The Rangers and Devils are back at it for part three of their four game series for an afternoon matchup at the world's most famous arena. This is the first of a back to back stretch of games and Igor Sheshterkin will look to keep his streak alive as he will once again start in between the pipes for the New York Rangers. The Rangers still sit four points behind the Bruins for the last playoff spot but their may be an interesting turn of events for our playoff chase. Let's get into that as well as more of how we look going into battle today and what needs to be done to come out with a third win.
Eyes have been locked on the Bruins as they are the team closest to being bumped out by the Rangers, but perhaps were looking at the wrong team. The Islanders are currently eight points ahead of us but have the same amount of games left to be played as us. Coincidentally, three of our remaining games are against the Islanders. Rangers fans unnaturally were routing for the Islanders these last two games as they played Boston but failed to win either game. With those results, we may need to switch gears and count on the Islanders to keep losing and really stress the importance of the three remaining games against them
Nevertheless, the Rangers can't control the results of other teams, they can only control their own and so far, they're doing a good job of that against the Devils. However, they must keep their heads and prepare to come out stronger and stronger in the back to back games this weekend. With each tick of the clock that the Devils don't score they're only going to get more and more hungry for a goal. The Rangers need to come out with the same energy they have been, generating puck possession and peppering Mackenzie Blackwood and or Scott Wedgewood with shots on goal.
As for the Rangers, again, Igor Sheshterkin will get the start in goal and it is expected the lines will probably stay the same;
Kreider - Zibanejad - Buchnevich
Panarin - Strome - Blackwell
Lafreniere - Chytil - Kakko
Howden - Rooney - Kravtsov
Lindgren - Fox
Miller - Trouba
Hajek - Smith
Artemi Panarin and Brendan Smith both served maintenance days yesterday, this being Panarin's second in a row. However, both are expected to be good and ready for the weekend. Again, it's hard to complain about Blackwell on the second line when he's putting up three point nights and as much as I'm sure we'd all like to get Gauthier or Di Giuseppe back in there, it makes sense for things to stay the same when the team is playing like it is.
A strong start and continuing to take the Devils seriously are the key factors for the Rangers as they close out the weekend, and the season against their Hudson River Rivals. The Rangers don't necessarily have their best showings during afternoon games but there's no excuses at this point of the season. Every shift of every game counts and the Rangers need to consider every game for the rest of the season the most important game of the year. Look the Rangers new core of defensemen to led this team through and look for Kravtsov to be hungry for that first goal take two.
Chris Feldman
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