Crosby, Penguins hot at home as they host Rangers
As the snow falls during the winter months, the season can feel like the weight of a thousand winters on the shoulders of an NHL player. The grind begins to take its toll at the worst possible time for some, when every healthy body in the lineup means a greater shot at grabbing those all-important two points.
For some, though, this time of year is when a groove is found and things start to heat up. Some wrote off Penguins center Sidney Crosby after a slow start to his season and are now realizing just how foolish that was.
Crosby has been absolutely insane in his last 11 contests, registering 12 goals and 10 assists, including a goal-scoring streak of seven games. He has three goals, four assists in his last two games alone against playoff teams Anaheim and Florida. To say that he’s hot would be an understatement. I mean, how do you stop a guy like this?
As the New York Rangers head into Pittsburgh on Wednesday, they not only face a streaking Crosby, but a Penguins team that has been nigh unbeatable on home ice. The Penguins are 8-0-2 in their last 10 games at Consol Energy Center, having won six straight. Still, the Rangers have seemingly had the Penguins’ number this year, going 3-0-1 in their previous four meetings.
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More than that, the Rangers will be without two important pieces of the puzzle yet again. Winger Rick Nash will again be out of the lineup dealing with a bone bruise in his leg. It has been said that he had been simply dealing with the pain and trying to push through it but that he’s now taking all the proper medical advice to get back into the lineup as soon as possible.
Joining him on the sidelines is All-Star defenseman Ryan McDonagh who continues to deal with a concussion after being punched by Philadelphia Flyers winger Wayne Simmonds this past Saturday. It is not yet clear on when McDonagh could return to the lineup. In response to his absence, the Rangers will start the same six defensemen they did in their 2-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils.
The Penguins are not without injury concerns themselves. Superstar center Evgeni Malkin will miss the rest of the week with a lower-body injury and has been listed as “day-to-day”. Beau Bennett remains out of the lineup with an upper-body injury and several Penguins got maintenance days on Monday, showing the wear and tear the season provides.
Both teams are hot in their last 10 games, with the Rangers sporting a 7-3-0 record while the Penguins are slightly better at 7-2-1. The Rangers hold a four point edge over the Penguins in the Metropolitan Division and the latter finds themselves chasing both the Rangers and New York Islanders for one of the guaranteed divisional playoff positions.
Next: McDonagh's injury impacts trade deadline
Expect tonight to be a battle as both teams need every point they can muster. It will also be worth watching to see if Henrik Lundqvist can help slow down Sid the Kid.