Rangers vs. Kings: 3 things to watch for beginning busy weekend
It’s a busy weekend for the New York Rangers, who kick things off when they host the Los Angeles Kings at Madison Square Garden on Saturday afternoon.
The matinee is the first of consecutive games this weekend for the Rangers (15-12-1), who travel to St. Louis to play the Blues on Sunday evening. It also begins a stretch of three games in four days, which concludes Tuesday when they visit the Nashville Predators.
This is the third back-to-back set for the Rangers this season. They are 0-2-0 in the first game and 1-1-0 in the second game, so far. Last week, they lost 7-5 to the Seattle Kraken on Sunday and followed by losing 2-1 to the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday.
The Blueshirts did get back on the winning track, though, when they skated to a 3-2 road victory against the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday. Still, they are 3-8-0 in their past 11 games, tied for fifth in the crowded Metropolitan Division.
Defenseman K’Andre Miller was placed on injured reserve by the Rangers on Friday due to a lower-body injury he sustained against the Sabres. Connor Mackey was recalled from Hartford of the American Hockey League and will replace Miller in the lineup.
The Kings (17-9-3) are second in the Pacific Division, though they’re coming off a 3-1 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Thursday that ended a season-high six-game winning streak. This will the third of a seven-game road trip for the Kings, who are only 7-7-2 away from Crypto.com Arena this season.
Related: Relentless rookie Brett Berard making most of Rangers opportunity
3 things to watch for when Rangers host Kings
1. Mackey in for Miller
The Rangers’ defense corps will be tested by a solid Kings lineup. Minus Miller — and Jacob Trouba, who was traded last week — the Rangers’ depth at the position will be seriously challenged. Not only must Mackey and his partner Braden Schneider step up, but much responsibility falls on the top pair of Adam Fox and Ryan Lindgren, not to mention youngster Victor Mancini on the third pair with Zac Jones.
You can bet coach Peter Laviolette is preaching that the Rangers must work as a five-man unit, asking for more effort defensively from the forwards than they’ve given this season.
As for Mackey, the 28-year-old is a rugged blueliner with 40 games of NHL experience, including a solid performance in his one game with the Rangers last season, and has the confidence of his coach.
“The time we had him up here, he was good,” Laviolette said Friday. “He’s a big, strong, reliable defenseman. He can play heavy and physical, and he moves the puck.
2. Going fourth
Rookie Brett Berard remains in the lineup for the third straight game in place of scratched veteran Jimmy Vesey because Laviolette is really pleased with how well the fourth line is playing right now. In fact, the coach went out of his way to praise the play of Berard, Sam Carrick and Adam Edstrom following the win in Buffalo.
Edstrom drew the penalty that led to Mika Zibanejad’s power-play goal. Carrick drove hard to the net to create scoring chances more than once, including on Reilly Smith’s greasy third-period goal, which he assisted on. Berard was a whirling dervish with speed and energy, and that’s making him a fan favorite after just six games in the NHL.
“I just think they’ve been as effective line,” Laviolette noted Friday. “They play fast … they’re a hard line to contain.”
3. Get ready to work
Not only must the Rangers band together in the defensive zone, they’re going to have to work hard for their scoring chances at the other end of the ice. The Kings allow a League-low 24.2 shots per game and are tied with the Winnipeg Jets and Toronto Maple Leafs allowing 2.55 goals per game, fewest in the NHL.
LA’s goalies have been good, but not great. In fact, David Rittich has an .890 save percentage (Darcy Kuemper’s is .910). But the key is that the Kings’ commitment to team defense really limits the number of scoring chances their goalies face.
The Rangers haven’t exactly earned the reputation as a team willing to work consistently hard to earn their opportunities, so this will a stiff test for them.
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New York Rangers projected lineup
Panarin – Trocheck – Lafreniere
Kreider – Zibanejad – Smith
Cuylle – Chytil – Kakko
Edstrom – Carrick – Berard
Lindgren – Fox
Mackey – Schneider
Jones – Mancini
Shesterkin
Quick
Rangers vs. Kings: When, where, what time, how to watch
Who: New York Rangers vs. Los Angeles Kings
When: Saturday, Dec. 14 at 1 p.m. ET
Where: Madison Square Garden
How to watch: MSG
Click here for New York Rangers complete 2024-25 schedule and game results
More About:New York Rangers News
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