NY RANGERS vs TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING
When: 7:30 PM  ET, Monday, December 10, 2018
Where: Amalie Arena, Tampa, Florida

TV: 7:30 PM
LINE: 0
PREDICTION: TAMPA BAY , NY RANGERS

Oddsmakers currently have the NY RANGERS listed as 220-moneyline favorites versus the TAMPA BAY, while the game’s total is sitting at 6.5.

The NHL-best Tampa Bay Lightning attempt to match one of their most impressive performances of the season and win a seventh straight game when the New York Rangers pay a visit on Monday night. The Lightning scored early and often Saturday before settling for a 7-1 victory over Central Division co-leader Colorado as captain Steven Stamkos recorded two goals to go along with two assists.

“It was fun to be a part of,” Stamkos told reporters Saturday after reaching 30 points on the season in 31 games. “I just thought that we deserved everything that we got today, including some bounces and some breaks. But when you’re on top of the puck like we were (Saturday), it’s going to be tough for the other team.” Tampa Bay has averaged five goals during its win streak and gained at least a point in five straight meetings (3-0-2) with the Rangers, who coughed up leads three times before beating Florida 5-4 in a shootout Saturday. “We did a lot of good things,” New York coach David Quinn told reporters. “We did things we were hoping to accomplish throughout the week in practice. We built on it, and we didn’t sustain it.” Center Mika Zibanejad scored in the win and boasts seven of his team-leading 26 points in the last five games for the Rangers, who are just 4-8-2 on the road.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, MSG (New York), FS Sun (Tampa Bay)

ABOUT THE RANGERS (14-12-3): Former Tampa Bay forward Vladislav Namestnikov scored Saturday after missing three games with a concussion while right wing Mats Zuccarello (groin) is close to returning to the lineup. Left wing Matt Beleskey, recalled from Hartford of the American Hockey League earlier in the week, scored his first NHL goal since March 2017 with Boston in the second period on Saturday. “I was just trying to bring some momentum and energy,” Beleskey told reporters. “. … I think goals are always a plus, but (the Rangers) are looking for energy, looking for a physical guy. I think that’s what I’ve done my entire career.”

ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (23-7-1): Left wing Ondrej Palat, who missed 16 games with a lower-body injury earlier this season, scored his first two goals of 2018-19 on Saturday while skating with linemates Stamkos and Yanni Gourde. Right wing Nikita Kucherov contributed an assist against Colorado, giving him 26 of his team-high 44 points in the last 13 games, and center Brayden Point leads the team with 21 goals – 12 in the past 13 contests. Goalie Louis Domingue allowed four goals in his last three starts and is 10-3-0 since taking over for injured All-Star Andrei Vasilevskiy (foot), who participated in the morning skate Saturday.

OVERTIME

1. New York G Henrik Lundqvist, who gained a point in five of his last seven starts (4-2-1), is 20-14-6 all time versus the Lightning.

2. Stamkos is two points away from joining Martin St. Louis and Vincent Lecavalier as the only Tampa Bay players to reach 700.

3. The Lightning are 8-0-0 against Metropolitan Division foes and the Rangers improved to 6-3-1 versus the Atlantic with the win over Florida.

PREDICTION: Lightning 4, Rangers 2

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WINNIPEG JETS vs NY RANGERS
When: 6:00 PM  ET, Sunday, December 2, 2018
Where: Madison Square Garden, New York, New York

TV: 6:05 PM
LINE: 0
PREDICTION: NY RANGERS , WINNIPEG

Oddsmakers currently have the WINNIPEG listed as -150-moneyline favorites versus the NY RANGERS, while the game’s total is sitting at 6.

The Winnipeg Jets continue their three-game trip through the greater New York City area when they visit the Rangers on Sunday. Winnipeg improved to 4-1-0 versus the Metropolitan Division after blowing a two-goal lead in the third period before defeating New Jersey 4-3 in overtime Saturday for its third victory in four games, and plays the Islanders in Brooklyn on Tuesday before heading home for four games.

