Rangers vs. Capitals: Miller in, Kakko out & join the live conversation

The New York Rangers make their first trip to Washington as the Capitals play the second of a five game homestand. The Caps have won two straight 3-1 decisions over the Sabres and Penguins. The Rangers will be trying to win two straight for the second time this season.

In a late announcement, Kaapo Kakko was scratched when he was added to the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol list for the second time this season. Again, it doesn’t mean that he has tested positive, just that he might have had a secondary exposure or had an early positive result. It should mean that Julien Gauther gets back into the lineup.  The good news is K’Andre Miller will play.

Like the Rangers, Washington is getting scoring from their depth forwards with three of their last four goals at even strength coming from their third line, centered by Lars Eller.

The Rangers confirmed that Igor Shesterkin will be in goal as they revert to the rotation despite Georgiev’s heroics against the Devils. Shesterkin was in net for the Blueshirts’ 4-2 win against the Capitals earlier this season.

Both teams will somewhat of a new look compared to the teams that played each other 16 days ago.  Evgeny Kuznetsov,  Conor Sheary, Lars Eller and Justin Schultz did not play in that game.  For the Rangers, the additions are Colin Blackwell and Brendan Smith. In their last game the Capitals played with seven defensemen and 11 forwards so they are in much better shape this game.

Sheary has goals in two straight games. He is Washington’s version of Colin Blackwell, signed for the NHL minimum of $735k and he is fifth on the team with four goals in 12 games.

Another great story line for the Capitals is goalie Vitek Vanecek.  He was not in the team’s goaltending picture after they signed Henrik Lundqvist.  Now, he has taken the starting job away from Ilya Samsonov.

Projected lineups

New York Rangers

20 Kreider– 93 Zibanejad – 89 Buchnevich
10 Panarin – 16 Strome – 43 Blackwell
13 Lafrenière – 17 Rooney – 12 Gauthier
48 Lemieux – 21 Howden– 33 Di Giuseppe

55 Lindgren – 23 Fox
79 Miller– 42 Smith
25 Hajek – 22 Bitetto

31 Shesterkin
40 Georgiev

Washington Capitals

8 Alex Ovechkin –  92 Evgeny Kuznetsov – 77 T.J. Oshie
13 Jakub Vrana -19 Nicklas Backstrom- 43 Tom Wilson
73 Conor Sheary  -20 Lars Eller – 14 Richard Panik
62 Carl Hagelin – 26 Nic Dowd – 21 Garnet Hathaway

3 Brenden Dillon – 74 John Carlson
33 Zdeno Chara- 2 Justin Schultz
9 Dmitri Orlov – 3 Nick Jensen

41 Vitek Vanecek
30 Ilya Samsonov

Today’s outdoor game

If you want to catch the first game of the NHL Outdoors at Lake Tahoe series, the game between the Golden Knights and the Avalanche is set to start at 3pm.  I will nationally televised on NBC.

The Flyers take on the Bruins in the second game of the series on Sunday at at 2pm, also on NBC.

Join the live conversation!

The game starts at 1230pm.  Television is the MSG Network and radio is ESPN 98.7FM.  Join us at Blue Line Station for our live conversation during the game.  The live thread is open now.