The Rangers look for their third straight win tonight at MSG. New York is keeping the same lineup as the prior two games, which means Mika Zibanejad (neck), Marc Staal (healthy scratch) and Henrik Lundqvist (ceding net to Alexandar Georgiev) all will be watching the action. Following tonight’s contest, New York faces Detroit at home on Wednesday, the travels to Carolina on Thursday.
Lineup: Panarin-Strome-Fast Kreider-Chytil-Buchnevich Lemieux-Howden-Kakko Haley-Andersson-Smith
Hajek-Trouba Skjei-DeAngelo Lindgren-Fox
Georgiev
Zibanejad skated today at practice in a red, non-contact jersey. If he wears a normal jersey tomorrow, presuming there is practice, he has a decent shot at playing Wednesday and/or maybe Thursday. Once he is back, a shuffle in the top-nine will need to take effect. As I mentioned previously, which seems to be somewhat of a prevailing view, I would move Strome to wing and shift Fast to the third (in place of Lemieux, who slides down a line) or fourth line (in place of Haley, who comes out of the lineup). Strome has shown he can mesh with Panarin and also play the wing while that gives the top line another center who can take draws. In addition, this may maximize Strome’s trade value, presuming that’s the direction New York takes.
Staal is a different case. Who comes out for him to go in? I could see one of the six blueliners – any of the four not names Trouba or DeAngelo – getting a game off. But just because Staal eventually opts in, that doesn’t mean he remains in the lineup. The current six played well the past two games and a third solid contest will make it tough for coach David Quinn to make a change in general, let alone one with longer lasting effects.
Lundqvist will start Wednesday. But with him getting the nod against the Red Wings, due to the back-to-back, I wouldn’t be shocked if Georgiev started Thursday. I actually would be surprised if he didn’t, unless Hank is lights out and stands on his head, all but forcing Quinn to turn to him again. The more interesting question may be who starts Sunday versus Florida if both Lundqvist and Georgiev play well, especially if the current win streak is intact.
Old friends Anthony Duclair and Vladislav Namestnikov are back in town to face the Rangers. Artem Anisimov is sidelined with an injury while Connor Brown is one to watch for the Senators. Bobby Ryan, scratched the last two games, and Mikkel Boedker, a press box resident the last four contests, are both in the Ottawa lineup.