Who: New York Rangers vs. Edmonton Oilers
Where: Madison Square Garden
When: Tuesday night at 7:00 PM
Watch: MSG Network beginning at 6:30 PM
Listen: ESPN-98.7 FM and NewYorkRangers.com
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The Skinny:
Tied with the Chicago Blackhawks for the most home wins in the NHL so far this season with 12, the Rangers (18-9-4, 40 pts) return to Madison Square Garden to host the Edmonton Oilers () Tuesday night. It will be New York's lone home contest in a span of six games, one that just saw the Rangers return from an 0-2-1 trip to Western Canada and will continue with road games in Minnesota and Winnipeg later this week. The Rangers are coming off Saturday's 5-4 overtime defeat in Calgary which featured more of their recent defensive lapses, as well as their incredible ability to fight back and tie games late, this one earning them at least one point unlike their comebacks in Edmonton and Vancouver earlier last week which still resulted in regulation defeats. New York scored ten goals during their three-game road trip, but surrendered 14, including a season-high seven Friday night in Edmonton. They allowed eight goals during the third period of their three-game trip, an extremely uncharacteristic number for this group. Now they will have to play without two of their top defensemen Tuesday night. Though Kevin Klein (oblique) is inching closer to a return, he is not yet healthy enough to play, and he will be joined on the sidelined now by Dan Girardi, who has been bothered by swelling in the knee. With only five healthy defensemen on the roster, one must be called up for the Hartford Wolf Pack, though no official announcement had been made by Tuesday morning. New York will also remain without center Derek Stepan (ribs), while veteran Jarret Stoll was placed on waivers Monday. Henrik Lundqvist, whose GAA rose from 1.99 to 2.14 after surrendering five goals on 33 shots before being pulled early in the third period last Friday against the Oilers, gets the start in goal for Tuesday's rematch. On Monday he spoke about how it is important at this time for he and every player to focus on their individual games in order to improve the overall play of the team. Lundqvist also had high praise for an Oilers team that comes in riding a season-high six-game winning streak following Monday's 3-2 overtime victory up in Boston. Four of the past six games gave been won by the Oilers in overtime or the shootout, and they have also allowed two goals or fewer in four of the six contests. Former Rangers goalie Cam Talbot was sensational Monday, stopping 47 of 49 shots in the win; though former Islander Anders Nilsson is expected to start in goal against the Rangers on Tuesday. Jordan Eberle led the way with a goal and two assists, while Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had a goal and an assist and defenseman Andrej Sekera scored the overtime winner on Monday. Though playing well the Oilers are still somewhat beat up physically. They will be missing the injured Connor McDavid, Oscar Klefbom, and Nail Yakupov on Tuesday, while veterans Benoit Pouliot and Andrew Ferrence, who both have been out for a while, are closing in on a return, with both questionable for the Rangers game.
Head To Head:
This is the second game played by the Rangers and Oilers in less than a week, and it marks the finale of the teams' two-game season series. The Rangers lost a wild game in Edmonton last Friday, surrendering a season-high seven goals in a 7-5 defeat. New York never led in the contest, which followed the classy and well-deserved pre-game banner raising ceremony for Glen Sather. The Rangers fell behind 3-1 in the first period, pulled even, 3-3 in the second, fell behind by a pair again early in the third, only to tie the contest once more, 5-5, with less than two minutes to play on a Rick Nash power play goal. However Taylor Hall scored on the very next shift for Edmonton, and the Oilers added an empty-net goal from former Blueshirt Lauri Korpikoski to finish off the Rangers 7-5. Henrik Lundqvist allowed five goals on 33 shots before being removed from the game early in the third, but it was Antti Raanta, who allowed the game-winner among three shots faced, who was saddled with the loss. Oilers goalie Anders Nilsson gave up five goals on 34 shots. Nash had a goal and two assists for New York, while Mats Zuccarello and Chris Kreider each registered a goal and an assist and Derick Brassard scored twice. The Rangers have lost each of their last two home games against the Oilers, including last year's 3-1 loss at Madison Square Garden on November 9, 2014. In that game Lundqvist stopped 30 of 32 shots, with Edmonton's third goal was scored into the empty net.
