NYR TODAY FRI. 3/4

RANGERS GAME DAY

NEW YORK RANGERS (37-21-6) at WASHINGTON CAPITALS (47-12-4)
TONIGHT 7:00 PM, MSG2, NHLN

Season series: The Washington Capitals have won three of four games against the New York Rangers. New York forwards Derick Brassard, Kevin Hayes, Oscar Lindberg and defenseman Kevin Klein each had a goal and an assist in a 5-2 win on Nov. 3. Washington won the next three games by a combined score of 16-8. Forward Justin Williams had a hat trick in a 5-2 win on Jan. 17 and leads all scorers with six goals and nine points. Alex Ovechkin has five goals. Rangers forward Chris Kreider has three goals.

Rangers team scope: Goalie Henrik Lundqvist was injured in the second period of a 4-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday but is expected to play. Coach Alain Vigneault said Lundqvist had neck spasms after a collision with defenseman Ryan McDonagh but didn't think it was serious. "[Lundqvist] wasn't feeling right at that time, so he decided to stay in but couldn't finish the game," Vigneault said. "… I didn't know [Lundqvist was hurt]. ... We knew that when we came in from the second (period) that he was having issues with his neck there." New York has not lost two straight games since Dec. 18-20. It allowed four goals Thursday after allowing four combined during a three-game winning streak prior to the loss. "We've got to get some rest tonight, rebound. We have a big game tomorrow," forward Eric Staal told Blueshirts United.

Team Leaders

Goals

Brassard 22

Ovechkin 41

Shots

Nash 149

Ovechkin 318

Hits

Glass 161

Wilson 197

Assists

Yandle 31

Kuznetsov 46

TODAY IN NYR HISTORY MARCH 4
1961: Jean Ratelle makes his NHL debut against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

1987: Tomas Sandstrom scores three goals against the Islanders to set a Rangers single season record with four hat tricks.