The New York Rangers begin a four-game homestand on Monday night when they take on the Anaheim Ducks at Madison Square Garden.
The New York Rangers look to bounce back from their 4-1 loss to the Winnipeg Jets as they host the Anaheim Ducks on Monday night at the Garden. The Ducks look to rebound after a bad 7-1 loss to the New York Islanders on Saturday at UBS Arena.
The Blueshirts did not have a morning skate on Monday, but based on Sunday’s practice, Sammy Blais should make his season debut for the Rangers. Blais suffered an upper-body injury in the team’s last preseason game against the Islanders.
- Rangers need more from their top offensive unit
- Rangers call-up fearless enforcer from Hartford Wolf Pack
- Could the Rangers trade away one of their top defensemen?
Projected Lineup:
Kreider-Zibanejad-Kakko
Panarin-Trocheck-Lafreniere
Vessey-Chytil-Blais
Hunt-Goodrow-Reaves
Trouba-Miller
Lindgren-Fox
Jones-Schneider
Shesterkin
The Blueshirts welcome Ryan Strome and Frank Vatrano back to MSG tonight. Strome played in 263 games for the club from 2018-19 to 2021-22, recording 195 points (71G-124A). Last season, Strome notched career-highs in goals with 21.
Vatrano was acquired by New York near the trade deadline last March and turned in eight goals and five assists for 13 points in 22 regular season games. In the playoffs, Vatrano matched that point total with five goals and eight assists in 20 games.
RANGERS AND DUCKS CONNECTIONS:
• Kevin Shattenkirk played two seasons with the Rangers (2017-18 and 2018-19)
• Ryan Strome skated for the Blueshirts for parts of four seasons (2018-19 – 2021-22)
• Ducks Head Coach Dallas Eakins played with the Rangers for part of one season (1996-97).
• Ducks General Manager Pat Verbeek played parts of two seasons with the Rangers (1994-95 and 1995-96).
Notes
-Through three games, the Rangers have accumulated 115 shots on goal (39 on Oct. 11 vs. TBL, 35 on Oct. 13 at MIN, 41 on Oct. 14 at WPG), their second most through the first three games of a season. Please note that shots first were officially tracked in 1959-60. New York’s 41 shots in its last game was the most since April 3, 2022, against Philadelphia and the most on the road since recording 40 against the Ducks on January 8, 2022.
-In the three games, five Rangers have accumulated 10 or more shots: Zibanejad (15), Lafreniere (13), Trouba (12), Trocheck (12), and Kreider (10).
-In three games, nine players have scored a goal, 11 have notched an assist, and 14 skaters have recorded at least one point.
-The Rangers return home for a four-game homestand and their second home game of the season. In the home opener against Tampa Bay, the Blueshirts earned a 3-1 victory in front of a sellout crowd. Last season, the Rangers went 27-10-4 for 58 points at home. In the NHL, they ranked tied for seventh in home wins and home points.
-Artemi Panarin has points in all three games this season (1G-5A), including a four-point outing against Minnesota on October 13. The last Rangers skaters before Panarin to record five-plus assists through the team’s first three games of a season were Mark Messier and Brian Leetch in 1992-93. With an assist tonight, he would have the most by a Ranger through four games since Jaromir Jagr (6) in 2006-07. The club record is eight. (via NYR Stats)