Players To Watch:
Rangers-Dan Boyle: For many reasons veteran defenseman Dan Boyle is a very important New York Ranger Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden. For one, his offensive game is on the uptick. On the trip to Western Canada Boyle recorded his first two goals of the season--the penalty shot goal in Vancouver on Wednesday and the slick backhand third-period finish Saturday in Calgary. He also assisted on Mats Zuccarello's game-tying goal late in the third period against the Flames, one that forced overtime and helped New York pick up a point in the standings. Secondly, that assist came on the power play and the Rangers power play has been pretty good lately, with four goals in the last four games and ten goals in the last 12 matches. Six of Boyle's nine points so far this season have come on the power play, and he is second on the team with six power-play assists. Finally, with Dan Girardi sidelined Tuesday, Boyle should play a bigger role as the most experienced right-handed defenseman on the team. Though he is not a shut-down defender like Girardi, Boyle has faced other teams' top forwards for years and may be asked to see more of that responsibility with Girardi out of the lineup. Boyle's ice time is already trending upwards recently with Kevin Klein out injured, surpassing 22 minutes in each of the last two games, and in five of the last seven since being a healthy scratch on November 28.
Oilers-Taylor Hall: The NHL's Second Star from last week, Taylor Hall notched six points in the two games Edmonton played a week ago, scoring the game-winning goal in each. He scored the overtime game-winner last Wednesday in a 4-3 Edmonton win over San Jose and then two nights later against the Rangers he scored twice and added two assists in his fifth career four-point game, netting the winning goal with less than two minutes remaining in regulation. Prior to Monday's game in Boston Hall had registered the game-winning goal in each of the Oilers last three victories; and his five game-winners so far this season not only are tied for the league lead, but they are just two shy of equaling his single-season career-high. Interestingly, last year during his injury-shortened 53-game campaign, Hall did not have a single game-winning goal among the 14 he scored. Hall has 14 goals already this season through the season's first 30 games and he is already more than half way to his career-best of 27, which he reached twice previously. Hall, who is eighth in the NHL in goal scoring, sixth with 20 assists, and fourth with 34 points, was held off the score sheet Monday night against the Bruins.
Where: Madison Square Garden
When: Tuesday night at 7:00 PM
Watch: MSG Network beginning at 6:30 PM
Listen: ESPN-98.7 FM and NewYorkRangers.com
************************************
The Skinny:
Tied with the Chicago Blackhawks for the most home wins in the NHL so far this season with 12, the Rangers (18-9-4, 40 pts) return to Madison Square Garden to host the Edmonton Oilers () Tuesday night. It will be New York's lone home contest in a span of six games, one that just saw the Rangers return from an 0-2-1 trip to Western Canada and will continue with road games in Minnesota and Winnipeg later this week. The Rangers are coming off Saturday's 5-4 overtime defeat in Calgary which featured more of their recent defensive lapses, as well as their incredible ability to fight back and tie games late, this one earning them at least one point unlike their comebacks in Edmonton and Vancouver earlier last week which still resulted in regulation defeats. New York scored ten goals during their three-game road trip, but surrendered 14, including a season-high seven Friday night in Edmonton. They allowed eight goals during the third period of their three-game trip, an extremely uncharacteristic number for this group. Now they will have to play without two of their top defensemen Tuesday night. Though Kevin Klein (oblique) is inching closer to a return, he is not yet healthy enough to play, and he will be joined on the sidelined now by Dan Girardi, who has been bothered by swelling in the knee. With only five healthy defensemen on the roster, one must be called up for the Hartford Wolf Pack, though no official announcement had been made by Tuesday morning. New York will also remain without center Derek Stepan (ribs), while veteran Jarret Stoll was placed on waivers Monday. Henrik Lundqvist, whose GAA rose from 1.99 to 2.14 after surrendering five goals on 33 shots before being pulled early in the third period last Friday against the Oilers, gets the start in goal for Tuesday's rematch. On Monday he spoke about how it is important at this time for he and every player to focus on their individual games in order to improve the overall play of the team. Lundqvist also had high praise for an Oilers team that comes in riding a season-high six-game winning streak following Monday's 3-2 overtime victory up in Boston. Four of the past six games gave been won by the Oilers in overtime or the shootout, and they have also allowed two goals or fewer in four of the six contests. Former Rangers goalie Cam Talbot was sensational Monday, stopping 47 of 49 shots in the win; though former Islander Anders Nilsson is expected to start in goal against the Rangers on Tuesday. Jordan Eberle led the way with a goal and two assists, while Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had a goal and an assist and defenseman Andrej Sekera scored the overtime winner on Monday. Though playing well the Oilers are still somewhat beat up physically. They will be missing the injured Connor McDavid, Oscar Klefbom, and Nail Yakupov on Tuesday, while veterans Benoit Pouliot and Andrew Ferrence, who both have been out for a while, are closing in on a return, with both questionable for the Rangers game.
