RANGERS VS SEANATORS GAME DAY PREVIEW 11/26

RANGERS FACE SENS AT MSG LOOKING TO SHAKE 2 GAME LOSING STREAK

New York Rangers (12-10-2) vs Ottawa Senators (9-11-3)

Madison Square Garden NYC, NY

TODAY 7:00 PM. TV: MSG, RDS RADIO: ESPN-NY

The Rangers hope to shake off their first losing streak in a month tonight when they host the Ottawa Senators at MSG. After 7 straight home wins the Rangers are in a position they haven't been much used to, having to turn things around after suffering two straight losses including one on home ice. Dropping a 4-0 drubbing in Philadelphia on Friday afternoon and again on Sunday afternoon, a 5-3 loss at the "friendly confines" of MSG the Rangers welcomed a day off in between games yesterday to reflect on what went wrong.

The Rangers previously had a good run going before the Philadelphia matinee starting with a 4-3 shootout win in San Jose on Oct. 30, the Rangers reeled off a 9-1-1 record including going 7-0 at the Garden during the push.

Henrk Lundqvist who sat in favor of Alexandar Georgiev in Saturday's loss is expected to return tonight against Ottawa between the twine.

Mats Zuccarello who played 15 minutes in Friday's game in Philly and sat for the seventh time in nine games due to a groin injury on Sunday is not expected to return tonight as forward Tim Gettinger who was called up from the Wolf Pack for the Washington game and then returned to Hartford following the game was again recalled yesterday. It's expected that Gettinger will slot back in on the 4th line tonight.

The defense is up in the air as Tony DeAngelo who has been a steady part of the defense and an offensive threat with his key passing out of the Rangers zone was sat after having a tough day in Philadelphia. Brendan Smith returned to replace DeAngelo and collected an assist in the loss to the Caps, his 3rd point (1 goal, 2 assists) in his last 3 games.

Ottawa 3-7-0 on their last 10 games comes into tonight's contest having lost their previous 3 games including a pair of 6-4 losses. 1 in Minnesota and 1 in Dallas on Friday. The Senators allowed a season-high 54 shots on goal Friday and it was the third time they allowed at least 50 shots and allowed its 100th goal of the season.

RANGERS PROBABLE LINEUP vs OTTAWA
Forwards:
Namestnikov-Zibanejad-Fast
Kreider-Hayes-Chytil
Vesey-Howden-Strome
Gettinger -Andersson-Fogarty

Defense:
Skjei- Smith
Staal-Pionk
Claesson-Shattenkirk

Lundqvist in net

This is the first meeting of the season between the Rangers and Senators and first of two at MSG. Last season the Senators won the series 2-1 with both wins coming in Ottawa 6-3 & 3-2 while getting shutout at MSG 3-0 by Lundqvist.

RANGERS TEAM LEADERS:
Points: Chris Kreider 20
Goals: Chris Kreider 12
Assists: Mika Zibanejad 12


SENATORS TEAM LEADERS:
Points: Matt Duchene 29
Goals: Matt Duchene 10
 Assists: Thomas Chabot 21

RANGERS ALL-TIME RECORD VS SENATORS
Overall. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41-44-3-4 (89 pts)
Home Record. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-25-0-2 (38 pts)
Road Record. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23-19-3-2 (51 pts)
Goals For. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Goals Against. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Shutouts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3, last – 11/19/2017 (3-0; Lundqvist)
LAST TIME
Last Ranger Win at MSG. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11/19/2017 (3-0)
Last Ranger Win at Ottawa. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11/14/2015 (2-1, SO)
Last Senator Win at MSG. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11/27/2016 (2-0)
Last Senator Win at Ottawa. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2/17/2018 (6-3)

2017-2028 HEAD TO HEAD RESULTS
2018-02-17 NYR @ OTT 3-6 L
2017-12-13 NYR @ OTT 2-3 L
2017-11-19 NYR OTT 3-0 W