The New York Rangers look to end the Carolina Hurricanes 11 game-win streak when the two teams meet Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden.
The Carolina Hurricanes will visit Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night, riding an 11-game-winning streak. They will be a test for a New York Rangers team that has won nine of their last 12 games.
The Rangers will be facing the second-best team in the NHL; the Boston Bruins hold that top spot as of now, with the hopes of finding a way to win on home ice. The Blueshirts are 8-7-4 on Garden ice this season. The Hurricanes, 25-6-6, have only lost three times in regulation this season on the road (13-3-5).
The Blueshirts have won four of the last five games at the Garden, scoring three or more goals in the four wins.
Projected Lines
Kreider – Zibanejad – Kakko
Panarin – Trocheck – Kravtsov
Lafreniere – Chytil – Vesey
Blais – Goodrow – Gauthier
Lindgren – Fox
Trouba- Miller
Harpur – Schneider
Shesterkin
*Zibanejad did not participate in practice on Monday but should play in the game on Tuesday. Center John Brodzinksi took Mika’s place between Kreider and Kakko.
Igor Shesterkin is 17-6-5 on the season; his 17 wins are tied for the second most in the NHL behind Boston’s Linus Ullmark’s 20. Shesterkin is 7-2-2 in his last 11 starts with a .927 save percentage and 2.14 GAA and has allowed one goal or fewer in five of his last nine starts.
Recap of 5-3 win over Florida on New Year’s Day
The Rangers defeated the Florida Panthers on Sunday by a score of 5-3. Mika Zibanejad netted two goals (17, 18), with Chris Kreider (17), Vincent Trocheck (13), and Artemi Panarin (10), each finding the back of the net. The Blueshirts scored five or more goals for the fourth time in its last seven games and the 11th time this season.
Defenseman Adam Fox recorded his 200th NHL point becoming just the second Rangers defenseman to do so in less than 241 career games. The other was Brian Leetch, who reached 200 points in 211 games.
Jaroslav Halak made 32 saves in winning his third game of the season in 10 starts (3-6-1).
Tuesday’s game will be the first of four contests against the Hurricanes this season.
Feb 11 at Carolina.
Mar. 21 at Madison Square Garden.
Mar. 23 at Carolina.
Following Tuesday’s game, the Rangers will visit the Montreal Canadians on Thursday night and then will play in a matinee game at the Prudential Center against the New Jersey Devils on Saturday.