RANGERS VS MAPLE LEAFS GAME DAY PREVIEW 2/1

RANGERS RETURN FROM ALL STAR BREAK TO HOST LEAFS

New York Rangers (25-20-5) vs Toronto Maple Leafs (29-18-5)

TONIGHT 7:00 PM TV: MSG RADIO: ESPN 98.7 FM

Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY

The last time we saw the Rangers they just broke a 3 game losing streak, defeating the San Jose Sharks 6-5 to salvage 2 points from a four game road trip that wasn’t what they expected.

After seven days off following a four game road trip the Rangers return to action tonight to face the Toronto Maple Leafs. With 32 games remaining and having gone 1-3 on the West Coast swing every point for the Rangers is important right now to stay in the playoff race.

The Rangers currently sit one point out of a wild card spot with 55 points trailing Philadelphia (56) and Columbus (58) and are tied in points with the Islanders (55) who have played 2 more games than the Rangers and lost last night to Toronto 5-0.

The Rangers and Maple Leafs will meet for the third and final time of the regular season tonight at the Garden. The Rangers have lost the two previous meetings between the two teams, 8-5 in Toronto on October 7 and 3-2 at MSG on December 23. J.T. Miller has a goal in each appearance against the Leafs while Mats Zuccarello, Jimmy Vesey, Marc Staal, Kevin Shattenkirk and Mika Zibanejad have tallied one goal each. Henrik Lundqvist has started both games but was pulled in the first game after giving up 5 goals on 22 shots. In the second game Lundqvist stopped 37 of 40 shots on net. Toronto has amassed 81 shots on goal against the Rangers while New York trailed behind slightly with 67.

Toronto comes into tonight’s game in a second of back to back games having played and defeated the Islanders last night in Brooklyn 5-0. Toronto enters Thursday third in the Atlantic Division, and 15 points ahead of the fourth-place Detroit Red Wings and have won four of their last five games.

If Wednesday’s practice is any indication, recent waiver claim Cody McLeod will makes his Rangers debut tonight vs Toronto with the rugged winger replacing Paul Carey in the lineup on the fourth line centered by David Desharnais and flanked by Jimmy Vesey.

Henrik Lundqvist who suffered the three losses on the road trip is expected to get the start tonight for New York.

TEAM LEADERS:

Rangers

POINTS: Mats Zuccarello 37

GOALS: Michael Grabner 21

ASSISTS: Mats Zuccarello 29

Maple Leafs

POINTS: Auston Matthews 37

GOALS: Auston Matthews 22

ASSISTS: Mitchell Marner 27

Rangers Projected Lineup

Forwards:

Rick Nash - Mika Zibanejad - Pavel Buchnevich
JT Miller - Kevin Hayes - Mats Zuccarello
Michael Grabner - Peter Holland - Jesper Fast
Jimmy Vesey - David Desharnais - Cody McLeod

Defense:
Ryan McDonagh - Nick Holden
Brady Skjei - Marc Staal
Brendan Smith - Tony DeAngelo

Starter: Henrik Lundqvist

Backup: Ondrej Pavelec

Scratches: Paul Carey, Steven Kampfer

Injuries: Kevin Shattenkirk (knee surgery), Chris Kreider (blood clot, right arm)