Jets right wing Patrick Laine, who scored 18 goals in November and leads the NHL with 21, was kept off the scoresheet Saturday for the second time in three games. New York lost for the fourth time in five contests with a 5-2 setback at Montreal on Saturday as the memory of a 9-1-1 stretch continues to fade. Henrik Lundqvist is expected to be in goal for the Rangers after backup Alexandar Georgiev made 36 saves Saturday and will likely oppose Connor Hellebuyck since backup Laurent Brossoit stopped 36 shots versus the Devils. Winnipeg and New York split last season’s two-game series with the road team winning each time as the Jets prevailed 3-0 at Madison Square Garden on the strength of Laine’s hat trick.

TV: 6 p.m. ET, TSN3 (Winnipeg), MSG (New York)

ABOUT THE JETS (15-8-2): Mark Scheifele scored twice against New Jersey, including the winner when he stole the puck from Nico Hischier just inside the blueline and stuffed his own rebound past Keith Kinkaid for his 15th of the season. Scheifele’s third consecutive multi-point performance (four goals, three assists) moved him to within two points of Blake Wheeler (33 points), who recorded his 29th assist Saturday, for the team lead. Mason Appleton, the 168th overall pick in the 2015 draft, recorded an assist Saturday in his first NHL game after collecting 84 points (30 goals) in 95 games with AHL Manitoba this season and last.

ABOUT THE RANGERS (13-12-2): Mika Zibanejad recorded two assists Saturday to take over the team lead with 23 points and has recorded a goal and five assists in his last six games. Chris Kreider (team-high 13 goals, 21 points) has one point in his last five games while Jimmy Vesey scored versus Montreal, giving him two goals in the last four contests and moving him to second on the team with nine. Mats Zuccarello missed his fourth straight game Saturday with a groin injury while Vladislav Namestnikov has missed the last two because of a concussion.

OVERTIME

1. Winnipeg was the only team in the league with both special teams in the top eight entering Saturday as the power play was No. 3 and the penalty-killing unit eighth.

2. New York scored on the power play Saturday and is 1-for-11 in its last five games while its penalty killers allowed a goal for the first time in six contests (8-for-9).

3. The Jets’ blueline continues to perform without Joe Morrow (lower body), Dustin Byfuglien (concussion) and Dmitry Kulikov (upper body), although Morrow could return soon.

PREDICTION: Jets 3, Rangers 2

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NY RANGERS vs NY ISLANDERS
When: 7:00 PM  ET, Thursday, November 15, 2018
Where: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York

TV: 7:05 PM
LINE: 0
PREDICTION: NY ISLANDERS , NY RANGERS

Oddsmakers currently have the NY RANGERS listed as 115-moneyline favorites versus the NY ISLANDERS, while the game’s total is sitting at 6.

In what was expected to be a rebuilding year for both franchises, the New York Rangers and New York Islanders are each battling for first place in the tightly contested Metropolitan Division. The Rangers are on a tear and will carry a seven-game point streak into Thursday’s matchup at the Islanders, who have dominated the rivalry since the start of the 2015-16 season.

The Rangers made it two straight with a 2-1 win over visiting Vancouver on Monday night, the team’s fifth one-goal decision during the 6-0-1 stretch. “We can beat any team in the league right now,” goaltender Henrik Lundqvist said. “There’s a few teams that are extremely consistent, and they’ve separated themselves a little bit. The rest of the pack is going to be a battle all year and we’re in it. That’s important.” The Islanders have move into first place in the division following a five-game winning streak, only to drop three in a row before routing the Canucks 5-2 on Tuesday night. The Islanders have dominated the Rangers over the past three seasons, winning 11 of 12 overall and all six meetings at Barclays Center.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, MSG-Plus2, MSG (New York)

ABOUT THE RANGERS (9-7-2): Rookies played a huge part in New York’s latest win as 20-year-old Brett Howden delivered the game-winning goal in the third period after Filip Chytil, 19, had tied it with his first career tally. “We don’t look at it as a rebuild year,” Howden said. “We believe we’ve got a great team here and we’re looking to build this year and be a contending team. We’re not looking for three years down the road.” Coach David Quinn changed his lines during Tuesday’s win, shifting Chytil from centering the fourth line to playing the wing on the No. 1 unit.

