It's another game day for the New York Rangers. It's a battle for New York tonight as the Rangers and Islanders clash in one of the most fierce rivalries in the NHL. Two of the most storied franchises in the NHL will clash tonight from UBS Arena on Long Island as the Blueshirts look to continue their fight for the playoff places in a clash against another difficult opponent to overcome in their city rivals. It's a difficult night, but the Rangers must continue their fight tonight.
For the Blueshirts, Igor Shesterkin was sensational during the victory the Blueshirts enjoyed over the Pittsburgh Penguins to rebound from their dismal showing in Buffalo. Still, the Blueshirts will be looking for more of the same from their sparkling star netminder against the Islanders. The Isles do not boast the same attacking talent as the Penguins, but they have a deep enough lineup to cause the Rangers trouble.
With an extra game played, the Rangers are 3 points above the Islanders. Winning tonight would push the Rangers 5 points clear and open a world where the Rangers can end tonight's round of games in a playoff spot with a win. Considering the Rangers were considered contenders at the beginning of the season, it's a start on the road to recovery, but Peter Laviolette's men embarked on a deep tailspin that still has a grip on this roster.
Projected Lineups
New York Rangers
Artemi Panarin - J.T. Miller - Alexis Lafreniere
Will Cuylle - Mika Zibanejad - Reilly Smith
Jimmy Vesey - Vincent Trocheck - Arthur Kaliyev
Sam Carrick - Jonny Brodzinski - Matt Rempe
Ryan Lindgren - Adam Fox
K'Andre Miller - Will Borgen
Urho Vaakanainen - Braden Schneider
Igor Shesterkin
Jonathan Quick
New York Islanders
Anders Lee - Bo Horvat - Anthony Duclair
Maxim Typlakov - Brock Nelson - Kyle Palmieri
Casey Cizikas - Jean-Gabriel Pageau - Simon Holmstrom
Pierre Engvall - Kyle MacLean - Marc Gatcomb
Alexander Romanov - Tony DeAngelo
Adam Pelech - Scott Mayfield
Scott Perunovich - Ryan Pulock
Ilya Sorokin
Jakub Skarek
Puck Drop
Tonight's game will start at 7:30 p.m. at UBS Arena. This iconic rivalry, the only intercity rivalry in the NHL, will be on full display tonight as the two teams look for two points and hope to fight for a postseason place. If everything goes perfectly, the Rangers can end the night in the playoff spots, but the Islanders can fight back into the picture—everything to play for tonight for both teams.