It's another game day for the New York Rangers. The Blueshirts travel to the Music City in Nashville, Tennessee, to face the Predators, and it's not something many fans are looking forward to. Everything is wrong with this team right now. Peter Laviolette doesn't seem to understand the issues; the defense is dragging the team down like a boat anchor, and the Rangers' big guns are taking Christmas Carolling a little too literally with their silent nights.
After Jonathan Quick was defeated in St Louis, the Rangers look set to return to Igor Shesterkin in net. Quick wasn't to blame for the shortcomings in St. Louis, but Igor Shesterkin will give the Rangers a better chance of winning games. New York can stop the rot and return to being a playoff contender if they can just stem the flow of losses. Igor gives the team the best chance to do that right now.
Nashville is another team that came into the season as a sexy pick for a playoff spot but has flamed out to start the year. Big-money free agents Steven Stamkos, Brady Skjei, and Jonathan Marchessault were brought in to help the Predators return to a competitive state. Still, Barry Trotz's club has failed to get underway this season. New York can beat this team if they play up to the level we know they can.
Projected Lineups
New York Rangers
Will Cuylle - Filip Chytil - Alexis Lafreniere
Jonny Brodzinski - Vincent Trocheck - Reilly Smith
Brett Berard - Mika Zibanejad - Jimmy Vesey
Chris Kreider - Sam Carrick - Adam Edstrom
Ryan Lindgren - Adam Fox
Zac Jones - Braden Schneider
Connor Mackey - Chad Ruhwedel
Igor Shesterkin
Jonathan Quick
Nashville Predators
Filip Forsberg - Steven Stamkos - Jonathan Marchessault
Zachary L'Heureux - Ryan O'Reilly - Gustav Nyquist
Mark Jankowski - Tommy Novak - Luke Evangelista
Cole Smith - Michael McCarron - Colton Sissons
Brady Skjei - Nick Blankenburg
Marc Del Gaizo - Luke Schenn
Kevin Gravel - Adam Wilsby
Juuse Saros
Justus Annunen
Puck Drop
It'll be an 8 p.m. start time from Nashville for tonight's game as the Rangers continue looking for answers to their ongoing problems. Nashville is a good opponent to try and right the ship against before opening up a gauntlet of games against teams in playoff positions. It won't be a fun run after tonight for the Blueshirts, so banking the two points would go a long way.