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Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

Tonight’s game is going to hurt. Sure, Tampa Bay is really good and should lay a hurting on the Rangers. I think that part we all expect. Tonight is different. While he won’t play tonight, it is a reminder that Ryan McDonagh is now with the Lightning, and not with the Rangers. That will hurt.

JT Miller went alongside McDonagh in that trade. Did you know that he spent parts of SIX seasons with the Blueshirts? I didn’t until I started writing this post. That’s only two fewer than McDonagh. Amazing, how fast time flies. I hope to see them, along with the other former Rangers, lifting the Cup.

Bolts Systems

Jon Cooper has the Lightning playing a pretty similar system as the Rangers. They run an overload 1-2-2 forecheck, but will mix in a 2-1-2 as well. They do this quite often against the Rangers actually. In the defensive zone, they mix zone and overload coverage depending on puck location. On special teams, they run a 1-3-1 power play and rotate between a diamond and box penalty kill depending on opposition setup.

Bolts Lines

Alex Killorn-Steven Stamkos-Nikita Kucherov
Yanni Gourde-Brayden Point-JT Miller
Cory Conacher-Tyler Johnson-Adam Erne
Chris Kunitz-Anthony Cirelli-Ryan Callahan

Victor Hedman-Dan Girardi
Mikhail Sergachev-Anton Stralman
Braydon Coburn-Andrej Sustr

PP1: Kucherov-Stamkos-Killorn-Kunitz-Hedman
PP2: Point-Miller-Gourde-Johnson-Sergachev

Andrei Vasilevsky gets the start.

Rangers Lines 

Chris KreiderDavid DesharnaisPavel Buchnevich
Jimmy Vesey-Vladislav Namestnikov-Mats Zuccarello
Ryan SpoonerKevin HayesJesper Fast
Paul CareyPeter Holland-Cody McLeod

Brady SkjeiJohn Gilmour
Marc StaalNeal Pionk
Rob O’Gara-Tony DeAngelo

PP1: Kreider-Zuccarello-Desharnais-Buchnevich-Skjei
PP2: Vesey-Holland-Namestnikov-Hayes-Gilmour

Henrik Lundqvist gets the start.

Scratches/Injuries: Kevin Shattenkirk (knee), Ondrej Pavelec (knee), Steven Kampfer (hand), Mika Zibanejad (flu)

Crazy Prediction: Miller and Namestnikov both score.

Game time is 7pm. Be sure to follow on our Snapchat for in-game shenanigans.

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