The New York Rangers return to Madison Square Garden to take on the Anaheim Ducks and two former teammates in Ryan Strome and Frank Vatrano. The Blueshirts hope to get back on track after a tough loss in Winnipeg against a team that was embarrassed on Saturday, losing to the Islanders 7-1.
The injury bug is still hitting the Rangers. Though it looks like Sammy Blais will be playing in his first game in almost a year, the team has lost Ryan Carpenter who suffered a bad cut to his head in Winnipeg. Vitali Kravtsov resumed skating over the weekend but is still a few games away from returning.
Of the ex-Rangers on the Ducks, Strome is off to a good start with a goal and two assists in two games. Vatrano has one goal and Kevin Shattenkirk is scoreless.
It will be Igor Shesterkin in the net for the Rangers. This will be the first time that will face the Anaheim Ducks. He will be opposed by John Gibson who has not had a lot of success against the Rangers, winning only twice in nine games.
The Rangers are 11-2-1 in their last 14 games against Anaheim and last lost in regulation to the Ducks on January 12, 2018. The Rangers have won seven games in a row at home versus the Ducks with the last loss on November 4, 2013.
Projected starting lineups
With Ryan Carpenter joining the walking wounded, Barclay Goodrow will center the fourth line with Sammy Blais taking his spot on the right wing on the third line. Zac Jones returns to the lineup on defense with Braden Schneider after sitting out the game in Winnipeg.
The Rangers cannot afford another injury to salary cap constraints. If another player goes out, they may have to do what the Oilers had to do the other night, dress 17 skaters instead of the standard 18. Another option would be to dress seven defensemen with one blueliner taking some shifts on a forward line.
New York Rangers
20 Kreider – 93 Zibanejad – 24 Kakko
10 Panarin – 16 Trocheck– 13 Lafreniere
26 Vesey-72 Chytil – 91 Blais
29 Hunt – 21 Goodrow – 75 Reaves
55 Lindgren – 23 Fox
79 Miller – 8 Trouba
6 Jones – 4 Schneider
31 Shesterkin
41 Halak
14 Adam Henrique – 11 Trevor Zegras – 19 Troy Terry
49 Max Jones – 16 Ryan Strome – 77 Frank Vatrano
44 Max Comtois – 21 Isac Lundestrom – 37 Mason McTavish
40 Pavol Regenda – 38 Derek Grant – 33 Jakob Silfverberg
4 Cam Fowler – 3 John Klingberg
29 Dmitry Kulikov – 6 Jamie Drysdale
13 Simon Benoit – 22 Kevin Shattenkirk
36 John Gibson
41 Anthony Stolarz
How to watch & the live conversation
The game starts at 7 pm and it will be televised on the MSG Network. The live stream will be on ESPN+.
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This is a quiet stretch with only two games in eight days. They get busy next week with five games in eight days starting Sunday. Next up, a reunion with David Quinn when San Jose comes to town on Thursday.
Yes, we know the Yankees are in a do-or-die game versus the Guardians, but it may rain tonight at Yankee Stadium so the game might be delayed, more reason to watch the Blueshirts in action!