ABOUT THE ISLANDERS (9-6-2): New York could be short of bodies for Thursday’s matchup as both forwards Andrew Ladd (lower body) and Casey Cizikas (undisclosed) were not at practice Wednesday after leaving Tuesday’s game due to injuries. “They were a little nicked up, so they are being assessed,” Islanders coach Barry Trotz said. “We’ll see where they are tomorrow. Can’t confirm or deny they’re in or out because I haven’t heard yet.” Forward Matt Martin (upper body) practiced for the first time since he was hurt but Trotz ruled him out against the Rangers.

OVERTIME

1. The Islanders are 6-0-0 against the Metropolitan Division this season.

2. Lundqvist needs one win to move past Jacques Plante (437) for sole possession of seventh on the all-time wins list.

3. Islanders G Thomas Greiss is 3-0-1 in his last four starts overall and 3-0-1 in his last four versus the Rangers.

PREDICTION: Islanders 4, Rangers 3

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VANCOUVER CANUCKS vs NY RANGERS
When: 7:00 PM  ET, Monday, November 12, 2018
Where: Madison Square Garden, New York, New York

TV: 7:05 PM
LINE: 0
PREDICTION: NY RANGERS , VANCOUVER

Oddsmakers currently have the VANCOUVER listed as 110-moneyline favorites versus the NY RANGERS, while the game’s total is sitting at 6.

The New York Rangers and Vancouver Canucks ventured into shootouts in their last outing to push their respective point streaks to six games heading into Monday’s matchup at Madison Square Garden. The Rangers improved to 5-0-1 on their run with a 5-4 victory at Columbus on Saturday while the visiting Canucks are 4-0-2 after seeing a late two-goal lead in the third period go by the boards in a 4-3 setback at Buffalo.

New York’s Jimmy Vesey, who had two goals in two games versus Vancouver last season, posted his second multi-point performance in four outings after registering an assist before scoring the game-tying goal against the Blue Jackets. The 25-year-old Vesey, who also netted the winner in the fifth round of the shootout, has six points (three goals, three assists) in his last five games. While the Rangers improved to 4-0 in shootouts, the Canucks enter Monday’s tilt with their tail between their legs after allowing a pair of goals 40 seconds apart late in the third period. “That’s not good when you’re up 3-1 with under five to go, you need to close it out. It’s as simple as that,” said Vancouver defenseman Erik Gudbranson, who scored early in the third period to push his career-high point streak to five games (two goals, four assists).

TV: 7 p.m. ET, Sportsnet Pacific (Vancouver), MSG (New York)

ABOUT THE CANUCKS (10-6-2): Loui Eriksson is riding a four-game point streak after scoring and setting up a goal against the Sabres while flashy rookie Elias Pettersson has seven points (three goals, four assists) in his last four. Jake Virtanen also scored a goal for the second straight contest for the Canucks, who will need to rid the sour taste in their mouths before squaring up with the Rangers. “A lot of the guys are playing well. We’re playing some good hockey,” fellow forward Bo Horvat told reporters. “It’s unfortunate to give up that point. I thought we had a pretty solid game for 55 minutes; it’s just a matter of closing it out.”

ABOUT THE RANGERS (8-7-2): Mika Zibanejad scored against Columbus to extend his point streak to four games (two goals, three assists) and give him 14 of his team-leading 15 points in the last 13 contests. Fellow forward Pavel Buchnevich collected a goal and an assist versus the Blue Jackets to push his point streak to three games, during which he has two of each. Chris Kreider netted his club-best eighth goal Saturday and Kevin Hayes set up a pair of tallies to push his assist streak to a career high-tying three games.

