New York heads to Arizona fresh off a 6-3 win over Colorado. It wasn't pretty at times, but the Rangers found a way to win their second straight. Tonight is the third contest of their four-game road trip, with a date against the Islanders looming Monday. For the Coyotes, it's play out the string time, as they sit 20-29-7 in the Western Conference, 16 points from the second Wild Card spot.
For the Rangers, with Jesper Fast still out, the forwards lines will be the same. it would be nice to see more than seven players, the first and third lines plus Dominic Moore, produce. Getting the middle trio going has to be a key moving forward. The fourth line without Fast is a tire fire, as two-thirds of it is either miscast or shouldn't be on the ice at all. The Rangers will get a close look tonight at Antoine Vermette, who is rumored to be on the block and would be a nice fit. However, that likely would require a shake-up of the second or third line, neither or which seem likely to happen.
Nash-Brassard-Zucc Kreider-Stepan-MSL Hagelin-Hayes-Miller Glass-D. Moore-Stempniak
On D, Dan Boyle will miss tonight's game with an illness. It's the 17th game he will miss this year, 14 due to his broken right hand and three due to illness. In his stead, John Moore gets back in and will play on the left side of Hunwick on the third pairing. Cam Talbot makes his sixth straight start.
McDonagh-Girardi Staal-Klein Hunwick-Boyle
I thought the second power play, not the one at the end of the game in which they scored on an empty net, wasn't bad against Colorado. The first one was okay but the second one generated decent pressure, showing better puck movement. The top group will once again pair the Brassard line with McDonagh (LH shot) and Stepan (RH shot) at the points. The second group is Kreider-Hayes-St. Louis, and with Boyle out, Moore, Klein or Hunwick could join Girardi at the point.
I know Larry Brooks wrote about how the Rangers should consider Patrick Kaleta. While eventually we welcomed in Dan Carcillo to the fold, doing the same with Kaleta, if it happened, seems even more distasteful. Anything is possible, but to me, I wouldn't go that route, despite the toughness he would bring to the lineup.
The goal tonight is as it always is, just win. It would be nice to see better own zone play to use as a lead in to Monday's game. But, a win would allow the Rangers to stay ahead of Washington, who plays LA tonight, in third and inch to within one point of Pittsburgh in second place of the Metro with a game still in hand.