The New York Rangers wrap up a dismal January on the road today, facing off against the Pittsburgh Penguins in a Metropolitan Division rivalry game at PPG Paints Arena. Puck drop is set for 3:30 p.m. ET, with the contest airing nationally on ABC. The Rangers limp into Pittsburgh with a 22-27-6 record (50 points), anchored at the bottom of the Metro standings in eighth place. They’ve endured a brutal stretch, dropping five of their last six games and 10 of their past 12, including a recent 2-1 loss to the Islanders that capped a season series sweep by their crosstown rivals.
New York’s road record offers a glimmer of hope at 16-13-2, but overall offensive struggles (146 goals for, 172 against) and defensive inconsistencies have plagued the team.
Injuries have compounded the issues: Star goaltender Igor Shesterkin remains sidelined with a lower-body injury suffered earlier this month, and defenseman Adam Fox is on long-term injured reserve. Additionally, forward Artemi Panarin, the team’s leading scorer with 19 goals and 38 assists in 52 games, is a healthy scratch amid trade speculation and won’t suit up as the Rangers appear poised for a sell-off heading into the Olympic break. Jonathan Quick is expected to start in net, while Mika Zibanejad and Vincent Trocheck will need to shoulder the offensive load in Panarin’s absence.
On the flip side, the Penguins are thriving with a 27-14-11 mark (65 points), holding second place in the division and a firm grip on a playoff spot. They’ve won five straight games and six of their last seven, including a dominant 6-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks where Connor Dewar notched two goals. Pittsburgh’s home record stands at 12-7-7, and they’ve balanced strong offense (175 goals) with solid defense (154 allowed).
However, they’ll be without defenseman Kris Letang, who was placed on injured reserve today with a fractured foot and is expected to miss at least four weeks. Evgeni Malkin’s status is uncertain after leaving practice, but Sidney Crosby (27 goals, 30 assists) continues to lead the charge. Adding to the atmosphere, the Penguins are honoring their 2016 Stanley Cup championship team with a pregame ceremony, which could provide an extra boost in the building. This matchup carries extra intrigue as a classic rivalry, with the teams splitting their first two meetings this season (1-1 head-to-head).
Pittsburgh aims to end a five-game home losing streak against New York, while the Rangers desperately need points to avoid further freefall before the break.
Betting lines heavily favor the Penguins at -194 to -200 on the moneyline, with the Rangers as +160 to +165 underdogs. The puck line sits at Pittsburgh -1.5 (+125) and New York +1.5 (-145), while the over/under is set at 6 goals, anticipating potential fireworks given the Penguins’ recent scoring surge and the Rangers’ vulnerabilities. For the Rangers to pull off an upset, they’ll require stellar goaltending from Quick, disciplined defense without Fox, and secondary scoring to compensate for Panarin’s absence. But with Pittsburgh riding high, motivated by the reunion, and boasting depth like Bryan Rust and Dewar, they appear primed to extend their streak.
Let’s go Rangers—time to grind out a result and flip the script!
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