The Rangers are back at it on home ice against the Washington Capitals after a close but no cigar comeback against them Sunday afternoon in D.C. The Capitals remain one of the stronger teams in the league, holding their record of 9-1 in their last ten games. The Rangers need a more complete effort in tonight's game. There's been way too many times this season they've lost by a goal or failed to tie the game in the final minutes. Scoring first and maintaining play with Washington from start to finish is crucial.
Will tonight be the season debut of Vitaly Kravtsov? Will David Quinn panic change the lines? Who gets the nod in net tonight? None of those questions have a definite answer. There should be no reason for David Quinn to touch the lines unless it's to bring in Kravtsov on the fourth. Colin Blackwell may have scored two goals and sparked a comeback but quiet frankly, I don't care if he scored six goals in that game. He is a secondary goal scorer and is clearly doing just fine on that fourth line. There is no reason to put him back on the second line over your first and second overall picks unless you're trying to showcase him to trade at the deadline for a high draft pick, which isn't going to happen.
Will there be a "perfect" time to bring Kravtsov into the mix? No. You can do it after a loss, you can do it after a win, on home ice or on the road, there's pro's and con's to each decision but at the end of the day, the kid is a hockey player. Let the kid play. He was a ninth overall draft pick for us just a few years ago, he's coming off a great season in the KHL, get him in the mix. I want this team to make a playoff push more than anybody, who's to say he doesn't jump into the line up and make an impact right off the gate? If he doesn't that's okay too, whoever dresses as the 12th forward on this team isn't going to break this team but it could make this team.
Igor Sheshterkin will undoubtedly return to the net tonight, he's been very impressive in his return following his groin injury and they want to get him going as soon as they can. I still back Quinn's decision to roll with Kinkaid on Sunday against Washington, at the end of the day, it wouldn't have mattered who was in net that game. However, tonight may need to be a night where Sheshterkin steals a win for us. That's not to suggest the team can just sit back and rely on Sheshterkin, as much as he may want to he can't score goals for us. Washington is a good team and you can't count them out for a single second while the clock is ticking so it's good to know you can count on your goalie to steal a goal or two from you every now and then.
As for the line up, assume the same barring a Kravtsov debut:
Kreider - Zibanejad - Buchnevich
Panarin - Strome - Kakko
Lafreniere - Chytil - Gauthier
Di Giuseuppe - Rooney - Blackwell
Lindgren - Fox
Miller - Trouba
Smith - Hajek
Instead of saying it's another big game for this team I'm just going to say that this game doesn't matter at all in hopes that this manifests a huge win for the Rangers. Sitting once again at .500, they need a complete effort and need to generate on each and every opportunity they are given. Look for Sheshterkin to have a big game and if Kravtsov's debut does in fact come tonight, we should be in for a fun, memorable evening.
Chris Feldman
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