OVERTIME

1. Vancouver G Jacob Markstrom owns a 3-1-1 career mark in six encounters versus New York despite sporting a 3.59 goals-against average and .881 save percentage.

2. Rangers G Henrik Lundqvist’s 436 wins are one shy of tying Hall of Famer Jacques Plante for seventh place on the NHL’s all-time wins list.

3. New York owns a 9-2-1 mark in its last 12 contests versus Vancouver.

PREDICTION: Rangers 3, Canucks 2

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MONTREAL CANADIENS vs NY RANGERS
When: 7:00 PM  ET, Tuesday, November 6, 2018
Where: Madison Square Garden, New York, New York

TV: 7:05 PM
LINE:
PREDICTION: NY RANGERS , MONTREAL

Oddsmakers currently have the MONTREAL listed as -250 moneyline favorites versus the NY RANGERS, while the game’s total is sitting at 211.5.

The New York Rangers attempt to extend their season-high winning streak to four games when they host the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday for a battle between Original Six teams. New York had not recorded consecutive victories this campaign prior to its current run, which was stretched with Sunday’s 3-1 home triumph over Buffalo.

Jimmy Vesey ended his six-game goal-scoring drought with authority as he registered his second two-goal performance of 2018-19 for the Rangers, who have posted four of their six wins at home. New York could be without a pair of forwards against Montreal as Ryan Spooner (lower body) is day-to-day while rookie Brett Howden, who has recorded a goal and four assists in his last five games, exited Sunday’s win after crashing face-first into the end boards. The Canadiens are hoping to register consecutive victories for just the second time this season after edging the New York Islanders 4-3 in a shootout on Monday. Montreal rallied from a 3-1 deficit and improved to 3-1-2 on the road when Joel Armia scored the lone goal of the bonus format in the fifth round.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, TSN2, RDS (Montreal), MSG (New York)

ABOUT THE CANADIENS (8-4-2): Max Domi has been wielding a hot stick for Montreal, registering at least one of his team-leading 15 points in nine of his last 10 games after notching a goal and an assist on Monday. The 23-year-old center, who is the son of former NHL enforcer Tie Domi, has tallied in seven of his last nine contests. The Canadiens are hoping forward Jonathan Drouin also is heating up, as the 23-year-old scored a goal and set up another versus the Islanders after recording just one assist in his previous five games.

ABOUT THE RANGERS (6-7-1): Mats Zuccarello has notched seven points in his last nine games and leads the team with seven assists. The 31-year-old Norwegian’s next assist will be his 221st, snapping a tie with Phil Esposito for 25th place on the franchise list. Henrik Lundqvist has posted back-to-back victories following an 0-3-1 stretch and needs two wins to tie the legendary Jacques Plante (437) for seventh place on the all-time list.

OVERTIME

1. Lundqvist has gone 4-0-0 with one shutout, a 0.94 goals-against average and a .967 save percentage in his last four appearances – including playoffs – versus the Canadiens.

2. Montreal LW Artturi Lehkonen scored the game-tying goal on Monday, his first tally since the season opener at Toronto on Oct. 3.

3. The Rangers recalled 20-year-old C Lias Andersson, who recorded a goal and an assist in seven games with the club last season, from Hartford of the American Hockey League.

PREDICTION: Rangers 5, Canadiens 2

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BUFFALO SABRES vs NY RANGERS
When: 7:00 PM  ET, Sunday, November 4, 2018
Where: Madison Square Garden, New York, New York

TV: 7:05 PM
LINE: 0
PREDICTION: NY RANGERS , BUFFALO

Oddsmakers currently have the BUFFALO listed as 110-moneyline favorites versus the NY RANGERS, while the game’s total is sitting at 6.

