's most consistent skater and top center, while using him in all situations. However, he isn't letting it get to his head. "I'm very honored to hear stuff like that," Stepan said Tuesday following practice. "At the same time, it doesn't mean anything right now. We have a fresh start here and, as a team, we've got to continue to win hockey games." He was a key player for the Rangers in the regular, while leading the team in scoring, and he'll need to continue that hot play if New York wants to advance far in the playoffs. Stepan will be a restricted free agent this summer, so a strong performance in the postseason could also increase his contract demands.

Derek Stepan earned the third star of the month for April.
He finished second among skaters with 19 points (eight goals, 11 assists) and posted a plus-14 rating in 14 games. Stepan ended up leading the Rangers in points this season with 44 and his efforts helped get the Rangers into the playoffs.

Derek Stepan had a goal and an assist in the Rangers' season finale.
Stepan got off to a slow start this season, but he started to heat up in mid-February and never looked back. He ended up with 18 goals and a team-leading 44 points in 48 games. From a points-per-game perspective, he might take a bit of a step back next season, but it shouldn't be a severe one.

Derek Stepan had a goal and an assist on Sunday.
Stepan was solid in his first two seasons, but he's broken out in a big way with 40 points in 45 games this season. He's played alongside Rick Nash at times this season, which has helped, but Stepan's success hasn't been dependent on any one player. He'll have to prove his breakout wasn't a fluke next season, but we think at the least his recent hot streak will carry into the playoffs if New York makes it that far.

Derek Stepan admitted that he felt "a little confused" after receiving a third-period hit from Philadelphia's Claude Giroux Tuesday night.
However, he stayed in the game and scored his 15th goal of the year. Stepan said it wasn't anything to worry about though and nothing has lingered since the hit. He has notched five goals and five assists in eight games during the month of April entering Thursday's contest against Florida.

Derek Stepan had an assist in Wednesday's shootout win over Toronto to extend his point streak to six games.
His recent scoring spree in the longest he's had this season. Stepan has 34 points in 40 games this year and he's done a great job as the team's top center.

Derek Stepan produced a goal and an assist in New York's 4-3 loss to Toronto Monday night.
The two-point effort extend his present scoring streak to five games. Over that span, Stepan has generated four goals and four assists. Stepan probably would've set a new career high in points this season if it wasn't a shortened 48-game schedule. He has 14 goals and 33 points in 39 games.

Derek Stepan potted a goal and recorded an assist in the Rangers' 4-1 victory over the Hurricanes on Saturday night.
Stepan has emerged as the team's number-one center, with 13 goals and 31 points on the season. The 22-year-old has points in four straight games, with six over that span, and he seems to mesh with anyone who plays on his line. Rick Nash also had a goal and an assist, while Ryan Callahan and Brian Boyle (empty-netter, plus four penalty minutes) potted the other markers.

Derek Stepan scored a pair of goals to help propel the Rangers to a 4-2 win over Winnipeg on Monday.
He opened the scoring in the first period and his 12th goal of the year in the third period held out to be the game winner. Stepan concluded the contest with a plus-4 rating and four shots during his 21:37 of ice time. He has become the team's most reliable center this season and should be a strong candidate to finish the regular season on a high note.

Derek Stepan amassed a goal and three assists against Philadelphia Tuesday night.
Stepan was reunited with Carl Hagelin and Rick Nash on the team's top line and the trio combined for three goals and five assists in a 5-2 win over the Flyers. "It's probably our most consistent players this year so we put them together," coach John Tortorella said of the combination.

Derek Stepan registered a power play goal in the Rangers 3-2 shootout loss to Washington on Sunday.
With 21 points in 31 games Stepan has been once of the few trustworthy offensive performers for coach John Tortorella this season and while he may never post huge offensive numbers, there's something to be said for consistency. Arron Asham was the other goal scorer for the Rangers in the losing effort.

Derek Stepan is second on the Rangers in scoring with 20 points (eight goals, 12 assists) after 29 games this season.
"He's always been ahead of the game as far as maturity," coach John Tortorella said of the 22-year-old center. "The best compliment I can give him is I'm looking for him all the time down the bench in all situations." Stepan has been very good since the end of February and he's amassed 11 points in his past 11 contests.

Derek Stepan scored the Rangers' lone goal in a 2-1 shootout win over the Hurricanes Monday night.
The young center has been hot of late after a sluggish start to the season. Stepan has been a point-per-game player over his last 10 contests, recording five goals and as many assists in that span.

Derek Stepan scored the Rangers' lone goal in a 3-1 loss to Buffalo Tuesday.
His seventh marker of the 2013 season came shorthanded and it opened the scoring in the contest. Ryan Callahan had the only assist on Stepan's goal. Stepan has been hot of late with four goals and four helpers in his last seven games.

Derek Stepan has become the Rangers' top-line center.
It's the fifth straight game Stepan has centered Rick Nash and Carl Hagelin. The young center had a goal Sunday in 21:38 and has two with his current linemates, Nash has points in four straight and Hagelin has five goals and seven points in the last four games.

Derek Stepan scored his second goal of the year in Tuesday's 4-3 shootout win over Boston.
Carl Hagelin and Anton Stralman also scored for the Rangers to build a 3-0 lead before the Bruins stormed back in the third period to force overtime. Ryan Callahan had the shootout winner to make sure New York left TD Garden with two points in the standings.

Derek Stepan snapped his goal drought of 21 games in the Rangers' 3-2 win over the Lightning Saturday.
Stepan had not scored a goal in 21 NHL games dating back to last season's playoffs but finally got the monkey off his back Saturday. "We worked pretty hard tonight," Stepan said. "Taylor hangs on to it, Carl gets to it, we just seemed to get a little flow going and it kept building, kept snowballing. We seemed to find each other. It's a great mixture."

The Rangers are not getting any secondary scoring from Derek Stepan or Carl Hagelin.
Stepan hasn't scored a goal in 21 NHL games dating back to last season's playoffs, whereas Hagelin has yet to score in seven games this season and in the team's last 36 games dating back to last March. Yikes! The Rangers need these two to provide some scoring as Rick Nash, Marian Gaborik and Brad Richards can't carry the team every night.

Derek Stepan's growth figures to have a major affect on the Rangers' success this season.
Stepan is the team's number two center. Even though he has three assists on the year, he knows he's going to have to become a major factor for a team that's started out 1-3. "I'm blessed with an opportunity to play, and the biggest thing is now that I'm getting these minutes is that I score a goal," said Stepan, who averaging 19:43 of ice time a night, the fourth-highest among Rangers' forwards. "I want to try to help out in a positive way rather than just play the big minutes."