Rangers-Devils: Join the live conversation

The New York Rangers will be looking for their first win in their third game of the season against the New Jersey Devils.  The first game could have gone either way, but the most recent defeat was a very poor effort by the Rangers.

The Blueshirts are coming off a win against the Sabres in which they had all of eight shots on goal over the last two periods and only three shots in the last 30 minutes of the game.  The Rangers didn’t get a shot on goal after Chris Kreider scored halfway through the second period and attempted only four shots.

The result was an absolutely abysmal night for possession statistics. Despite the worst Corsi numbers of the season, the Rangers hung on for the win.  The Sabres had 61 scoring chances  versus 39 for the Blueshirts.

Quinn was asked about that after practice and he wasn’t displeased with the effort.  “In the past in this short season so far, we have found ways to shoot ourselves in the foot and maybe force a play that isn’t there when we don’t need to.  The other night, although we didn’t get anything going offensively, you’re winning 3-2 you really don’t need to.  You’re not going to take reckless chances….and you’re gonna manage the game and the score, something we have have had hard time doing  and we did a pretty good job.”

The issue has to be if they had allowed Buffalo to score, would they have been able to turn their offense back on.

When it comes to the walking wounded, although Kaapo Kakko was on the ice for practice, he is still day-to-day according to David Quinn.  The coach pointed out that he hasn’t been on the ice in almost two weeks.

Jacob Trouba was also skating and is very close to coming back.   Quinn said that he is “tracking sooner than later than the original prognosis” and could play as early as this road trip.

Igor Shesterkin will get his second straight start in goal, the fourth time he will start a second game after winning.  He has one once. It’s vital for Shesterkin to get on a streak if the Rangers are to have any hope of making the playoffs.

Projected lineups

The Rangers will go with the exactly same lineup they used against Buffalo while the Devils have completely juggled their lines as they look to halt a three game losing streak.

New York Rangers

20 Kreider– 93 Zibanejad –43 Blackwell
13 Lafrenière – 16 Strome – 89 Buchnevich
17 Rooney – 72 Chytil – 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

New Jersey Devils

44 Miles Wood – 37 Pavel Zacha – 21 Kyle Palmieri
38 Yegor Sharangovich – 86 Jack Hughes -59 Janne Kuokkanen
11 Andreas Johnsson –  19 Travis Zajac- 14 Nathan Bastian
23 Mikhail Maltsev-  20 Michael McLeod- 63 Jesper Bratt

24 Ty Smith – 28 Damon Severson
70 Dmitry Kulikov- 76 P.K. Subban
8 Will Butcher – 45 Sami Vatanen

29 Mackenzie Blackwood
4 Scott Wedgewood

Join the live chat!

The game will be televised on MSG2 and the  radiocast will be on WEPN 1050 AM.   The live thread here at Blue Line Station is active now.

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