Jason Pominville needed a full 82-game schedule to produce 16 goals in his first campaign back with the Buffalo Sabres in 2017-18, but is halfway toward that total after 14 contests this season. The 35-year-old right wing looks to continue adding to his amount on Sunday as he carries a seven-game point streak into Buffalo’s matchup against the host New York Rangers.

Pominville, who was honored prior to Saturday’s home meeting with Ottawa for appearing in his 1,000th NHL game two days earlier, recorded two goals and an assist as the Sabres routed the Senators 9-2 to earn a split of their home-and-home series. The veteran has collected seven tallies and six assists during his streak after notching just one point in his first seven contests this season. New York is back home following a 2-2-0 road trip that concluded Thursday with a 3-2 shootout victory in Anaheim. The Rangers brought a 2-1 lead into the third period but squandered it in the final minute before handing the Ducks their seventh straight setback.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, MSG Buffalo, MSG Plus (New York)

ABOUT THE SABRES (7-5-2): Buffalo hopes its offense didn’t empty the tank Saturday as it registered more goals than it scored over its previous three games (seven) and its highest total since posting a 10-2 win in Edmonton on Jan. 27, 2009. Fifteen of the team’s 18 skaters landed on the scoresheet and eight recorded multi-point performances – including linemates Pominville, Jeff Skinner (two goals, assist) and captain Jack Eichel (three assists), who notched three apiece. The line was put together on Oct. 20 – the date Pominville’s point streak began – and its members are the top three scorers in the NHL since, with Skinner also recording 13 points and Eichel registering 12.

ABOUT THE RANGERS (5-7-1): Mika Zibanejad and Mats Zuccarello both tallied in Thursday’s shootout but were kept off the scoresheet beforehand and remain tied for the team lead with 10 points apiece. Brett Howden scored a goal and set up another in the win over Anaheim to pull within two points of the club’s co-leaders. The 20-year-old rookie center notched half of his eight points this season during New York’s road trip.

OVERTIME

1. Skinner has scored nine goals, tying him with Miroslav Satan for the third-most in franchise history over the first 14 games of a season.

2. Rangers C Boo Nieves was cleared from concussion protocol on Friday and could make his season debut against the Sabres.

3. Buffalo rookie D Rasmus Dahlin traveled with the team but is questionable to face New York after exiting Saturday’s game with a lower-body injury.

PREDICTION: Rangers 4, Sabres 2

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NY RANGERS vs MONTREAL CANADIENS
When: 7:00 PM  ET, Friday, April 14, 2017
Where: Bell Centre, Montreal, Quebec

TV: 7 p.m. ET, USA, MSG (New York), CBC, TVAS (Montreal)
LINE: 0
PREDICTION: Canadiens 2, Rangers 1

Oddsmakers currently have the NY RANGERS listed as 130-moneyline favorites versus the MONTREAL, while the game’s total is sitting at 5.

MONTREAL — Shut out in Game 1 of their first-round series against the New York Rangers on Wednesday, the Montreal Canadiens hit the ice for practice Thursday nonetheless pleased with the effort.

They know, however, there are areas to clean up heading into Game 2 on Friday — namely, in front of the opposing net.

“We know that there’s going to be rebounds, there’s going to be opportunities around the net, in tight,” Canadiens defenseman Jeff Petry said. “We worked on getting guys in front, getting bodies there, so that when there are rebounds, we have guys there to bury them.”

Montreal had its chances in the series opener, taking shots that produced rebounds, but players were not in position for a quick strike of the loose puck. The Canadiens attempted 68 shots overall, 31 of which reached Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist.

“We all know that he’s good on the first shot when he sees it,” Montreal winger Alexander Radulov said of Lundqvist. “That’s what we’re trying to do. It’s simple as that. That’s the playoffs, that’s how goals are scored. You have to be in front of him and find that rebound.”

