RANGERS VS AVALANCHE GAME DAY PREVIEW 1/20

RANGERS FACE AVS IN AFTERNOON MATINEE

New York Rangers (24-17-5) vs Colorado Avalanche (25-16-3)

TODAY 3:00 PM TV: MSG RADIO: WEPN 98.7 FM

Pepsi Center, Denver, CO

The Rangers head into a four game West Coast Trip starting today in Colorado with the injury bug nipping at their heels once again. Yesterday the Rangers who already are without Chris Kreider (blood clot right arm), Kevin Hayes (leg bruise) and Marc Staal (hip flexor) found out they will be without defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk indefinitely who will undergo knee surgery on Monday for a torn meniscus. Both Hayes and Staal are traveling with the team are are said to be 50/50 to possibly play in the upcoming road games.

Yesterday the Rangers called up D-man Tony DeAngelo and Center Daniel Catenacci to fill the roster for the road trip.

This is the second of two meetings between the Rangers and Avalanche. The Rangers lost the season opener to Colorado 4-2 back on October 5th. Mika Zibanejad scored the Rangers two goals in the contest while Henrik Lundqvist stopped 25 of 28 shots on goal.

Coming into today’s afternoon matinee the Rangers have won their last two games, Tuesday a solid 5-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers and a back and forth battle with the Sabres on Thursday 4-3. Henrik Lundqvist picked up both wins while Rick Nash has gone on a scoring spree with 4 goals over the two game span.

With back to back games this weekend Ondrej Pavelec may well get the start today against Colorado while Henrik Lundqvist gets the start vs Los Angeles tomorrow night after having started the last 3 games.

The Avalanche meanwhile are onan seven game winning streak dating back to December 29th in a 4-3 overtime win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Nathan MacKinnon leads the avs with 22 goals and 35 assists for 57 points overall.

The Rangers have earned at least one point in seven of their last nine games against Colorado, dating back to Feb. 4, 2014 (5-2-2 record over the span).

TEAM LEADERS

POINTS: Mats Zuccarello 32

GOALS: Michael Grabner 20

ASSISTS: Mats Zuccarello 24

Avalanche

POINTS: Nathan MacKinnon 57

GOALS: Nathan MacKinnon 22

ASSISTS: Nathan MacKinnon 35

Rangers Projected Lineup
Rick Nash - Mika Zibanejad - Pavel Buchnevich
Jimmy Vesey - J.T. Miller - Mats Zuccarello
Paul Carey - David Desharnais - Vinni Lettieri
Michael Grabner - Peter Holland - Jesper Fast

Ryan McDonagh - Nick Holden
Brady Skjei - Steve Kampfer
Brendan Smith - Tony DeAngelo