Rangers Battle Canucks in Must-Win for Both
Rangers host surprising Canucks in big home battle
The story for the New York Rangers is much the same as it has been over the last several weeks: take a step forward, take a step back.
With a 5-4-1 record over their last 10 games, the Rangers are coming off a 5-2 loss to division rival and leader Washington. Alex Ovechkin scored as he always does and Justin Williams capped things off with a hat trick.
Following the loss, the Rangers find themselves a point back of the Islanders for second in the division and just four points to the good in the race for the final Metropolitan Division playoff spot.
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The Canucks, 6-3-1 over their last 10, have been one of the surprises in the NHL this season. Expected to be one of the worst teams in the NHL as they rebuild through youth, the Canucks have gotten sterling seasons out of longtime franchise players Daniel and Henrik Sedin. The two are at the top of the scoring list for the Canucks, combining for 78 points to date.
Behind them, it has been a bit of a struggle. Youngsters like Jared McCann, Bo Horvat, Sven Baertschi and Jake Virtanen have gotten more and more ice time as the Canucks transition to a more youthful core. Their performances have shown their youth, up-and-down performances being the name of the game.
Though he has not looked quite like the Vezina Trophy winner of years past, Ryan Miller continues to man the nets for Vancouver. Though his stats are okay, his performance is clearly on the down turn..
Injuries
Derick Brassard will miss his first game of the season due to illness. He traveled with the team to MSG, but will not suit up. Kevin Klein is dealing with a hand injury, but head coach Allain Vigneault expects the defenseman to suit up tonight.
The Canucks, meanwhile, are missing important pieces to their lineup. Henrik Sedin is out with an upper body injury as is fellow center Brandon Sutter who continues to recover from sports hernia surgery. The Canucks are also without defenseman Dan Hamhuis as he continues to recover from facial injuries sustained from taking a slapshot to the face.
Keys
Pressure: The Canucks are playing wounded tonight, missing three integral pieces to their lineup. Though the Rangers will be without Brassard, they come in much healthier than the Canucks. Maintain possession, keep up the pressure and keep the short-handed Canucks on their heels.
Smart shots: Though Miller hasn’t quite been the same goaltender we’ve become accustomed to seeing, he is still a guy who thrives on seeing a ton of shots. Taking smart, selective shots and getting traffic in his face will go a long way towards making it a tough night for Miller.
Next: Rangers lose despite strong performance from Kreider
Kreider Kan: Despite the loss to the Capitals, there was one positive: Chris Kreider got himself out of his slump, netting both Ranger goals. If the Rangers hope to have long-term success, they need Kreider to be one of their horses.