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Rangers start stretch run with home game tonight against the Penguins |
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The Rangers begin April with a three-point divisional and conference lead. New York has eight games remaining and one-game in hand on both Carolina and Boston. Of the eight games the Blueshirts will play over the next 15 days this month, six are home, including the final three of the season, one is at UBS Arena and one is in Detroit.
Rangers lines vs. Penguins:
Kreider-Zibanejad-Roslovic
Panarin-Trocheck-Lafrenière
Brodzinski-Wennberg-Kakko
Cuylle-Goodrow-Vesey
Lindgren-Fox
Miller-Trouba
Jones-Schneider
Shesterkin
Quick
Scratches: Gustafsson (upper-body injury), Rempe, Scanlin, Ruhwedel
LTIR: Chytil, Wheeler
During practice today, coach Peter Laviolette mixed up the defensive combinations, though the tried and true should be rolled out tonight. The Blueshirts are getting healthier on the blueline, Ryan Lindgren and Jacob Trouba already returned to the lineup. Erik Gustafsson, sidelined since last Monday with a possible concussion, was on the ice for today’s morning skate in a red non-contact jersey. Once Gustafsson is back, Zac Jones could be the odd-man out, though Laviolette may try to rest a blueliner down the stretch.
The stretch run has eight games in 15 days. This week is Pitttsburgh at home tonight, New Jersey at home on Wednesday and on the road at Detroit on Friday. Next week, the Rangers are home for Montreal on Sunday, at UBS Arena on Tuesday, home Thursday against Philly and same for the Isles on Saturday. New York closes out the regular season at home Monday versus Ottawa.
As a heads up, I will be out of pocket Monday-Wednesday night, April 22-24 and Sunday-Tuesday night, April 28-30 due to Passover. The overall regular season ends April 18 and I believe the playoffs are slated to start April 22. Presuming that is the case, I should be able to get up a series preview column before the first round kicks off.
New York Rangers Blogger • 
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