RANGERS HOST COLUMBUS IN DIVISION MATCHUP
New York Rangers (32-32-8) vs Columbus Blue Jackets (40-28-5)
TONIGHT 7:00 PM, MSG, WEPN
Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY
Henrik Lundqvist returns to the Rangers lineup tonight to face the Columbus Blue Jackets at the Garden. After three games off in favor of rookie backup Alexandar Georgiev, Lundqvist will finally return to man the Rangers crease. Lundqvist who has not started a game since March 10 against the Panthers has lost his last three starts and was pulled in Tampa Bay after allowing 4 goals.
The rest of the Rangers lineup is expected to remain the same as the previous two. The line of Chris Kreider, Mika Zibanejad and Jesper Fast has tallied six goals and six assists and that have scored six of the seven Ranger goals in the last two games. Zibanejad has four goals in the last two and has taken over the Rangers scoring lead with 24 on the season.
With ten games remaining in the regular season and 72 points in the standings the Rangers sit in 7th place in the Metro, 2 points ahead of the Islanders and 10 points behind New Jersey who holds the final wild card spot in the East.
This is the fourth and final meeting between the Rangers and Blue Jackets. Columbus leads the season series 2-1 with wins on October 13, 3-1 and 2-0 on November 17 both coming in Columbus. The Rangers won the only game at Madison Square Garden 5-3 on November 6. Kevin Hayes, Chris Kreider and Pavel Buchnevich each have a goal in the series while Henrik Lundqvist has stopped 109 of 117 shots on goal. Lundqvist and Sergei Bobrovsky have both have started all 3 games and have faceoffed in the same game 16 times in their NHL careers. In those 16 contests, Lundqvist has posted a 10-5-1 record, along with a 2.30 GAA, a .928 SV%, and 1 SO.
The Metro Division 4th Place Jackets currently hold the first wild card playoff spot in the East with 85 points, tied in points with Philadelphia but ahead due to one more regulation win and 3 ahead of New Jersey. This is the second of back to back games for Columbus as they come in having defeated Boston last night 5-4 in overtime extending their win streak to eight games. Artemi Panarin leads the team with 22 goals and 42 assists for 64 points.
GAME DAY TEAM LEADERS
Rangers
POINTS: Mats Zuccarello 49
GOALS: Mika Zibanejad 24
ASSISTS: Mats Zuccarello 34
Blue Jackets
POINTS: Artemi Panarin 64
GOALS: Artemi Panarin 22
ASSISTS: Artemi Panarin 42
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