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After defeating the Utah Hockey Club, the Rangers look to extend their point streak to seven games in a crucial game against the Blue Jackets (7PM on MSG)

RangersRankingsBlue Jackets
21-20-3Record22-17-6
24th League Rank14th
19th  Goals For4th  
20th Goals Against30th 
22nd Power play9th 
7th  Penalty Kill26th 

Rangers vs Blue Jackets

  • In what might be the first of many “must win games,” the Rangers find themselves in a position no one saw coming at the start of the season
  • New York is currently at 45 points and four points behind Boston for the last wild card spot in the East
    • Columbus is currently at 50 points and in the first wild card spot
    • With a win in regulation – the Rangers would find themselves three points behind Columbus with a game in hand
    • With a defeat in regulation – the Rangers would themselves seven points behind Columbus and facing an even more daunting challenge
  • Columbus is one of those teams that are taking the next step and looking to get out of the cycle of rebuilding as they are on an active six-game winning streak
    • At the start of the season they and the hockey world suffered a tragedy after the sudden passing of Johnny Gaudreau
    • Somewhere in heaven, Gaudreau  is smiling down on Columbus and is very proud
  • In his memory, Columbus is giving everything they have and are work extremely hard every game
  • In what is likely a surprise to many, Columbus is currently averaging the fourth most goals per game in the entire league
    • Leading Columbus in points is defenseman Zach Werenski.Werenski set a career high last season with 57 points in 70 games played, but this season the Michigan native already has 51 points in just 45 career games played
    • Another player having a breakout season is Kirill Marchenko who is on an active six-game point streak. Marchenko currently has 49 points on the season and he has set a career high already in points
    • Gaudreau’s former teammate and close friend Sean Monahan is having a season to remember. The former Flame has 41 points in 41 games and is a +17 on the season. Monahan has a chance of breaking his career high of 82 points. 
  • Daniil Tarasov will get the start for the Blue Jackets. Tarasov is 4-6-1 with an .862 save percentage and a 4.00 goals-against average
  • Igor Shesterkin will be back in goal as he and the Rangers have seemed to have found their games lately
  • The fourth line of the Blueshirts have been a key contributor and one player who has made a difference is Sam Carrick. In the last four games, Carrick has five points including an overtime goal against New Jersey
    • Two games ago in Colorado, Carrick and Adam Edstrom were the two goal scorers for New York
  • Another player who is raising his game is Urho Vaakanainen. The Finnish defender recorded his second point with the Rangers since joining them from Anaheim. Noticeably, it’s been the play in his own zone and his advance defensive analytics has looked improved as of late

Projected Lineup 

Panarin-Trocheck-Lafreniere

Cuylle-Zibanejad-Smith

Kreider-Chytil-Kaliyev

Edstrom-Carrick-Rempe

Lindgren-Fox

Miller-Borgen

Vaakanainen-Schneider


Shesterkin

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