New York Rangers’ Music City Matinee Against the Nashville Predators
By Conor Power
This will be two teams fighting for the points they need. One is in a far more desperate position than the other, so the New York Rangers are going to need to show their talent in a game against a Nashville Predators team that needs the points. Nashville is 11-11 after 22 games, sitting perfectly at .500, and need to start kicking on if they want to play in the postseason this year.
This is a chance for the Rangers to take revenge against one of the five teams that have bested the Blueshirts this season. Back in late October, the Rangers were defeated at the hands of the Predators. With the Blueshirts since deciding that winning everything is more fun than losing, this is a chance to make up for the defeat against this club. Will we see the Blueshirts take their revenge?
New York will see Ryan McDonagh tomorrow night for the Predators. As the Rangers’ former captain is now wearing the yellow of Nashville, it still feels weird. He was a great leader for this organization for a long time, and seeing him play for another team feels really weird. It won’t ever feel right looking at Ryan McDonagh and not seeing the Rangers’ iconic logo on his chest and the captain’s “C” beside it.
Projected Lineups
New York Rangers
Chris Kreider – Mika Zibanejad – Blake Wheeler
Artemi Panarin – Vincent Trocheck – Alexis Lafreniere
Will Cuylle – Nick Bonino – Jonny Brodzinski
Jimmy Vesey – Barclay Goodrow – Tyler Pitlick
K’Andre Miller – Jacob Trouba
Ryan Lindgren – Adam Fox
Erik Gustafsson – Braden Schneider
Jonathan Quick
Igor Shesterkin
Nashville Predators
Filip Forsberg – Ryan O’Reilly – Gustav Nyquist
Kiefer Sherwood – Juuso Parssinen – Luke Evangelista
Cole Smith – Michael McCarron – Philip Tomasino
Yakov Trenin – Colton Sissons – Liam Foudy
Ryan McDonagh – Roman Josi
Jeremy Lauzon – Dante Fabbro
Tyson Barrie – Luke Schenn
Juuse Saros
Kevin Lankinen
Puck Drop
This is a 4:30 PM Eastern puck drop from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennesee. New York will move back above the Vegas Golden Knights at the top of the NHL standings with a victory in this one. Whether they get it or not is a different conversation entirely. New York will want revenge in Music City. It is in their hands now to atone for the defeat to the Predators two months ago.