The Rangers and their tunnel rivals, the Islanders, meet tonight at UBS Arena. The goals of each team tonight are vastly different. For the Blueshirts, it’s their first opportunity to possibly clinch the division. For the Islanders, maintaining a playoff spot is their sole focus. The two teams meet again Saturday afternoon at MSG.
Rangers lineup tonight vs. Islanders:
Kreider-Zibanejad-Roslovic
Panarin-Trocheck-Lafrenière
Cuylle-Wennberg-Kakko
Goodrow-Brodzinski-Vesey
Lindgren-Fox
Miller-Trouba
Gustafsson-Schneider
Shesterkin
Quick
Scratches: Rempe, Jones, Ruhwedel
LTIR: Chytil, Wheeler
What’s noticeable is that Jack Roslovic is back in the lineup while Matt Rempe is a healthy scratch. This is not that surprising. The Islanders can’t afford to do anything stupid tonight and give the Rangers a power play that could change the tone and tenor of the game. As such, that limits to an extent the need for Rempe. Similarly, no need to kick the can and give the Islanders a chance to take advantage of a late or illegal hit by Rempe. In addition, seeing if Roslovic learned anything from his one game benching makes sense with a week to go in the regular season.
Personally, as I said in the last blog, Zac Jones would be dressing. He has substantially stepped up his game and deserves a steady roster spot. I know coach Peter Laviolette can say all he wants about rotating personnel, but I think we all believe Jones is better than Erik Gustafsson right now and belongs on the third pairing next to Braden Schneider.
Two tweets by Dan Rosen:
1) The Rangers can clinch the Metropolitan Division with any win against the Islanders and if the Hurricanes lose to the Bruins in regulation. A victory also sets a new #NYR record of 54. (The Magic number for the conference and President’s Trophy is five. With four games left, if New York gets to 115 points, the overall first seed is theirs)
2) Rangers will play a regular season game at UBS Arena for the first time since October 26, 2022 (531 days). It's their final road game of the regular season. (Let this stat sink in. How crazy is that? The “road” game so far this year was at MetLife. I know two games in five days to end the season sets up drama but there has to be a better way. The current schedule, which results in minimal division games, is insufficient as he removes the prior rivalries).
Much of Rangers’ Twitter focus and ire was directed at this
article by ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski. Discounting the fact that we all know he is a Devils’ fan and has no love lost for the Blueshirts, the column was not completed in a silo by himself, as he did have assistance. The analytics are what the analytics are, and as seen from the “lively” debate on this blog, some will take what’s said as gospel, others will pick and choose and a third grouping will discount all.
Today New York is dependent on their special teams and goaltending, again, is not a stretch. This has been the case for a while. It’s one of the areas we all felt needed deadline improvement - getting better in puck possession and 5x5. Lo and behold, as noted in the column, the Blueshirts certainly did that.
The Alexander Wennberg and Jack Roslovic additions have meant nearly a full minute more of puck possession per game at 5-on-5…the Rangers' total puck possession time jumped from 15:29 at 5-on-5 in their first 62 games to 16:21 in the following 14 games.
The Rangers are far from perfect, we know that. But what we do know, and what was highlighted in the column, is that they are a resilient team with the ability to come back in games. What’s also clear or should be is that no team is perfect, each team has flaw. In addition, the column highlights what we all know as well, a possible second round match up with Carolina is a daunting task.
The addition of Jake Guentzel makes the Canes even more dangerous then they have been in the past. Analytically, Carolina has the edge especially in driving style of play and 5x5 performance. But one major edge should always remain for the Blueshirts and that’s between the pipes. If that stays the case, I will take my chances against them.
New York Rangers Blogger • 
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