RANGERS HOST MAPLE LEAFS BEFORE CHRISTMAS BREAK
New York Rangers (19-12-4) vs Toronto Maple Leafs (21-14-1)
TONIGHT 7:00 PM, TV: MSG, NHLN RADIO: ESPN 98.7 NY
Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY
The Rangers face the Maple Leafs tonight at the Garden in the second of three games this season. The Rangers lost the first contest 8-5 on October 7th. The barn burner of a contest in Toronto saw five different Rangers, J.T. Miller, Kevin Shattenkirk, Marc Staal, Mika Zibanejad and Mats Zuccarello all find twine.
The Rangers will be without the services of pivotal winger Jesper Fast who suffered a strained quad injury in the loss to New Jersey on Thursday. Boo Nieves who was a healthy scratch the past two games will enter back into the lineup. Nieves will resume his fourth line center duties while David Desharnais will slot into the third line role between Rick Nash and Mats Zuccarello, J.T. Miller will move to the fourth line alongside Nieves and Paul Carey. The defense pairs will remain the same while Henrik Lundqvist who stopped 43 of 46 shots on goal in the Rangers shootout loss to New Jersey on Thursday will once again mind the net.
The Maple Leafs last played on Wednesday in a 4-2 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets and have only won one game in their last five, an 8-1 rout of the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday. The Leafs are in the middle of a 6 game road trip.
TEAM LEADERS
Rangers
POINTS: Mats Zuccarello 29
GOALS: Michael Grabner 17
ASSISTS: Mats Zuccarello 21
Maple Leafs
POINTS: Auston Matthews 26
GOALS: James van Riemsdyk 16
ASSISTS: Mitchell Marner 21
Rangers Projected Lineup
Forwards
Chris Kreider, Mika Zibanejad, Pavel Buchnevich
Michael Grabner, Kevin Hayes, Jimmy Vesey
Rick Nash, David Desharnais, Mats Zuccarello
Paul Carey, Boo Nieves, JT Miller
Michael Grabner, Kevin Hayes, Jimmy Vesey
Rick Nash, David Desharnais, Mats Zuccarello
Paul Carey, Boo Nieves, JT Miller
Defense
Ryan McDonagh-Nick Holden
Brady Skjei-Kevin Shattenkirk
Marc Staal-Brendan Smith
Starter
Henrik Lundqvist
Backup
Ondrej Pavelec
Scratched
Steven Kampfer
Injuries
Jesper Fast (Quad Strain 2-3 Weeks)
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