The Columbus Blue Jackets (79 pts) blew a 2-0 lead in Calgary but managed to pick up a point in a OT loss last night. Things don’t get easier for the Rangers as the Washington Capitals come into the Garden on Pride Night.
Wild Card Watch
Tonight’s Eastern Conference wild card action has the Hurricanes (75 pts) at Flyers and the Islanders (78 pts) at Senators. Needless to say the Rangers (74 pts) need them both to lose. Quinn’s charges are down to 25% via Money Puck to make the postseason.
Kreider out 4-6 weeks
Yesterday Jeff Gorton updated Kreider’s situation and put him at 4-6 weeks. If CK20 can come back in 4 weeks that is the last week of March with about 3-4 games left. A devastating loss.
Pre-Game Notes
- All-Time: 98-97-18-11 (54-44-9-5 at home; 44-53-9-6 on the road)
- Tonight’s game is the third of four meetings between the Rangers and Capitals, and the second of two meetings between the two teams at MSG. The Rangers have posted a 1-1-0 record (1-0-0 at home; 0-1-0 on the road) and the Blueshirts won the last meeting between the two teams, 4-1, on Nov. 20 at MSG. Artemi Panarin leads all skaters with three goals in the season series, while he and Pavel Buchnevich (two goals, one assist) are tied for the team lead with three points in the two games.
- Ryan Strome – 23 GP, 5-11-16 – Strome has tallied a point in seven of his last 11 games against Washington (three goals, four assists).
- Mika Zibanejad – 24 GP, 5-9-14 – Zibanejad has posted a multi-point game in three of his last five games against the Capitals (one goal, five assists). He has recorded a point in six of his last 12 games against Washington (two goals, seven assists), and he has registered 11 points (three goals, eight assists) in his last 15 contests against the Capitals.
Notes courtesy of NYR PR Dept.
