Rangers vs. Penguins: 3 things to watch for trying to win 3rd straight game
The New York Rangers go for three straight when they host the Pittsburgh Penguins at Madison Square Garden on Friday.
That would be three straight as in they are seeking their third consecutive win overall and third in three tries against the Penguins this season.
The Rangers (26-23-4) won back-to-back games in comeback fashion earlier this week, rallying for victories against the Vegas Golden Knights (4-2) on Sunday and Boston Bruins (3-2) on Wednesday. It’s the first time the Rangers won consecutive games in regulation when trailing after two periods since Nov. 26-27, 1988.
They’re hoping not to need such dramatics Friday against the Penguins (22-24-9). Though the Penguins have a three-game point streak (2-0-1), they are 7-10-4 since Dec. 21 and don’t appear to be a serious threat in the Eastern Conference playoff race.
The Rangers shut out the Penguins 6-0 on opening night in Pittsburgh and doubled them up 4-2 at MSG on Dec. 6. Since 2021-22, the Rangers are 9-3-1 in the regular season against the Penguins.
Pittsburgh will be without Evgeni Malkin, who’s week to week with a lower-body injury and Sidney Crosby, who was ruled out Friday with an upper-body injury.
Related: J.T. Miller’s aggressive style benefitting Rangers stars: ‘It’s a bit of bull out there’
3 things to watch for when Rangers host Penguins
1. Let’s get physical
Since J.T. Miller’s arrival in a trade from the Vancouver Canucks last week, the Rangers have been credited with 109 hits in three games, second-most in the NHL this month. Miller has 11 of those hits, including five against the Golden Knights and a big one against the Bruins on Wednesday that caused a turnover and led directly to Artemi Panarin’s game-opening goal.
Will Cuylle is not scoring a lot recently but his physical play never wavers. He has 16 hits the past three games and is fourth in the League with 196 this season. Matt Rempe, in limited playing time, has 13 hits the past three games; Will Borgen has 10 and Sam Carrick nine.
Along with the hits, the Rangers renewed commitment to getting in on the forecheck is also a case of following Miller’s lead, to positive results.
2. Fill the net
Since Jan. 2, when the Rangers began to put their two-month slide behind them, they’ve scored 57 goals, tied for most in the NHL. Nine times they’ve scored four or more goals, including in five of their past eight games. When they score at least four goals this season, the Rangers are 15-3-3.
Over their past nine games (5-3-1), 18 different skaters have scored a goal for the Rangers and 20 registered at least one point. Panarin has two goals and five points in his past three games and Mika Zibanejad may have only goal in a three-game point streak, but he also has five assists in that span.
3. Let me at ’em
Panarin has feasted against the Penguins in his career. He’s got 44 points, including 19 goals, in 32 games against them. That includes two goals and three assists this season already.
Igor Shesterkin also dials in against the Penguins. The Rangers goalie is 9-5-1 with a 1.94 goals-against average and .929 save percentage with three shutouts against them.
How have the Pittsburgh boys fared against the Penguins? Miller has 23 points (11 goals, 12 assists) in 28 games and Vincent Trocheck has 22 points (five goals, 17 assists) in 29 games.
The Rangers won’t have to worry about Crosby and that’s a good thing. The Penguins captain may be scoreless in two games this season against the Rangers, but lifetime he has 108 points (40 goals, 68 assists) in 87 games against them.
New York Rangers projected lineup
Panarin – J.T. Miller – Zibanejad
Smith – Trocheck – Lafreniere
Kreider – Brodzinski – Cuylle
Vesey – Carrick – Rempe
Lindgren – Fox
K. Miller – Borgen
Jones – Schneider
Shesterkin
Quick
Rangers vs. Penguins: When, where, what time, how to watch
Who: New York Rangers vs. Pittsburgh Penguins
When: Friday Feb. 7 at 7:00 p.m. ET
Where: Madison Square Garden
How to watch: MSG
More About:New York Rangers News
Read This Next
