Lundqvist stop Crosby Image Credit: Charles LeClaire/USA Today Sports
Pregame notes for tonight’s Rangers – Penguins game:
- Game time: 7PM EST; Penguins currently listed as the favorite to win at -150. Rangers meanwhile are +130.
- Rangers are 7-2-1 over last 10 games, riding a 3 game win-streak. The team is 14-14-3 on the road this year.
- Penguins are 5-4-1 over last 10 games after losing Tuesday to the Caps. The team is 19-9-4 at home.
- Rangers are 7th and 10th in Goals-For and Goals-Against, respectively. Meanwhile, the Pens are 12th and 13th in those categories.
- The two teams met just once this season, with the Rangers winning by 3 on the back of a Lundqvist shutout. Rangers were outshot 34-22, and neither team scored on any special teams chances.
- Fleury and Lundqvist are the confirmed starters.
- Rangers injury list includes Nash and Fast (ill). Of note, Nash made the trip with the team and was seen riding the bike at the rink this morning. Soon after, Nash stepped on the ice (first time since Jan.22) and was seen skating with a good pace. Fast also skated this morning, and there was no emergency call-up made. Expect to see Fast (assuming he’s healthy) or McIlrath penciled in for the 12th forward tonight.
- Penguins have a plethora of injuries which include Dupuis, Lovejoy, Bennett, Sheary and Fehr.
- Crosby averages over a point-per-game against 24 teams in the NHL. Rangers are 17th on that list, where he averages 1.29 PPG. His shooting percentage versus the Rangers is 12.5%.
- The newest Ranger, Eric Staal has faced the Penguins 46 times in his career and is averaging exactly 1 point-per-game in those contests. This is his 5th most productive team to play against.
Projected lines:
Kreider-Stepan-Zucc
Miller-Brass-Stalberg
Lindberg-E.Staal-Hayes
Glass-Moore-Fast/Rath
McD-Girardi
Yandle-Klein
M.Staal-Boyle
Kunitz-Crosby-Hornqvist
Hagelin-Malkin-Kessel
Wilson-Bonino-Rust
Kuhnhackl-Cullen-Porter
Maata-Letang
Daley-Dumoulin
Cole-Pouliot