Canadiens coach Claude Julien did not anticipate making any lineup changes for Game 2 but also did not offer any confirmation that he would not. Defenseman Alexei Emelin, sidelined with an undisclosed injury, is “doubtful.” And while the pairing of Nathan Beaulieu and Nikita Nesterov struggled at times in the opener, Julien noted that others on the ice with them factored into their troubles.

No matter who plays, though, the coach believes in his team.

“We’re a confident group that if we play our game, we’re very capable of winning with the lineup we have now,” Julien said. “If it’s not that, we’re extremely confident that the depth that we have will help us along the way, whether it’s next game or the game after that. We’re deep and we need to utilize that to our advantage at some point.”

New York’s depth came through in what was a tight affair. Fourth-line winger Tanner Glass, who spent nearly the entire season in the AHL before earning a call-up last month, scored what turned out to be the winning goal in Game 1. His first-period tally stood until a late empty-net goal sealed the win.

The Rangers showed why they led the NHL in regular-season road wins (27) with a strong effort over the final 40 minutes after a slow start.

“It was pretty good,” New York winger Rick Nash said of his team’s play. “I thought defensively we were great. I still think the wingers can do a bit of a better job on the boards. I think we gave up a lot of chances by the wingers not getting the puck out. But overall, Henrik was our best player by far on the ice, and that’s what we needed from him.”

In a series between two teams known for their speed, a surprise came out of the opening game as the two combined for 98 hits through 60 minutes (45 for New York, 53 for Montreal). Forty of those were delivered in the first period alone.

“I’m not sure of a hundred hits but it’s realistic that it can stay right around that area,” said defenseman Brendan Smith. “I think that’s just what happens in the playoffs. I think a lot of times you feel each other out in the first game and you might get a couple more but there’s going to be bangs, for sure.”

But like Montreal, the Rangers know the most important thing on their to-do list is banging the puck home.

“You’ve got to work that much harder when they playoffs around to get your scoring chances and to get your looks,” said Nash. “As an individual, as a line, and as a unit of five. Got to be better and get more chances.”

STATS AND RECORDS

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New York Rangers vs. Philadelphia Flyers
When: 8:00 PM  ET, Wednesday, January 4, 2017
Where: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network, TVAS
PREDICTION: Rangers 5, Flyers 2

Oddsmakers currently have the Flyers listed as 120-moneyline favorites versus the Rangers, while the game’s total is sitting at 5½.

PHILADELPHIA — While the backsliding Philadelphia Flyers are starting to feel pressure from the non-playoff teams of the Eastern Conference, the New York Rangers enter Wednesday’s rivalry night showdown coming off a disappointing loss to the struggling Buffalo Sabres.

“I haven’t said this very often about this group since I have been here,” Rangers coach Alain Vigneault told reporters after Tuesday night’s 4-1 loss to the Sabres at Madison Square Garden, “but this was a very bad game, where we got outworked badly. We are going to have to respond here.”

The Flyers (20-14-5) are coming off an 0-2-1 road trip to St. Louis, San Jose and Anaheim and have gone 1-4-2 since their 10-game win streak ended last month.

“This wasn’t our best road trip,” Flyers right winger Wayne Simmonds told Phillynews.com. “The games in St. Louis and San Jose, we thought we needed to compete harder and battle more. We did that (in Sunday’s 4-3 shootout loss in Anaheim).

“Unfortunately, we didn’t get the results, but sometimes it’s not that you change the page overnight and get the results you want. You have to keep working at it.”

The Flyers played well against the Ducks, tying a franchise record with 55 shots in a road game.

“We know we’ve been in a little bit of a lull, but if we keep playing like we did (Sunday), we’ll be successful,” defenseman Michael Del Zotto said.

The Flyers activated backup goaltender Michael Neuvirth (knee sprain) on Tuesday and sent callup Anthony Stolarz back to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Stolarz appeared in four games and had a 1.79 GAA and a .938 save percentage.

Steve Mason (14-12-5) has started 21 of the last 23 games for the Flyers and is expected to get the call on Wednesday.

Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist allowed four goals on 19 shots in the loss to the Sabres and could sit the second end of the back-to-backs in favor of Antti Raanta.

Vigneault might also opt to sit out defenseman Kevin Klein, whose turnover led to Justin Bailey’s first NHL goal early in the second period.

If Klein is a healthy scratch, look for Adam Clendening to take his place.

Derek Stepan said the Rangers (26-13-1) need to turn the page quickly from one of their most lopsided losses of an otherwise impressive season.

“I wish I would had an answer,” Stepan said when asked about what was ailing the Rangers. “Whoever figures that one out is going to be a very rich man or woman. … For me, our execution tonight is really what surprised me. We just weren’t even close.”

The Rangers won the last meeting with the Flyers on Nov. 25, prevailing 3-2 win despite getting allowing 78 shot attempts in that game while generating 39.

The Flyers are hoping goals by Travis Konecny, his first in 23 games, and Sean Couturier, who missed five weeks and netted his first since Nov. 17, will help boost the club’s secondary scoring.

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New Jersey Devils vs. New York Rangers
When: 7:00 PM ET, Sunday, December 11, 2016
Where: Madison Square Garden, New York, New York

TV: 7 p.m. ET, MSG Plus (New Jersey), MSG (New York)
PREDICTION: Rangers 3, Devils 2

The New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils pick up their Hudson River rivalry Sunday night at Madison Square Garden, meeting for the first time since Feb. 23.

These Metropolitan Division foes are headed in opposite directions.

The first-place Rangers won two straight, three of four and already have 19 victories and 39 points through the first 29 games this season.

The Devils, on the other hand, are struggling mightily in all facets of their game the past few weeks. After a surprising 9-3-3 start, New Jersey won three times since Nov. 17, posting a 3-6-3 record. The Devils are in the bottom three in the division with 30 points.

Facing a rival like the Rangers just might be the tonic New Jersey needs at this point to cure some of its ills. It has almost always been the case that the Rangers bring out the best in the Devils, who won three of four games against New York a year ago.

“When you play the Rangers, obviously with the rivalry, it’s always a motivational game,” Devils coach John Hynes said. “We’re going through a tough time right now, but we’ll look to be a better team against the Rangers (Sunday).”

New Jersey struggles on the road, posting a 4-8-4 record away from the Prudential Center. Sunday’s contest is the start of a four-game road trip for the Devils, and part of a stretch in which they play six of nine on the road.

In their most recent road outing, the Devils allowed a season-high 49 shots in a 5-2 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday night. They followed that up on Friday with their first regulation home-ice defeat this season, 4-1 at the hands of the St. Louis Blues.

“We have to acknowledge why we haven’t played well and make sure we turn this around as quick as possible,” said veteran Devils forward Michael Cammalleri, who appeared in his 800th NHL contest on Friday.

While the Devils lost their last two games, the Rangers earned back to back road victories, 2-1 over the Jets in Winnipeg on Thursday and 1-0 in overtime over the Chicago Blackhawks 24 hours later.

Backup goaltender Antti Raanta started both those games and earned his fifth career shutout Friday in Chicago against his former team. Raanta has been terrific for New York this season, winning seven of his eight starts while posting a 1.83 goals-against average and .939 save percentage in 10 appearances.

However, Rangers coach Alain Vigneault did not commit to a third consecutive start for Raanta on Sunday, nor did he reveal if Henrik Lundqvist would return between the pipes. Lundqvist’s play has been inconsistent as his 2.55 goals-against average and .912 save percentage attest.

“In this league, the way things are now, every team needs two goaltenders to have success,” Vigneault told reporters Friday night. “We’re very fortunate that we have two goaltenders that can do a good job for us.”

The Rangers will again play without three injured forwards Sunday. Mika Zibanejad is out with a fractured fibula, while rookie Pavel Buchnevich has a back problem and Rick Nash suffered a groin strain earlier in the week.

