As we enter the final month of the NHL season, the New York Rangers will be hoping that tonight is not the final day of their season. Knowing that a win is required to push this series back to Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are up against it tonight as they will try to overcome the Florida Panthers again in pursuit of a game seven. Can they channel the spirit of the 1994 team and once again pull the rabbit from the hat?
For the Rangers tonight, Igor Shesterkin will have to be what he has been all season long. He needs to sparkle once more. He can be the difference between coming home eliminated and coming home for a chance to play for the Stanley Cup. He's the bright light guiding the Rangers through the darkest performances. If he can pull off one more heist tonight, he could force a winner-takes-all game at the Garden.
New York's Hart Trophy candidate needs to take a step forward if the Rangers are going to survive tonight. Artemi Panarin has shaken the doubts of him not being a playoff performer with very little to show for his offensive outburst in this series; he needs to become more of a factor. This applies to Mika Zibanejad, Chris Kreider, and Vincent Trocheck too. The big four of the Rangers have yet to be genuinely felt in this series. Trocheck's had some moments, but the other three haven't been what we know they can be.
Projected Lineups
New York Rangers
Chris Kreider - Mika Zibanejad - Filip Chytil
Artemi Panarin - Vincent Trocheck - Alexis Lafreniere
Jack Roslovic - Alex Wennberg - Kaapo Kakko
Will Cuylle - Barclay Goodrow - Jonny Brodzinski
Ryan Lindgren - Adam Fox
K'Andre Miller - Braden Schneider
Erik Gustafsson- Jacob Trouba
Igor Shesterkin
Jonathan Quick
Florida Panthers
Carter Verhaeghe - Aleksander Barkov - Sam Reinhart
Matthew Tkachuk - Sam Bennett - Evan Rodrigues
Eetu Luostarinen - Anton Lundell - Vladimir Tarasenko
Steven Lorentz - Kevin Stenlund - Kyle Okposo
Gustav Forsling - Aaron Ekblad
Niko Mikkola - Brandon Montour
Oliver Ekman-Larsson - Dmitry Kulikov
Sergei Bobrovsky
Anthony Stolarz
Puck Drop
New York has to start on time in this 8 p.m. puck drop. Knowing that this could be the last game of the season for the Rangers, they must come out quickly, not sluggish. New York needs to jump on the Panthers early, force them to play defense, and beat them in Florida to come home and try to win the series. New York can't win the series tonight, so survive. One game at a time.