The Rangers are off to their worst start in recent memory. I’d say the 2013-2014 start was worse, but you could at least see that the Rangers were going through a rough learning curve with a new coach and system. This time around, they are just making bad fundamental mistakes. That is bound to change at some point.
Maybe an afternoon game will change their luck. But then again it’s against the Nashville Predators, so who knows. All I know is that the Rangers desperately need to bank points. Since this game isn’t against a conference opponent, it doesn’t have to be in regulation. Just get the two points.
Preds Systems
Peter Laviolette likes to have his team throw two different forechecking looks at the opposition. The first look is the 2-1-2 forecheck, and once the they get a lead, they tend to switch to a more conservative 2-3 left wing lock. Both systems send two forecheckers into the zone, but the 2-3 leaves one forward high in the zone, while the 2-1-2 sends an additional forechecker in deep. The 2-12 also allows defensemen to join the forecheck.
In the defensive zone, the Laviolette play a low zone collapse. This creates a logjam in the high-priced real estate, but gives some leeway at the point for puck movement. On special teams, the Preds play an umbrella powerplay and a hybrid penalty kill.
Preds Lines
Filip Forsberg-Ryan Johansen-Victor Arvidsson
Scott Hartnell-Calle Jarnkrok-Miikka Salomaki
Kevin Fiala-Colton Sissions-Craig Smith
Cody McLeod-Frederick Gaudreau-Austin Watson
Roman Josi-Mattias Ekholm|
Alexei Emelin-PK Subban
Matt Irwin-Yannick Weber
PP1: Hartnell-Johanssen-Forsberg-Josi-Subban
PP2: Sissions-Smith-Arvidsson-Fiala-Ekholm
Pekka Rinne is in net.
Rangers Lines
Rick Nash–Mika Zibanejad–Mats Zuccarello
Chris Kreider–David Desharnais–JT Miller
Jimmy Vesey–Kevin Hayes–Jesper Fast
Michael Grabner-Adam Cracknell-Pavel Buchnevich
Ryan McDonagh-Tony DeAngelo
Brady Skjei–Brendan Smith
Marc Staal–Kevin Shattenkirk
PP1: Zibanejad-Kreider-Buchnevich-Zuccarello-Shattenkirk
PP2: Nash-Desharnais-Miller-Vesey-McDonagh
Henrik Lundqvist gets the start.
Scratches/Injuries: Nick Holden (healthy), Steven Kampfer (healthy)
Crazy Prediction: Two points. I can’t believe that’s a legitimate “crazy prediction”
Game time is 12:30pm. Be sure to follow on Twitter for gifs, and on our Snapchat for in-game.
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