RANGERS VS PENGUINS GAME DAY PREVIEW 12/5

TWO GAME DIVISION ROAD TRIP STARTS TONIGHT IN PITTSBURGH

New York Rangers (14-10-2) vs Pittsburgh Penguins (15-10-3)

TONIGHT 7:30 PM, TV: MSG, NBCSN Radio: WEPN 98.7

PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh, PA

Tonight starts a two game road trip vs Metro Division rivals for the Rangers and the second of four game division match ups. The Metro contests started four days ago in a 5-1 Rangers win over the Hurricanes at MSG, continues tonight in Pittsburgh, Friday in Washington and ends on Saturday at MSG against the Devils.

Tonights contest against the Penguins is the second of four meetings between the two teams this season. In the first meeting the Pens defeated the Rangers 5-4 in overtime on October 17 at the Garden. In a back and forth battle David Desharnais scored twice, Chris Kreider and Pavel Buchnevich added goals of their own. Pittsburgh tied the game 4-4 in the closing minute of the third period and won on an early turnover by Rangers Captain Ryan McDonagh in overtime.

Henrik Lundqvist will once again get the start for the Rangers. Lundqvist is 4-0 in his last 5 starts. On the season Lundqvist has posted a GAA of 2.66 with a .917 SV% in 23 games played. The rest of the Rangers lineup is also expected to stay the same with Steven Kampfer sitting as the healthy scratch.

The Penguins are 6-3-1 in their last 10 games, including 4 straight wins from backup goaltender Tristan Jarry who has been filling in for injured number 1 goaltender Matt Murray.

Mika Zibanejad who is out due to concussion symptoms rode a stationary bike at Rangers practice yesterday but still has not been cleared for on ice drills. There is no set timetable for Zibanejad’s return to the lineup.

TEAM LEADERS

RANGERS

POINTS: Mika Zibanejad 22

GOALS: Michael Grabner 13

ASSISTS: Mats Zuccarello 16

PENGUINS

POINTS: Phil Kessel 33

GOALS: Sidney Crosby 12

ASSISTS: Phil Kessel 21

Rangers Projected Lineup vs Pittsburgh

Forward Lines
Chris Kreider - David Desharnais - Pavel Buchnevich
Jimmy Vesey - Kevin Hayes - Rick Nash
Michael Grabner - J.T. Miller - Mats Zuccarello
Paul Carey - Boo Nieves - Jesper Fast

Defense Pairs
Ryan McDonagh - Nick Holden
Brady Skjei - Kevin Shattenkirk
Marc Staal - Brendan Smith

Starter
Henrik Lundqvist

Backup

Ondrej Pavelec

Scratched: Steven Kampfer

Injured: Mika Zibanejad (Concussion Symptoms)