Rangers look to build on OT win when they face the Penguins at MSG
Rangers vs Penguins: Tonight the Blueshirts will look to build over the joy and excitement of Alexis Lafreniere’s OT winner against the Sabres. They face the Penguins tonight, and it will be no easy task as they lost both games (1 in a shootout) in Pittsburgh just last week.
(7:00 p.m. ET – TV: MSG Network, Radio: ESPN 98.7 FM).
Rangers: 2-4-1 (5 pts)
Penguins: 4-3-1 (9 pts)
Note: Rangers will have a morning skate at 10:30 a.m. at MSG Training Center. Rangers Head Coach David Quinn and select players will be available to the media via zoom following the morning skate around 11:30 a.m.
Rangers vs Penguins: Don’t expect any lineup changes
Igor Shesterkin is projected to start tonight against the Penguins. He played a rock solid game against the Sabres and will look to keep it going. After four starts, he has a 2.73 GAA, with an .894 SV% and a record of 1-2-1.
Jack Johnson was listed as day-to-day with a groin strain, but considering the Rangers are coming off a win you can expect Brendan Smith to remain in the lineup.
Same for the lines, as Colin Blackwell has done an excellent job since being inserted into the lineup.
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Pre Game Notes:
- All-Time vs Penguins: 130-114-23-15 (72-54-9-7 at home; 58-60-14-8 on the road)
- Ten of the last 13 meetings between the Rangers and Penguins have been decided by one goal, and six of those 13 contests have been decided in either overtime or a shootout. In addition, 12 of the last 29 meetings between the two teams have been decided in either overtime or a shootout.
- The Rangers have recorded nine power play goals in their last 13 games against the Penguins (9-for-31; 29.0%).
- Artemi Panarin – 15 GP, 9-9-18 – Panarin has tallied a point in 12 of 15 career games against the Penguins, and he has posted six multi-point games, including three multi-goal games. He enters the contest with a three-game assist/point streak against Pittsburgh (three assists).
- Kaapo Kakko – 3 GP, 3-0-3 – Kakko has tallied a goal/point in two of his three career games against Pittsburgh. Kakko registered two goals, including the game-winning goal in overtime, in his first career game against the Penguins on Nov. 12, 2019 at MSG.
- Colin Blackwell – 2 GP, 1-1-2 – Blackwell has recorded a point in each of his two career games against Pittsburgh, and he registered his first goal/point as a Ranger while making his Rangers debut on Jan. 24, 2021 at Pittsburgh.
- The Blueshirts have outshot their opponent in each of the last six games, registering 211 shots on goal and allowing 147 shots on goal over the span. New York ranks second in the NHL in shots on goal per game in 2020-21 (33.6) and has also allowed the fifth-fewest shots on goal against per game in the NHL thus far this season (25.7).
- The Rangers have drawn 33 penalties and have taken 26 penalties through seven games this season. New York’s plus-seven net penalty differential is tied for the fourth-best in the NHL in 2020-21.
Pre Game Notes courtesy of the NYR
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