Rangers vs. Golden Knights: Lineups, storylines starting 3-game road trip
The New York Rangers are the best road team in the NHL. But that doesn’t make their three-game trip this week any less challenging, beginning Tuesday when they visit the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena.
At 9-1-1, the Rangers have the best road record in the League, and their 19 points are one behind the Los Angeles Kings (9-2-2) for most in the NHL. Yet, it’s some tough sledding ahead, facing perennial powerhouse Vegas, then two nights later skating against the Colorado Avalanche, who have the best overall record in the League and only one regulation loss so far (13-1-5). The trip concludes with a tilt against the up and coming Utah Mammoth on Saturday, and they’re no pushover either.
The Rangers (10-8-2) will take this challenge, though, considering how much better they play away from Madison Square Garden. New York is 1-7-1 on home ice after a disappointing 2-1 loss to the Detroit Red Wings, when the Rangers were outplayed and badly outshot 42-19.
Their current six-game road wining streak is fourth-best in franchise history and longest since 2019-20, when the Rangers won nine straight on the road. With that comes plenty of confidence and swagger, which won’t hurt playing in a tough building Tuesday night.
Perhaps the Rangers arrive in Las Vegas at a good time. The Golden Knights (8-4-6) are banged up and struggling to win games after racing to a 5-0-2 start this season. Since Oct. 25, however, the Golden Knights have lost 8 of 11 games (3-4-4) and won once in their past six (1-2-3).
They’ve also lost four straight (0-2-2) at home, including 3-2 to in overtime to the Minnesota Wild on Sunday, when Kirill Kaprizov bagged the game-winner.
Vegas is without injured forwards Mark Stone and William Karlsson, and No. 1 goalie Adin Hill. But they remain dangerous with Jack Eichel (24 points in 18 games) and Mitch Marner (20 points in 18 games) pacing their offense. Pavel Dorofeyev leads them with 11 goals, three shy of the League lead, after scoring on the power play against the Wild.
3 storylines when Rangers visit Golden Knights
1. Sully’s back
Though he didn’t travel with the team Monday, coach Mike Sullivan flew out on his own and rejoined the Rangers at the morning skate. He missed the game Sunday, dealing with a “family circumstance,” in his words.
“I’d rather not get into the details of it, but I appreciate everybody’s support,” Sullivan told reporters after the skate. “I’m grateful to Mr. Dolan and [Chris Drury] for their understanding. Obviously, family means everything to all of us. I appreciate everybody’s support through a little bit of a trying circumstance.”
2. Will Borgen game-time decision
Sullivan said that Will Borgen is a game-time decision against the Golden Knights. The 28-year-old defenseman missed the past two games with an upper-body injury, but skated on a pair with Urho Vaakanainen on Tuesday morning.
Rookie Scott Morrow made his Rangers debut against the Red Wings, and partnered with Matthew Robertson on the third defense pair. They skated together again Tuesday, and Morrow quarterbacked the second power-play unit. Not to read tea leaves or anything, but it feels like Morrow will play Tuesday.
“I’m feeling confident,” Morrow told the media after the morning skate. “Obviously, I haven’t gotten any bounces in terms of points, but I think I’ve been playing a really solid game [in the minors and NHL]. I think the bounces will come over the course of the season, wherever I am, so just staying with it. I feel a lot more ready for the NHL than I have, you know, at any point last year.”
3. Watch Mika
The Rangers scored two goals in their past two games, not counting J.T. Miller’s shootout winner in Columbus on Saturday. Mika Zibanejad scored each of those goals and leads the Rangers with seven this season, including a team-high four on the power play.
Of course, he’s also a team-worst minus-9 this season. So, there’s that.
But he’s got a four-game point streak coming into this one, three goals in four games, and always delivers against the Golden Knights. He’s got 10 goals and 19 points in 14 games against them.
New York Rangers projected lineup
Will Cuylle — Mika Zibanejad — J.T. Miller
Artemi Panarin — Vincent Trocheck — Alexis Lafreniere
Conor Sheary — Noah Laba — Jonny Brodzinski
Adam Edstrom — Sam Carrick — Taylor Raddysh
Vladislav Gavrikov — Adam Fox
Carson Soucy — Braden Schneider
Matthew Robertson — Scott Morrow
Igor Shesterkin
Jonathan Quick
Rangers vs. Golden Knights: When, where, what time, how to watch
Who: New York Rangers vs. Vegas Golden Knights
When: Tuesday Nov. 18 at 10 p.m. ET
Where: T-Mobile Arena
How to watch: MSG