Head To Head:
This is the second game played by the Rangers and Oilers in less than a week, and it marks the finale of the teams' two-game season series. The Rangers lost a wild game in Edmonton last Friday, surrendering a season-high seven goals in a 7-5 defeat. New York never led in the contest, which followed the classy and well-deserved pre-game banner raising ceremony for Glen Sather. The Rangers fell behind 3-1 in the first period, pulled even, 3-3 in the second, fell behind by a pair again early in the third, only to tie the contest once more, 5-5, with less than two minutes to play on a Rick Nash power play goal. However Taylor Hall scored on the very next shift for Edmonton, and the Oilers added an empty-net goal from former Blueshirt Lauri Korpikoski to finish off the Rangers 7-5. Henrik Lundqvist allowed five goals on 33 shots before being removed from the game early in the third, but it was Antti Raanta, who allowed the game-winner among three shots faced, who was saddled with the loss. Oilers goalie Anders Nilsson gave up five goals on 34 shots. Nash had a goal and two assists for New York, while Mats Zuccarello and Chris Kreider each registered a goal and an assist and Derick Brassard scored twice. The Rangers have lost each of their last two home games against the Oilers, including last year's 3-1 loss at Madison Square Garden on November 9, 2014. In that game Lundqvist stopped 30 of 32 shots, with Edmonton's third goal was scored into the empty net.
Players To Watch:
Rangers-Dan Boyle: For many reasons veteran defenseman Dan Boyle is a very important New York Ranger Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden. For one, his offensive game is on the uptick. On the trip to Western Canada Boyle recorded his first two goals of the season--the penalty shot goal in Vancouver on Wednesday and the slick backhand third-period finish Saturday in Calgary. He also assisted on Mats Zuccarello's game-tying goal late in the third period against the Flames, one that forced overtime and helped New York pick up a point in the standings. Secondly, that assist came on the power play and the Rangers power play has been pretty good lately, with four goals in the last four games and ten goals in the last 12 matches. Six of Boyle's nine points so far this season have come on the power play, and he is second on the team with six power-play assists. Finally, with Dan Girardi sidelined Tuesday, Boyle should play a bigger role as the most experienced right-handed defenseman on the team. Though he is not a shut-down defender like Girardi, Boyle has faced other teams' top forwards for years and may be asked to see more of that responsibility with Girardi out of the lineup. Boyle's ice time is already trending upwards recently with Kevin Klein out injured, surpassing 22 minutes in each of the last two games, and in five of the last seven since being a healthy scratch on November 28.
Oilers-Taylor Hall: The NHL's Second Star from last week, Taylor Hall notched six points in the two games Edmonton played a week ago, scoring the game-winning goal in each. He scored the overtime game-winner last Wednesday in a 4-3 Edmonton win over San Jose and then two nights later against the Rangers he scored twice and added two assists in his fifth career four-point game, netting the winning goal with less than two minutes remaining in regulation. Prior to Monday's game in Boston Hall had registered the game-winning goal in each of the Oilers last three victories; and his five game-winners so far this season not only are tied for the league lead, but they are just two shy of equaling his single-season career-high. Interestingly, last year during his injury-shortened 53-game campaign, Hall did not have a single game-winning goal among the 14 he scored. Hall has 14 goals already this season through the season's first 30 games and he is already more than half way to his career-best of 27, which he reached twice previously. Hall, who is eighth in the NHL in goal scoring, sixth with 20 assists, and fourth with 34 points, was held off the score sheet Monday night against the Bruins.
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