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Live conversation as the Rangers take on a motivated Penguins team

By Steve Paulus

Mar 25, 2022; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers center Jonny Brodzinski (76) skates with the puck against Pittsburgh Penguins center Teddy Blueger (53) and defenseman Chad Ruhwedel (2) during the third period at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 25, 2022; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers center Jonny Brodzinski (76) skates with the puck against Pittsburgh Penguins center Teddy Blueger (53) and defenseman Chad Ruhwedel (2) during the third period at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /
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It’s just like the Stanley Cup Playoffs.   A team wins handily and they have a rematch with their opponent determined to get even. The Penguins are going to be at the top of their game.  They were called out by Coach Mike Sullivan after Friday’s loss to the New York Rangers and responded with a 11-2 shellacking of the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday, the most goals scored by one team in a game since the Capitals scored 12 goals in a game in 2003.

The will be one major lineup change for Pittsburgh as Evgeni Malkin is back in the lineup after missing the game on Friday.  Malkin had three goals and four points in the game against Detroit and was sorely missed on the power play Friday night.  If Malkin had been in the lineup, that four minute power play in the first period might have gone very differently.

The Rangers will be without Ryan Strome who sustained a lower body injury in the first period Sunday against Buffalo.  That means Andrew Copp will center for Artemi Panarin with Dryden Hunt on the right wing.  Ryan Reaves returns to the lineup after sitting out two games.  In his pre-game remarks, Coach Gallant said that there is a chance he could play in Detroit tomorrow.

Projected lineups

Igor Shesterkin will be back in goal for New York.  Gallant said that Kaapo Kakko and Kevin Rooney should be back soon. When that happens, there will be 27 players to choose from every night.

NEW YORK RANGERS

20 Kreider – 93 Zibanejad – 77 Vatrano
23 Panarin – 18 Copp – 29 Hunt
13 Lafrenière  – 72 Chytil – 21 Goodrow
64 Motte – 76 Brodzinski – 75 Reaves

55 Lindgren –  23 Fox
79 Miller – 8 Trouba
15 Nemeth – 61 Braun

31 Shesterkin
40 Georgiev

PITTSBURGH PENGUINS

59 Jake Guentzel – 87 Sidney Crosby – 9 Evan Rodrigues
67 Rickard Rakel – 71 Evgeni Malkin – 17 Bryan Rust
43 Danton Heinen –  77 Jeff Carter– 42 Kasperi Kapanen
63 Radim Zohorna  – 53 Teddy Blueger – 11 Brian Boyle

8 Brian Dumoulin – 58 Kris Letang
5 Mike Matheson – 6 John Marino
28 Marcus Pettersson – 2 Chad Ruhwedel

35 Tristan Jarry
1 Casey DeSmith

Tristan Jarry gets the nod in goal after surrendering all five goals by the Rangers Friday.  He had been pulled but backup Casey DeSmith was injured in a collision with a teammate so Jarry came back to finish the game.

Rickard Rakell, Pittsburgh’s big deadline acquisition, had a big game Sunday with a goal and two assists, his first points in four games as a Penguin.

How to watch and the live conversation

The game starts at 7pm with the telecast on the MSG Network with the live stream on ESPN+.

Blue Line Station’s live conversation is active now and you can join your fellow Ranger fans as we watch this important match.  This one should be one of the most interesting games this season so there will be a lot to talk about.  Join the conversation in the comments section below.

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