Gameday Preview – Ottawa Senators at New York Rangers
Apr 5, 2014; New York, NY, USA; New York Rangers left wing Rick Nash (61) controls the puck against Ottawa Senators center Mika Zibanejad (93) and Ottawa Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson (65) during the second period of a game at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Time: 7:00 pm
Location: Madison Square Garden
The New York Rangers will look to win their third in a row against the Ottawa Senators tonight at Madison Square Garden. They’re coming off a convincing 5-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday, led by Rick Nash and Derek Stepan, each with two goals apiece. The Senators are coming off a 3-2 loss against the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday, a game they led by a score of 2-1 in the 3rd period. The Rangers will look to end their first half on a high note, the Senators, on the other hand, return home tomorrow to face the rival Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Rangers’ Kryptonite?
If you are what your record says you are, the Senators are a mediocre hockey club. They’re 18-18-8 with 44 points and are currently in 7th place in the competitive Atlantic division. They’ve had some signature wins over the Nashville Predators on November 20th, the Anaheim Ducks by a margin of four goals on December 19th, and over the Montreal Canadiens by a margin of three goals on January 15th. However, trademark wins have been few and far in-between, and the Sens have already slipped to 3-4-1 in the month of January. They’re still only 10 points back from a wild card spot with two games in hand but they have to start playing consistently solid. Bobby Ryan and Erik Karlsson have been carrying the sputtering offense on their shoulders, leading the team with 31 points and 30 points respectively. Head coach Dave Cameron would certainly like better play out of David Legwand(-3), Alex Chiasson(-10), and Milan Michalek(-8). Interestingly enough, in the regular season since 2006, the Senators are 13-1-1 at MSG.
The Rangers will look to wrap up a stellar first half with a win tonight at home. After a hiccup against the New York Islanders and Boston Bruins, the Rangers have picked up big divisional wins in Columbus and Pittsburgh. When you look at the big picture, they’re winners of 15 of the last 18 contests and currently sitting in the 3rd playoff spot in the Metropolitan Division, with the least amount of games played in the league. Rick Nash has continued to produce, now with 28 tallies on the year. Don’t look now but he’s on pace to beat Jaromir Jagr‘s 54 goals in the 2005-2006 season for the franchise record for goals in one season. Nash is the only NHL player ranked among the top 10 in the following categories: goals, ES goals, SHG, takeaways, SOG, plus/minus.
Players to Watch
Erik Karlsson, Ottawa Senators: The speedy Swede is always a threat on the back end. He leads the team in assists(22) and is second in points(30). His unique skating ability enables him to jump in on the rush on many occasions but also defend top forwards in his own zone. His slap shot is formidable as well, something the Rangers must look out for. Top defenseman Ryan McDonagh and Dan Girardi must be wary of him while trying to shut down Bobby Ryan and Co.
Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers: What’s funny is that “the King” is 12-15-3 all-time against Ottawa, his worst record against any Eastern Conference opponent. However, in his last 15 appearances he’s 13-2-0, 1.69 GAA, .940 SV %, and 1 SO. He’s allowed two goals or fewer in 12 of his last 14 starts. Henrik may be the most competitive player in the league and is aware of his struggles against the Sens. Look for him to be sharp and focused tonight at the Garden.