Rangers prepare to take on the Kings as LA meets NYC
By Conor Power
As the New York Rangers look to recover from three consecutive defeats, they return to the Garden where they will face the awaiting Los Angeles Kings. This is a kings team that took New Jersey to OT and beat the Islanders. For the Rangers, they will need to play well to get a result from this matinee on the East coast. Los Angeles can pose problems and New York will need to adapt.
Ryan Lindgren will not play tonight. With the Rangers listing the defenseman as day-to-day, it is unclear how long the blueliner will be out for. Ryan Carpenter was recalled from AHL Hartford after Jake Leschyshyn cleared waivers. This allows the Rangers to ice a full 18-man roster tonight with no issues after suffering the loss of Lindgren in last night’s defeat.
Tonight’s starter is going to be interesting after both netminders saw time in last night’s defeat in DC. NHL.com lists Igor Shesterkin as the projected starter but we will know as we get closer to puck drop time tonight at the Garden. Neither goalie was to blame for last night’s performance and if the Blueshirts are going to get back to winning ways, they will need their netminders to continue playing well.
New York Rangers
Chris Kreider – Mika Zibanejad – Jimmy Vesey
Artemi Panarin – Vincent Trocheck – Vladimir Tarasenko
Alexis Lafreniere – Filip Chytil – Kaapo Kakko
Tyler Motte – Barclay Goodrow – Ryan Carpenter
Niko Mikkola – Adam Fox
K’Andre Miller – Jacob Trouba
Ben Harpur – Braden Schneider
Igor Shesterkin
Jaroslav Halak
Los Angeles Kings
Quinton Byfield – Anze Kopitar – Adrian Kempe
Kevin Fiala – Phillip Danault – Viktor Arvidsson
Alex Iafallo – Blake Lizotte – Gabriel Vilardi
Jaret Anderson-Dolan – Rasmus Kupari – Arthur Kaliyev
Mikey Anderson – Drew Doughty
Sean Durzi – Matt Roy
Alexander Edler – Sean Walker
Jonathan Quick
Pheonix Copley
Puck drop time and where to watch
This is going to be a 5 PM Eastern start time as the Rangers will look to get their first win in way too long against a Kings team that has played quite well on their tour of the New York City Area. Los Angeles is pushing for playoff seeding in the West so they have a reason to play harder. Perhaps this is something the Blueshirts lack given their position in no mans land at this moment.