Rangers vs. Penguins: Lineups, storylines for 2 teams headed opposite ways
Much has changed since the New York Rangers and Pittsburgh Penguins faced off at Madison Square Garden on opening night. Though the Rangers were shut out 3-0 that night, few could’ve imagined that they’d be 21 points behind the Penguins four months later for their Garden rematch.
Yet, that’s where things stand heading into their Saturday matinee at MSG.
If anything, that loss in the season opener was a sign of things to come for the Rangers (22-29-7). They struggle to score, been shut out nine times this season (seven at MSG), and are tied with the Vancouver Canucks for the fewest home wins in the NHL (six).
In fact, only the Canucks (43) have fewer points in the standings than the Rangers (51), after the Blueshirts lost 3-2 in overtime to the Philadelphia Flyers at The Garden on Thursday. In their first game back after the three-week Olympic break, the Rangers let a 2-0 lead slip away, despite getting Igor Shesterkin and Adam Fox back in the lineup. Each missed 13 games with a lower-body injury.
If the Rangers are on the biggest disappointments this season, the Penguins (30-15-12) are among the most pleasant surprises. They are second in the Metropolitan Division, after missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs the previous three seasons, ironically under coach Mike Sullivan, who, of course, is now the Rangers bench boss.
The Penguins won their first game out of the break Thursday, 4-1 over the New Jersey Devils. They have one regulation loss since Jan. 13, moving up in the standings with a 9-1-3 run.
They’re without captain Sidney Crosby, who sustained a lower-body injury playing for Canada in the Olympics and is out four weeks. But the Penguins still have plenty of depth scoring, with nine other players who’ve scored double-digit goals this season. That depth shined against the Rangers in their most recent meeting, a 6-5 Penguins win in Pittsburgh on Jan. 31.
3 storylines when Rangers host Penguins
1. ‘Always something to play for’
In less than a week, Sullivan went from answering questions about coaching the gold medal-winning United States men’s hockey team at the Milan-Cortina Olympics to explaining what the Rangers are playing for down the stretch of this dismal season.
“We want to see a group that competes hard every night and controls everything in our power that gives us the best chance to win,” Sullivan explained Friday after practice. “So, there’ve been opportunities for some of the young guys to come up and make an impact on the game, try to establish themselves as NHL players. There’s opportunities for other guys that played in the League that are looking to extend their careers or solidify their spot on the Rangers. There’s always something to play for.”
One of those players getting a chance after a post-break recall by the Rangers is forward Brendan Brisson. The 2020 first-round pick by the Vegas Golden Knights had 13 goals with Hartford of the American Hockey League and took part in the AHL All-Star Classic this season. He impressed Sullivan in his Rangers debut Thursday, when he logged 11:21 TOI, playing on the third line and second power-play unit.
“He had a couple really good scoring chances. I thought he scored on the first shift he got out there. He got a Grade A look; it was a terrific save (by Flyers goalie Samuel Ersson). But I think you can see some of his offensive instincts,” Sullivan said about the 24-year-old forward. “I thought for his first game, I thought it was pretty solid.”
2. Where’s the new guy?
The Rangers claimed Tye Kartye off waivers from the Seattle Kraken on Friday. The 24-year-old forward, who has 180 games of NHL experience, is not expected to make his Rangers debut Saturday, however. With an overflow of bottom-six forwards, there’s no rush to get Kartye into the lineup, especially since he’s yet to practice with his new team. So, expect Jonny Brodzinski to draw back into the lineup, replacing Brennan Othmann, who was reassigned to Hartford on Friday.
When he does get his chance, expect Kartye to bring a physical element to the lineup, along with solid penalty-killing skills. Though not much a scoring threat in the NHL, Kartye did show some touch in the minors, when he scored 28 goals with AHL Coachella Valley in 2022-23.
3. Put the special back in special teams
Sullivan was clearly annoyed and displeased with the Rangers special teams play against the Flyers. Their power-play was 0-for-3, including a failed 4-on-3 opportunity in overtime. And their penalty kill allowed a struggling Flyers power play to score and kickstart a comeback midway through the second period.
“I don’t think the penalty kill was especially strong tonight,” Sullivan said following the loss Thursday. “It was pretty good in the third [period], but in the second, a lot of the details weren’t there, the reads, things of that nature. I didn’t think the special teams on either side were very good. Our power play didn’t execute, we made poor decisions; and out penalty kill needs to be better.”
By contrast, Pittsburgh’s power play is fourth best in the NHL (26.0 percent), and their PK is second overall (84.5 percent).
New York Rangers projected lineup
J.T. Miller — Mika Zibanejad — Gabe Perreault
Will Cuylle — Vincent Trocheck — Alexis Lafreniere
Conor Sheary — Noah Laba — Brendan Brisson
Jonny Brodzinski — Sam Carrick — Taylor Raddysh
Vladislav Gavrikov — Adam Fox
Braden Schneider — Will Borgen
Matthew Robertson — Vincent Iorio
Igor Shesterkin
Jonathan Quick
Rangers vs. Penguins: When, where, what time, how to watch
Who: New York Rangers vs. Pittsburgh Penguins
When: Saturday, Feb. 28 at 12:30 p.m. ET
Where: Madison Square Garden
How to watch: ABC
