It's been a busy 24 hours for New York sports - the Mets landed Juan Soto to the biggest contract in professional sports history, the Jets and Giants had crushing losses, and the New York Rangers (14-11-1) lost to the Seattle Kraken 7-5 in a Sunday matinee.
After an encouraging win against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday night, a lot of this positivity was drowned in yesterday's loss against Seattle. The Rangers - after going up 3-1 - gave up five unanswered goals, and while they were able to score two to get within punching distance, it was too little too late. The Blueshirts have now lost seven out of nine and are trying to get out of this slump.
Luckily for Peter Laviolette and company, New York has a fast opportunity to bounce back, as they welcome in the Chicago Blackhawks (8-17-2) for the final game of their five-game homestand. After this, the Rangers play eight out of their next nine games on the road, and a win tonight would be huge for morale.
Here's three players to watch tonight for the Blueshirts at Madison Square Garden.
1. Igor Shesterkin
Shesterkin missed yesterday's contest because his wife was in labor, but a few hours ago, the Rangers sent down Dylan Garand to Hartford. This is an indication that Shesterkin will be back in the lineup tonight.
Igor Shesterkin’s wife is in labor, so Garand gets the call to presumably backup Jonathan Quick today for #NYR vs. Seattle https://t.co/kn7WPKBNh4
— Mollie Walker (@MollieeWalkerr) December 8, 2024
On Friday, Shesterkin broke his five game losing-streak, making 22 saves in the effort. Now officially the highest-paid goaltender in the NHL, he needs to make a difference in every game.
Though Jonathan Quick has been great this season, he was mediocre at best against Seattle. Hopefully tonight, Shesterkin will make the saves necessary to win.
2. Alexis Lafreniere
The 23-year-old was slumping a little, but over the past few games Lafreniere has woken up. He has three points (one goal, two assists) and has been shooting the puck more.
Lafreniere - along with Vincent Trocheck and Artemi Panarin - made up New York's best line from their Presidents' Trophy season, and Lafreniere's jump in play is a major reason why. The line has been good as of late and the hope is it will elevate the Blueshirts' 5v5 play.
3. Adam Fox
Fox had a polarizing performance yesterday against the Kraken, tallying two assists but posting a -2 rating. Though he has not scored a goal this season, Fox is New York's second-leading scorer with 22 points.
Defensively, it has not been a great season for Fox. His +3 rating is by far the worst of his career; yet again, there's three quarters of a season left to play). He's one of the best defensemen in hockey and should be able to figure it out.