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Rangers face Bruins on nationally televised contest on Black Friday |
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The Rangers face the Bruins on national TV, airing on ABC at 1PM. New York comes in having won six of their last seven while Boston has won four of five. As noted the other, if the Blueshirts can earn points in this contest and the one Sunday versus the Isles, they are fairly well set up with a handful of easier - at least on paper - games over the week or so.
New York will need to play a better game then they did versus the Isles. If looking for a key to the game, it's limiting the Bruins' chances on the man advantage. Boston is seventh in the league at a 24.5% success rate. The Rangers are just 20th in the league at a 79.7% kill rate, but have been better lately. They did go 6-for-6 against the Isles, but they did face a depleted opponent up front and on the back line,
One more key will be the fourth line exerting their will. Rooney-Goodrow-Reaves were excellent Tuesday. Since Boston has the last change, that trio may end up matched against Marchand-Bergeron-Pastrnak. Holding their own and playing that group even will go a long way to helping New York exit the contest with a win.
Up front, I am curious to see if Kaako Kappo can extend his point streak to six and if the success we saw in a small sample size while skating with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider continues. In addition, does Dryden Hunt mesh well with Artemi Panarin and Ryan Strome or will changes need to be made there? The third line with Alexis Lafreniere-Filip Chytil-Julien Gauthier is set and one of the two wingers could move up to the second line if the need arises.
New York Rangers Blogger • 
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