RANGERS AT LIGHTNING GAME DAY PREVIEW 12/8

RANGERS LOOK FOR FLORIDA ROAD TRIP SWEEP IN TAMPA

New York Rangers (14-12-3)  @ Tampa Bay Lightning (23-7-1)

Amalie Arena, Tampa Bay, FL

TONIGHT 7:30 PM, TV: MSG, SUNS, NHLN-US

Coming off a 5-4 win in Sunrise on Saturday against the Panthers the Rangers head cross state to the west and face the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Rangers will see some familiar faces in old teammates, Dan Girardi, J.T. Miller and former captains Ryan Callahan and Ryan McDonagh in the second of this 2 game road trip.

The Rangers who blew 3 leads in Saturday's shootout win worked on puck control in yesterday's practice to try and not to do the same against Tampa who leads the league in goals this season with 122. Coach Quinn will go with the same lineup with a few tweaks. Kevin Hayes will move back to center after moving to the wing Saturday, Hayes was very effective during the first period but tapered off in the second and third periods. Ryan Strome who earned a shot at center will once again move back to wing tonight. Strome has two goals and five points in 10 games since being acquired from the Edmonton Oilers.

Mats Zuccarello will not make it into the lineup tonight as he is still dealing with a right groin injury. He did practice yeStserday working on "sniper" shots but when asked about his probability for tonight in Tampa Quinn says Zuccarello was highly doubtful calling the injury as  the "ultimate day to day injury".

Henrik Lundqvist who picked up his 10th win of the season on Saturday will get the nod in net tonight.

LINES AT RANGERS PRACTICE 12/9:

Forwards: Hayes back to center, Strome back to wing
20 Kreider - 93 Zibanejad - 90 Namestnikov

26 Vesey - 13 Hayes - 16 Strome

72 Chytil - 21 Howden - 17. Fast

39 Beleskey - 50 Andersson - 38 Fogarty


D pairs are same as vs Florida:
18 Staal - 44 Pionk
 Skjei - DeAngelo
33 Claesson- Shattenkirk

Smith and McQuaid (red jersey) made up fourth pair.

Tapma Bay comes in fresh off off a 7-1 thrashing of the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday. The League leading Lightning with 47 points also lead the league with 122 goals scored, 13 more than anybody else. Tampa Bay has scored five or more goals in a game 12 times through 31 games.

RANGERS TEAM LEADERS
POINTS: Mika Zibanejad 26
GOALS; Chris Kreider 14
ASSISTS: Mika Zibanejad 17

LIGHTNING TEAM LEADERS
POINTS: Nikita Kucherov 44
GOALS; Brayden Point 21
ASSISTS: Nikita Kucherov 32?
 a conditional 2nd Round pick for th 2019 entry draft from Tampa, if Tampa wins the Stanley Cup this season the pick turns into a first round choice.

RANGERS ALL-TIME RECORD VS TAMPA BAY
ALL-TIME RECORD
Overall. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48-38-5-7 (108 pts)
Home Record. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26-18-2-4 (58 pts)
Road Record. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-20-3-3 (50 pts)
Goals For. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
Goals Against. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
Shutouts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5, last – 3/6/2017 (1-0, OT; Raanta)
Last Ranger Win at MSG. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10/30/2016 (6-1)
Last Ranger Win at Tampa Bay. . . . . . . . . . . . . 11/2/2017 (2-1 OT)
Last Lightning Win at MSG. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3/30/2018 (7-3)
Last Lightning Win at Tampa Bay. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3/8/2018 (5-3)

HEAD TO HEAD 2017-2018 (Rangers lost series 2-1)
2018-03-30 NYR TBL 3-7 L
2018-03-08 NYR @ TBL 3-5 L
2017-11-02 NYR @ TBL 2-1 W OT