RANGERS VS DUCKS GAME DAY PREVIEW 12/18

STRUGGLING RANGERS LOOK FOR WIN AGAINST ANAHEIM 

Game 33

New York Rangers (14-13-5)  vs Anaheim Ducks (19-11-5)

TODAY 7:00 PM, TV: MSG, PRITT

After two 4-3 overtime losses in a row to Vegas and Arizona along with a 6-3 loss in Tampa Bay, the Rangers will look to snap their 3 game skid tonight as they host the Anaheim Ducks at the Garden. The Rangers are 2-5-3 in their last 10 games coming into tonight's contest.

In the previous game against Vegas, Kevin Hayes picked up 3 assists to move him into the team lead with 18 on the season, Chris Kreider picked up his team leading 15th goal and Mika Zibanejad tallied a power play goal to move his points lead up to 29.

Henrik Lundqvist who picked up the loss on Sunday Afternoon although stopping 37 of 41 shots was given a maintenance day yesterday at practice. The day off, rare for Lundqvist brings up questions of possible injury. When asked if Alexandar Georgiev will get into the Rangers goal for a start, coach David Quinn answered was a short one word response of "Soon". Georgiev who was recalled from Hartford after a brief stint for the second time this season to "get some work in" played in 5 straight games for the Wolf Pack while Lundqvist started all 4 since Georgiev went down on December 3.

The Ducks will be playing the second game of a back-to-back road set after earning their fourth straight win Monday by beating the Pittsburgh Penguins, 4-2, on Monday night. John Gibson earned the win against the Penguins by making 28 saves. Anaheim (19-11-5) may go with new backup Chad Johnson who would be making his debut with the club, he claimed off waivers from the St. Louis Blues on December 11 after Ryan Miller went down to a knee sprain.

RANGERS PROBABLE LINEUP vs ANAHEIM (as per Monday's Practice)
Forwards:
Chytil-Zibanejad-Zuccarello
Kreider-Nieves-Buchnevich
Vesey-Howden-Namestnikov
Nieves-Andersson-Strome

Defense:
Staal-Pionk
Skjei-DeAngelo
Smith-McQuaid (Claesson rotating, probable scratch)

Goal:
Henrik Lundqvist

Backup:
Ondrej Pavelec

RANGERS TEAM LEADERS

POINTS: Mika Zibanejad 29

GOALS; Chris Kreider 15

ASSISTS: Kevin Hayes 18


DUCKS TEAM LEADERS

POINTS: Ryan Getzlaf 28

GOALS: Pontus Aberg 10

ASSISTS: Ryan Getzlaf 19

This is the second of two games between the Rangers and Ducks this season. The Rangers took the first contest with a shootout winin Anaheim 3-2. Alexander Georgiev backstopped the Rangers stopping 28 shots on 30 attempts through overtime. Rangers goals were scored by Kevin Hayes (power play) and rookie center Brett Howden. The Shootout period went four rounds with Georgiev stopping Pontus Aberg and Ryan Getzlaf. Both Mats Zuccarello and Mika Zibanejad were succesful in their attempts against the Ducks' John Gibson.

RANGERS ALL-TIME RECORD vs ANAHEIM
Overall. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17-17-1-1 (36 pts)
Home Record. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-7-1-0 (21 pts)
Road Record. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-10-0-1 (13 pts)
Goals For. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Goals Against. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Shutouts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1, 10/11/2009 (3-0; Valiquette)
Last Ranger Win at MSG. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12/19/2017 (4-1)
Last Ranger Win at Anaheim. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11/1/2018 (3-2 SO)
Last Duck Win at MSG. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11/4/2013 (2-1)
Last Duck Win at Anaheim. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1/23/2017 (6-3)


HEAD TO HEAD 2017-2018 (Rangers lead Series 1-0)
2018-11-01 NYR @ ANA 3-2 W SO