It's time for the New York Rangers to return to the ice. The Pittsburgh Penguins provide the opposition for the Blueshirts tonight, and the Rangers need the two points. It's a critical back-to-back ahead of tomorrow's clash with Columbus. Banking the two points tonight will be vital ahead of the big game with the Jackets, but this Pittsburgh team is looking to salvage the year by getting into the same playoff race the Rangers are trying to make up ground in.
With Adam Edstrom out, Jimmy Vesey has slid onto the fourth line with Matt Rempe and Sam Carrick, but it hasn't been the same as the production that line got with Edstrom. Instead, that has come from the big first line with the recent addition of J.T. Miller. New York will need both to be great tonight if they're going to defeat their Metropolitan Division rivals tonight at the Garden.
Igor Shesterkin and Jonathan Quick will be required over this weekend, but which one will play in which game will be important. If Quick goes against Pittsburgh with the rested team, Igor Shesterkin gives you a fantastic chance to win in Columbus. If Shesterkin gets the nod against Pittsburgh, the Rangers give themselves an excellent opportunity to bank two points before a challenging game in Columbus. You can justify going either way tonight, and we'll see what Peter Laviolette decides to do.
Projected Lineups
Pittsburgh Penguins
Anthony Beauvilier - Rickard Rakell - Bryan Rust
Michael Bunting - Cody Glass - Danton Heinen
Matthew Nieto - Kevin Hayes - Philip Tomasino
Bokondji Imama - Blake Lizotte - Noel Acciari
Pierre-Olivier Joseph - Kris Letang
Matt Grzelcyk - Erik Karlsson
Ryan Graves - Vincent Desharnais
Alex Nedeljkovic
Joel Blomqvist
New York Rangers
Artemi Panarin - J.T. Miller - Mika Zibanejad
Reilly Smith - Vincent Trocheck - Alexis Lafreniere
Chris Kreider - Jonny Brodzinski - Will Cuylle
Jimmy Vesey - Sam Carrick - Matt Rempe
Ryan Lindgren - Adam Fox
K'Andre Miller - Will Borgen
Urho Vaakanainen - Braden Schneider
Jonathan Quick
Igor Shesterkin
Puck Drop
It's a 7 p.m. puck drop from the Garden as the Rangers need to get the two points tonight if the Blueshirts want postseason hockey, which is a requirement after trading a first-round pick away for J.T. Miller. Pittsburgh will be without Evgeny Malkin and Sidney Crosby; they're struggling as they are and missing their best players. Losing tonight isn't an option for the Rangers if they want to return to the postseason.