RANGERS VS CAPITALS GAME DAY PREVIEW 10/17:

RANGERS FINISH BACK TO BACK GAMES IN WASHINGTON

New York Rangers (2-4-0) v Washington Capitals (2-2-1)

Capital One Arena, Washington DC 7:00 PM

TV: NBC Sports Radio: ESPN NY 98.7 FM

The Rangers come in fresh off a 3-2 shootout win at the Garden last night over the Colorado Avalanche. Mats Zuccarello and Kevin Shattenkirk converted in the shootout and each had two assists for the Rangers (2-4-0). Chris Kreider and Kevin Hayes scored in regulation and Henrik Lundqvist made 31 saves. New York capped a 2-1 homestand in which all three games were decided by one goal.

The defending Stanley Cup Champion Capitals have struggles of their own as do the young Rangers. The Capitals (2-2-1) have lost two straight and scored two goals between the two games. The Caps also have a new coach, Todd Reirden who worked on their faceoffs (ranked 30th in the league) and puck handling skills over their 3 day layoff since their last game.

The Rangers and Capitals meet tonight for the first of four contests this season. Last year the Rangers won only one of the four games, a 1-0 win at Madison Square Garden on December 27, 2017. The teams do not meet again until November 24th.

No word on if Henrik Lundqvist will once again get the nod in net or if Pavel Buchnevich will return to the lineup tonight but if we go by last night's roster, it lays out as the following.

RANGERS PROBABLE LINEUP VS CAPS
FORWARDS:

Chytil-Hayes-Zuccarello

Kreider-Zibanejad-Fast

Vesey-Howden-Namestnikov
McLeod-Spooner-Lettieri

DEFENSE:

Skjei-Pionk

Staal-Smith

Claesson-Shattenkirk

STARTER:
Lundqvist

BACKUP:
Georgiev

PP1: Shattenkirk, Zibanejad, Zuccarello, Kreider, Spooner


PP2: Skjei/Pionk (rotating), Hayes, Chytil, Vesey, Howden

SCRATCHES:

DeAngelo-McQuaid-Buchnevich

INJURIES:
Beleskey (shoulder,Beleskey was on the ice yesterday during drills in a non-contact jersey) - Nieves (concussion protocol)