Playing for pride and the future against the Capitals

The New York Rangers tragic number is one, meaning that they could be out of the playoff race as early as tonight.  All it would take is one point gained by the Boston Bruins or one point lost by the Blueshirts and it’s four straight seasons without the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Rangers are shorthanded going into the game with Jacob Trouba, Chris Kreider, Ryan Lindgren and Brett Howden all out and Artemi Panarin a question after missing practice.

Coach David Quinn said that Panarin missed practice for “maintenance” and that he will be in the lineup.

Quinn did say that the lines will be different tonight with Panarin moving up to play with Mika Zibanejad and Pavel Buchnevich.  Ryan Strome will be centering Kaapo Kakko and Alexis Lafrenière while Filip Chytil will be centering Vitali Kravtsov and Colin Blackwell.  The only line that will remain intact from last game is the fourth line.

Quinn was asked if the switching up of the lines to see what works was a priority. His response was “It if helps us win the game, we’ll experiment and try anything…with so many young players in our lineup,  gives you a chance to find out who can play with who.”

Quinn was also asked about Julien Gauthier who had been banished to the sidelines for most of April. “I liked his game the other night, he played a straight line game, there was a physical element to his game. He was involved in the play.”

But Quinn went back to his focus on defense. “Like all young players playing in this league, there’s a defensive side to it, things away from the puck that all young players have to continue to learn. He did a better job of it the other night.”

Quinn would not commit to changing up the power play that has was totally stymied by the Islanders the last two games.

Igor Shesterkin will be in goal for the game after sitting out the last loss to the Isles.

Shesterkin is 3-0 this season against Washington with a stellar 1.67 goals against average (GAA) and a .946 save percentage (Sv%). He clearly relishes playing against Ovechkin who he practiced with during the off-season.

The Rangers have beaten the Caps the last four times they played at Madison Square Garden with the Caps last win in March 2019 in a shootout.  This season the Blueshirts have taken four of the first six games against Washington.

 Projected lineup

20 Panarin – 93 Zibanejad – 89 Buchnevich
13 Lafrenière – 16 Strome – 24 Kakko
74 Kravtsov – 72 Chytil – 43 Blackwell
47 Barron – 17 Rooney – 12 Gauthier

25 Hajek -23 Fox
51 Reunanen – 42 Smith
6 Jones – 79 Miller

31 Shesterkin
40 Georgiev