The New York Rangers try to split their series against the Penguins tonight and they will do it with Keith Kinkaid in goal. He earned the start with an excellent relief outing after replacing Alexandar Georgiev in the first period of their 5-1 loss.
Igor Shesterkin is getting closer, but he is not ready yet. He’s been skating at practice, but it’s still too soon to have him in a game situation after he suffered a mild groin strain on Thursday. There is no time frame for when he will be able to play.
The only question is whether Colin Blackwell will play as he was a healthy scratch on Sunday. He was replaced by Phil Di Giuseppe who tied for the team lead with six hits in under 10 minutes of ice time.
The Penguins put Jared McCann on injured reserve so he will miss the game tonight. and will be replaced on the second line by Evan Rodrigues. Tristan Jarry will get the start in goal.
Kravtsov on the horizon?
Vitali Kravtsov is one loss away from heading west to North America. Traktor lost their third straight game to Salavat Yulaev in the first round of the KHL playoffs. After winning the first game on the road, 3-1, Traktor has not won, They lost the second game 3-2 in overtime, but have now been shut out twice in a row. The latest was a 3-0 blanking today in Chelyabinsk.
Kravtsov scored in the first two games and added an assist in the second match, but has been stymied along with the rest of the team for the last two games. Kravtsov had five shots in the two shutouts.
Salavat Yulaev will look to close out the series on home ice on Thursday.
If Traktor loses, that means Kravtsov’s loan to Traktor is at an end and he will probably head back to North America. Obviously there are COVID considerations that will determine when he will be available to play. The question facing the Rangers is does he start in Hartford or will they try him out in the NHL immediately. The Rangers are pretty stacked on the right wing so a stint in Hartford or on the taxi squad is not out of the question. He is in game shape, so that is not an issue.
Yegor Rykov’s CSKA squad swept their first round series against Spartak and will probably face Moscow Dynamo in the second round. Rykov is playing limited minutes as the seventh defenseman.
Morgan Barron making waves
The Hartford Wolf Pack were back in action on Monday after their game Saturday was postponed due to COVDI consideration. They won 3-2 in overtime on Morgan Barron’s goal. Jonny Brodzinski scored twice including the game tying goal three minutes into the third period.
Tyler Wall was in net for the Pack and made 38 saves for his first win as a pro.
Barron is off to a hot start with four goals and two assists in seven games. You have to wonder if the 22-year-old may be the next possible promotion in case of injury.
Tonight’s Projected lineups
New York Rangers
13 Lafrenière- 93 Zibanejad – 89 Buchnevich
20 Kreider– – 16 Strome – 24 Kakko
17 Rooney- 72 Chytil – 12 Gauthier
48 Lemieux – 21 Howden– 33 Di Giuseppe
55 Lindgren – 23 Fox
79 Miller – 8 Trouba
25 Hajek – 42 Smith
71 Kinkaid
40 Georgiev
Pittsburgh Penguins
59 Jake Guentzel – 87 Sidney Crosby – 17 Bryan Rust
9 Evan Rodrigues– 71 Evgeni Malkin – 42 Kasperi Kapanen
46 Zach Aston-Reese – 53 Teddy Bleuger – 13 Brandon Tanev
18 Sam Lafferty – 14 Mark Jankowski – 57 Anthony Angello
8 Brian Dumoulin – 58 Kris Letang
5 Michael Matheson – 4 Cody Ceci
28 Marcus Pettersson– 6 John Marino
35 Tristan Jarry
1 Casey DeSmith
And early starting time and join the live conversation
The game starts at 6pm due to national television requirements. It will be televised locally on the MSG network and nationally on NBCSN. Radio will be on WEPN 1050AM.
Be sure and join the live conversation here on Blue Line Station. We are trying something new and you will find it in this Blue Line Station story. The thread is active now and will be throughout the game so you can compare notes with your fellow Ranger fans.