The Rangers head down I-95 (New Jersey Turnpike) to face their divisional rival, the Flyers, at 1pm today. New York comes in off an embarrassing 6-1 loss to the Penguins on the back-end of their home-and-home match up. Philadelphia is on their third game in four nights, having dropped a 4-2 decision to Tampa on Wednesday.
For New York, the challenge is simple, but won't be easy. Avoid the downward slide created after last Thanksgiving's eve loss to the Canadiens and regain positive momentum. Losses last Friday against Columbus, Sunday to Florida (shootout) and Wednesday to Pittsburgh sandwiched around a win against the Penguins have the Rangers on their first losing type streak of the season. Getting to Rangers hockey, meaning quick puck movement and creating on the rush is a key, but the ability to adjust when that's taken away is a bigger concern, as the team has failed to do so recently.
Coach Alain Vigneault is mulling a lineup change or two. At a minimum, Matt Puempel, who was picked up on waivers from the Senators on Monday, could get into the lineup today. (update 11am: Puempel in for Lindberg) While Puempel just got his first full practice with the team Thursday, he was on a line with Josh Jooris and Jesper Fast, bumping Oscar Lindberg into the role as an extra and possibly paving his way out of town. Lindberg's production fell off dramatically last year after his hot start and he has been invisible in nine games since returning from hip surgery. The other three lines Kreider-Hayes-Zucc, Grabner-Stepan-Nash and Vesey-Pirri-Miller look they will remain intact. But, with Mika Zibanejad and Pavel Buchnevich sidelined, shuffling of those three trios could be in the cards if more struggles like Wednesday happen. In addition, Boo Nieves or Marek Hrivik or Nicklas Jensen are all available at Hartford if the need for a different infusion on the fourth line is needed until Buch and/or Zib return.
On the blue line, I have become a broken record as to shifting some of the duos, but that appears unlikely. I would like to see Adam Clendening get a game, just so he scrapes off the rust in case of injury and he is pressed into action. Playing Marc Staal with Nick Holden and Brady Skjei with Kevin Klein is not the best use of those four, as Staal should be with Skjei and Holden with Klein, as was used on part of the Western Canada road trip. But unfortunately, that may be a pipe dream.
Henrik Lundqvist, fresh off getting chased in the second period Wednesday, will be back between the pipes. Lundqvist is a proud athlete, so I am looking forward to see how he responds. While he wasn't at fault for several of the goals in the loss to Pittsburgh, he also didn't elevate his game to make those key saves, even though that may be a bit unfair to expect that consistently. But, if he struggles again, I would expect to see Antti Raanta between the pipes Sunday versus Ottawa.
Lineups (per Bill Meltzer's blog):
RANGERS
40 Michael Grabner - 21 Derek Stepan - 61 Rick Nash 20 Chris Kreider - 13 Kevin Hayes - 36 Mats Zuccarello 26 Jimmy Vesey - 73 Brandon Pirri - 10 J.T. Miller 21 Matt Puempel - 86 Josh Jooris - 19 Jesper Fast
27 Ryan McDonagh - 5 Dan Girardi 18 Marc Staal - 22 Nick Holden 76 Brady Skjei - 8 Kevin Klein
30 Henrik Lundqvist [32 Antti Raanta]
Scratches: Oscar Lindberg (healthy), Adam Clendening (healthy), Pavel Buchnevich (back spasms), Mika Zibanejad (broken left fibula).
FLYERS (will be updated)
10 Brayden Schenn- 28 Claude Giroux - 93 Jakub Voracek 11 Travis Konecny - 25 Nick Cousins - 17 Wayne Simmonds 12 Michael Raffl - 78 P-E Bellemare - 24 Matt Read 76 Chris VandeVelde - 21 Scott Laughton - 22 Dale Weise
15 Michael Del Zotto - 53 Shayne Gostisbehere 23 Brandon Manning - 3 Radko Gudas 9 Ivan Provorov - 32 Mark Streit
35 Steve Mason [41 Anthony Stolarz]
Scratches: Nick Schultz (healthy), Roman Lyubimov (healthy), Andrew MacDonald (healthy), Sean Couturier (lower body, suspected left MCL), Boyd Gordon (LTIR, upper body), Michal Neuvirth (IR, lower body).