The Rangers return to action off a disappointing 2-0 loss to the Senators on Sunday facing the 'Canes tonight. New York fell to Carolina 3-2 on October 28, breaking a three game win streak. Get used to see the Red and White, as the Rangers will face the Hurricanes at home again Saturday.
The Blueshirts lineup will have a slight modification tonight. The good news is that J.T. Miller and Michael Grabner, each of whom were questionable as of this morning, look like they will play. Miller has stitches on his knee after betting hit by Mats Zuccarello's shot while Grabner was under the weather this morning. As of the pre-game line rushes and skate, Josh Jooris looks to be the odd man out, though to me, it should be Oscar Lindberg who sits again, as Jooris has been fine on the fourth line.
The projected lines are: Vesey-Hayes-Nash, Kreider-Stepan-Zucc, Grabner-Miller-Fast, Puempel-Lindberg-Pirri.
That's the good news. The bad news is that D and the duos for each pairing are the same. Therefore, we get McD-G, Staal-Holden and Skjei-Klein. Why AV won't sit Klein or play Clendening, I don't know. Same with if that is to be the case, why not move Skjei back to play with Staal and Holden with Klein or Skjei to top pairing? These are questions I have no answer to right now.
Henrik Lundqvist is back between the pipes.
Derek Stepan admitted today New York has been in their own zone too frequently the past five games. This is something we pointed out a lot lately but it goes beyond five games. New York must go a better job of communicating in their own zone when pinned there. Plus finding ways to create offense when the breakout or stretch pass is taken away. Expect another neutral zone clog fest tonight. How the team responds will determine who wins.