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New York Rangers vs Toronto Maple Leafs: Join the live conversation

By Steve Paulus

TORONTO, ON - DECEMBER 28: Cody Ceci #83 of the Toronto Maple Leafs and William Nylander #88 skate against Filip Chytil #72 of the New York Rangers during the third period at the Scotiabank Arena on December 28, 2019 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - DECEMBER 28: Cody Ceci #83 of the Toronto Maple Leafs and William Nylander #88 skate against Filip Chytil #72 of the New York Rangers during the third period at the Scotiabank Arena on December 28, 2019 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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TORONTO, ON – DECEMBER 28: John Tavares #91 of the Toronto Maple Leafs skates against Pavel Buchnevich #89 of the New York Rangers during the third period at the Scotiabank Arena on December 28, 2019 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON – DECEMBER 28: John Tavares #91 of the Toronto Maple Leafs skates against Pavel Buchnevich #89 of the New York Rangers during the third period at the Scotiabank Arena on December 28, 2019 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images) /

The New York Rangers will try to play the spoilers against the  Toronto Maple Leafs in a game that the Leafs have to win.

The Toronto Maple Leafs find themselves outside of a playoff spot as they come to New York for a crucial game.  They are missing their first string goalie and have been mired in .500 hockey mode.  They are ripe to be taken by the New York Rangers who will be starting Igor Shesterkin in goal.

There will be major lineup changes for the Rangers with Filip Chytil moving up to center for Artemi Panarin and Jesper Fast.  Chris Kreider will be a gametime decision, but Pavel Buchnevich will still be on the right of Mika Zibanejad despitel landing in David Quinn’s doghouse on Monday night.

Ryan Strome will be centering the third line between Phil Di Giuseppe and Kaapo Kakko with Brett Howden and Brendan Lemieux between Greg McKegg on the fourth line.

All of the changes are made in an effort to goose even strength scoring for the Rangers as their offense has been mostly generated with the man advantage.

Projected Lineups

New York Rangers
20 Kreider* – 93 Zibanejad – 89 Buchnevich
10 Panarin – 72 Chytil – 17 Fast
33 Di Giuseppe – 16 Strome – 24 Kakko
21 Howden – 14 McKegg – 48 Lemieux
*Gametime decision

55 Lindgren – 8 Trouba
76 Skjei – 23 Fox
18 Staal – 77 DeAngelo

31 Shesterkin
30 Lundqvist

Toronto Maple Leafs
11 Zach Hyman – 34 Auston Matthews – 16 Mitch Marner
15 Alex Kerfoot – 91 John Tavares –88 William Nylander
18 Andreas Johnsson – 47 Engvall – 24 Kasperi Kapanen
42 Trevor Moore – 19 Jason Spezza – 41 Timashov

8 Jake Muzzin – 3 Justin Holl
23 Travis Dermott – 94 Tyson Barrie
38 Rasmus Sandin – 83 Cody Ceci

30 Michael Hutchinson
50 Kasimir Kaskisuo

Join the live conversation!

Join in with your fellow Ranger fans to talk about the game of anything else that is one your mind when it comes to the Blueshirts.

The live thread is open now!

Gametime is 730pm and the telecast will be on MSG Network with the radio call will be on ESPN radio 98.7FM.

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