Missing so many important players means the Rangers need others to step up, and that is a key to the Rangers’ success. The latest examples came in the last two games when the struggling Kevin Hayes, who has one point in his last seven games, scored the game-winning goal late in the third period against Winnipeg and defenseman Nick Holden netted the overtime winner the next night in Chicago.

“I like the fact that everybody’s been contributing,” captain Ryan McDonagh said. “For us, it’s about being gutsy, too, competing hard for pucks, and coming out with the two points. And we’ve been doing that pretty consistently all year.”

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New York Rangers vs Winnipeg Jets
When: 8:00 PM ET, Thursday, December 8, 2016
Where: MTS Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba

TV: 8 p.m. ET, MSG (New York), TSN3 (Winnipeg)
PREDICTION: Jets 3, Rangers 2

WINNIPEG, Manitoba — If there ever was a David versus Goliath matchup in the NHL, the New York Rangers versus the Winnipeg Jets is it.

Hockey’s largest population base versus its smallest, a team with more than 90 years of history versus one with just five (in its most recent incarnation), a squad with four Stanley Cup victories and a perennial contender versus one with not only zero championships but not a single playoff game win.

Heck, the original Jets history goes back to the days of the World Hockey Association when the Rangers outbid virtually every other NHL team to sign Swedish superstars Anders Hedberg and Ulf Nilsson away in 1978.

So, yeah, you could say the Jets are polishing up their slingshots in advance of facing the blue shirts Thursday night at 7 p.m. (CST) at the MTS Centre. This is the second and final meeting between the two squads. The Rangers defeated the Jets 5-2 at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 6.

The Jets have been relying heavily this season on super rookie Patrik Laine, who not only leads all first-year players with 17 goals, but is tied with some guy named Sidney Crosby atop the NHL goal-scoring parade. The Winnipeggers will need some help from some slumping players to take the pressure off the 18-year-old, including his linemate, Nikolaj Ehlers. The 20-year-old notched 15 goals and 38 points last year but has only managed four goals and 19 assists while playing primarily on the top line this season.

He is currently mired in a 14-game goal drought but he’s not losing any sleep over it.

“I’m still scoring points, we’re winning games — it’s not a big deal for me,” Ehlers told the Winnipeg Sun. “So I’m not too worried. But I wouldn’t mind that one goes in soon.”

He’s not getting much sympathy from Laine.

“He can’t score in Playstation, either,” he said.

Presumably, Henrik Lundqvist is between the pipes whenever the two youngsters play the video game version of the Rangers but that won’t be the case on Thursday as backup Antti Raanta will get the start.

Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said he believes Lundqvist, who hasn’t cracked the top 10 in goals against average, save percentage, win and shutouts this season, has another level.

“He’s our top player, you know. He’s been doing it for quite a few years. I would tell you that you look at any team right now that’s winning and they are getting consistent Grade A goaltending. We’re no different than anybody else. We need consistent Grade A goaltending,” he told the New York Post.

Both teams will be without key cogs in their wheels. The Jets hope to welcome center Mark Scheifele back after missing three games with a lower-body injury but they’ll still be without defenseman Tyler Myers (lower body) and forwards Nic Petan, Shawn Matthias and Joel Armia, all out with lower-body injuries, too.

The most notable absence in the Rangers lineup is center Rick Nash, who is out with a groin injury. Others who won’t be suiting up include forwards Pavel Buchnevich (back spasms), Matt Puempel (concussion) and Mika Zibanejad (broken leg).

If the game turns into a battle of specialty teams, the ice will definitely tilt in favor of the New Yorkers. The Jets’ power play is 21st in the league, operating at 15.5 percent, a significant drop from the Rangers, who are currently in ninth position and 21 percent. The Rangers kill off 84 percent of all the penalties they take, good for 10th in the NHL, far ahead of the Jets, who emerge unscathed from 80 percent of their short-handed situations, or 24th best.

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