Rangers vs. Kings: 3 things to watch for in only game over 5 days to start road trip
Enjoying a brief respite in what’s been a hectic schedule, the New York Rangers play their only game in a five-day span Tuesday, when they visit the Los Angeles Kings at Crypto.com Arena.
After playing nine games in 15 days — with mixed results (3-5-1) — the Rangers earned themselves a flight across the country and five straight days in Los Angeles with only one game to play. The Rangers had a day off there Sunday, practiced Monday, play the Kings on Tuesday, are off again Wednesday and practice Thursday before shuttling over to nearby Anaheim, where they’ll play the Ducks on Friday. The three-game California trip concludes Saturday up north in San Jose with a game against the Sharks.
So, the Rangers should be rejuvenated for their tough test against the Kings. New York ended a three-game slide with an unconventional 5-3 win at home against the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday. The Rangers managed one shot on goal in the first period, were outshot at one point 22-3 and were badly outshot for the game — 39-12.
But Igor Shesterkin was equal parts great in goal and inspiring with his feistiness; and the Rangers woke up to score four goals on six shots (!) — one into an empty net — in the third period to somehow skate out of MSG with a win.
The Rangers (34-31-6) are tied for ninth in the Eastern Conference with the Islanders, following their own strange finish in a controversial 4-3 shootout loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday. Each New York team is one point behind the Montreal Canadiens for the second wild card in the East. The Canadiens begin a four-game trip by visiting the St. Louis Blues in a game that should be ending about the time the puck drops in L.A.
This is a massive game for the Rangers, because if they can win Tuesday, their path to a sweep of this road trip is clear with the so-so Ducks and last-place Sharks ahead on the schedule. Though with the Rangers this season, nothing can be taken for granted or even expected.
Defeating the Kings (39-21-9) will be no easy task. They’ve won eight of their past nine games and are tied for second in the Pacific Division with the Edmonton Oilers, five points behind the first-place Vegas Golden Knights.
The Kings are looking to sweep the season series. They dominated the Rangers in a 5-1 victory at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 14.
Related: Breaking down Rangers week ahead as they embark on crucial California trip
3 things to watch for when Rangers visit Kings
1. Road sweet road
For sure, we know the phrase is “Home Sweet Home” but that’s not the case for these Rangers, who are 17-17-3 at MSG this season and 1-4-1 in their past six there.
They’ve been much better away from The Garden. The Rangers are 5-2-1 in their past eight road games and 8-3-3 in 14. Since Jan. 2, their .679 points percentage on the road is second in the NHL.
It won’t be easy, though, because the Kings are in the midst of a franchise-record 14-game point streak on home ice (11-0-3) and are 6-0-0 in their last six. They are 25-3-4 at Crypto.com Arena, the best home points percentage in the NHL.
2. Stingy hosts
The Rangers will need to work for every chance they get Tuesday. L.A. is one of the stingiest teams in the League, allowing 25.4 shots per game and 2.52 goals per game, each second-fewest in the NHL. The Kings have allowed nine goals in their past seven games, including a pair of shutouts.
Darcy Kuemper has had a big rebound season for the Kings after he was acquired last summer in a trade with the Washington Capitals for center Pierre-Luc Dubois — a deal that’s worked quite well for each side. Kuemper is second in the League with a 2.13 goals-against average and is 24- 9-7 in 41 starts.
3. Where’s Sam?
Sam Carrick has played all 71 games for the Rangers this season, but didn’t travel to Los Angeles with the team and wasn’t at practice Monday for personal reasons. It’s unknown if he’ll play Tuesday.
Though not a star, Carrick’s been an important cog in the lineup all season, providing grit, some timely goals and solid penalty-killing work. If he doesn’t play, Juuso Parssinen will center the fourth line and Brett Berard will come back into the lineup to play on that line.
Rookie forward Brennan Othmann is expected to open up in a top-six role with the Rangers, skating on a line with Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck.
New York Rangers projected lineup
Panarin – Trocheck – Othmann
Lafreniere – J.T. Miller- Brodzinski
Kreider – Zibanejad – Cuylle
Berard – Parssinen – Rempe
Soucy – Fox
K. Miller – Borgen
Jones – Schneider
Shesterkin
Quick
Rangers vs. Kings: When, where, what time, how to watch
Who: New York Rangers vs. Los Angeles Kings
When: Tuesday, March 25 at 10:30 p.m. ET
Where: Crypto.com Arena
How to watch: MSG
More About:New York Rangers News