Blueshirts look to get back on track with new lines against Canes (NYR at CAR 7pm)

Ryan McDonagh scores the only goal of the game vs. CAR 12.21.14 (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

The Rangers will look to rally in Raleigh tonight against the Hurricanes. Cam Talbot will get the nod in between the pipes as Henrik Lundqvist works himself back into the lineup. 

GAME 70: New York Rangers vs. Carolina Hurricanes, PNC Arena, Raleigh, NC 7PM

As Alain Vigneault has been stressing, the Rangers have been playing a bit uptight offensively lately. Some of them are squeezing their sticks so tight that sawdust is coming out (basically an old reference since every stick now is some sort of composite and not wood, but I digress). The Rangers need to get more shots on goal and especially from the high scoring area I call the kill zone (more on that later).

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Kevin Hayes has been moved back to center of the third line, while JT Miller is rightfully promoted to the second line with Derick Brassard and Mats Zuccarello. James Sheppard drops to the 4th line for a physical unit that should cause some havoc on the forecheck with Dominic Moore and Tanner Glass.

Daily Faceoff Goalie Matchup

NYR at CAR (DailyFaceoff)

– Click the Daily Face-off link above for updated confirmation of starters.

COACH’S UPDATE


NOTES

Season Series (4-0)

Via Blueshirts United: The Rangers and Hurricanes meet for the fifth and final time this season on Saturday with New York looking to complete a sweep of the season series. The Rangers have outscored the Hurricanes 10-4 so far this season, winning by one goal three times, including twice in the shootout. New York is 3-0-0 on home ice against Carolina this season and 1-0-0 at PNC Arena, where the grabbed a 3-2 shootout decision on December 20. In that game Kevin Klein scored the tying goal late in the third period and Mats Zuccarello netted the winner in the shootout. The next night at MSG Cam Talbot made his only start against the ‘Canes so far this season and earned the shutout with an 18-save performance in a 1-0 Blueshirts victory–with Ryan McDonagh scoring the game’s only goal. Of course in the most recent meeting between these clubs Henrik Lundqvist suffered the vascular injury that has sidelined him for the past six weeks when his head snapped back and he was in the throat by a shot back on January 31, a 4-1 Rangers win at The Garden. Lundqvist finished the game and made 31 saves, and then beat Florida two nights later before being shut down by doctors. The Rangers have won 15 of their last 16 games against the Hurricanes heading into action on Saturday.

Anthony Scultore has been covering the New York Rangers and the NHL since 2014. His work also appears at... More about Anthony Scultore

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