Rangers face 'Canes, Aho in town, Anisimov on PTO, WJC update (rangers)

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Rangers face 'Canes, Aho in town, Anisimov on PTO, WJC update

By Jan Levine

Jan 2, 2024 • 2:46 pm

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The Rangers are back in action tonight at MSG against the Hurricanes. A divisional game, contests with Carolina normally have a little spice.  Add in the fact that this is the first time the teams have met since Sebatstian Aho "collided" with Adam Fox, sidelining the d-man for 10 games and 24 days, and the Garden should most certainly be on their best behavior tonight (sarcasm dripping). The Blueshirts take on the Blackhawks at home Thursday.

Probable Lines: Kreider – Zibanejad – Wheeler Panarin – Trocheck– Lafreniere Cuylle – Bonino – Brodzinski Vesey – Goodrow – Pitlick

Lindgren – Fox Miller – Trouba Gustafsson – Schneider

Shesterkin Quick

Healthy scratches: Edstrom, Jones LTIR: Filip Chytil, Kaapo Kakko

Carolina has moved into second place in the division, seven points behind New York, who have two games in hand. A win tonight extends that lead and ends the 'Canes three-game win streak. Andrei Svechnikov has found his game recently while Pyotr Kochetkov has been solid between the pipes. The game gets a little added boost, as mentioned above, which should add a bit more physicality, which normally is not a problem when these two teams meet.

The Rangers come in winners of three of four heading into the New Year. With a little more than half-a-season remaining, the current goal is to continue to play well, maximize their strengths, address and work on their weaknesses and find a way to keep the beat rolling. The trade deadline is a little more than two months ago, so while it's a little more of a focus, as long as all stays normal, wait about six weeks and it will be a dominant topic.

Filip Chytil, as noted in the prior blog, is back in Czechia for a "reset" on his recovery. Kaapo Kakko is progressing but still just skating on his own. My guess is that he will be sidelined several more weeks and maybe he is ready to return in early-February though that may be a best case scenario. Who we see now is what we likely will get, though with Artem Anisimov now in Hartford on a PTO, maybe a reunion could be in the cards down the road if the need arises?

In the World Juniors, Adam Sykora scored his first of the tournament in Slovakia's 4-3 overtime loss to Finland. Slovakia tied the game late but the Finns scored the winner early in the extra session. For the US, Drew Fortescue notched a goal while Gabe Perreault, who was named the USA's player of the game, had a pair of goals and an assist. The first goal was a slam dunk on a beautiful set up from Seamus Casey. His assist to Will Smith came on a 2-on-1 break. Smith returned the favor to Perreault, who batted the puck out of mid-air for the tally.

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