The New York Rangers are back in action tonight against the Los Angeles Kings, and a matinee marks the Blueshirts return to the ice. A 1 p.m. start time against the Kings highlights a busy day in the NHL as these two teams will begin a mad day of hockey. With the Rangers coming off that sketchy win in Buffalo, they will be looking to build on their positive momentum, but it'll be difficult with some updated personnel.
Defenseman K'Andre Miller was placed on the injured reserve, with Connor Mackey coming up to take his place. Chad Ruhwedel was also recalled from the American Hockey League as the healthy extra with Miller injured. Miller's underperformed so far this season, so he has a long layoff to get his head right and readjust physically. Mackey will get a chance to make an impression tonight and sure up the struggling Rangers defense.
New York has just four wins in the last twelve games; they haven't won back-to-back games since Seattle and Vancouver almost a month ago. Starting to string a winning streak together would let the Blueshirts begin to tune out some of the noise outside their locker room. It's been a long month, but the Rangers beginning to return to their former selves right before the break would signal the turning of a corner for those in the iconic Blueshirts of the New York Rangers.
Projected Lineups
Los Angeles Kings
Trevor Moore - Anze Kopitar - Adrian Kempe
Warren Foegele - Quinton Byfield - Tanner Jeannot
Kevin Fiala - Phillip Danault - Alex Laferriere
Alex Turcotte - Samuel Helenius
Mikey Anderson - Vladislav Gavrikov
Joel Edmundson - Brandt Clarke
Jacob Moverare - Jordan Spence
Kyle Burroughs
David Rittich
Darcy Kuemper
New York Rangers
Artemi Panarin - Vincent Trocheck - Alexis Lafreniere
Chris Kreider - Mika Zibanejad - Reilly Smith
Will Cuylle - Filip Chytil - Kaapo Kakko
Adam Edstrom - Sam Carrick - Brett Berard
Ryan Lindgren - Adam Fox
Connor Mackey - Braden Schneider
Zac Jones - Victor Mancini
Igor Shesterkin
Jonathan Quick
Puck Drop
A matinee will mean the Rangers will be out of their traditional routine for a gameday, but this will be worse for the Los Angeles Kings, as this starts at what would be 10 a.m. on the West Coast, so they'll be even earlier. If the Rangers can give their netminders a lead to defend, that's the most likely way the Blueshirts take the two points. They'll need to be better than they have been recently against a good Kings team.