The Rangers don’t have much time to reflect on their loss in Detroit, as they are back in action in what will be a tough challenge in Columbus. John Tortorella’s first place Blue Jackets may have a hazy future and legitimately questionable goaltending, but they are riding their -1 goal differential to a 9-6-1 record to top out the Metro Division. Sergei Bobrovsky has been outright bad, and Artemi Panarin seems destined for an island destination in the northeast.
It’s not all doom and gloom for the Jackets though. They have Anthony Duclair for less than $1 million and he is lighting it up for the Jackets. They have one of the most mobile blue lines in hockey. Assuming Bobrovsky figures things out eventually, they have an elite goaltender. This is a team that may not be built to win a Cup –yet– but they are going to give opponents fits.
Blue Jackets Lines
Artemi Panarin-Pierre Luc-Dubois-Oliver Bjorkstrand
Nick Foligno-Boone Jenner-Josh Anderson
Lukas Sedlak-Alex Wennberg-Anthony Duclair
Riley Nash-Brandon Dubinsky-Markus Hannikainen
Ryan Murray-Seth Jones
Zach Werenski-Scott Harrington
Markus Nutivaara-David Savard
PP1: Panarin-Dubois-Bjorkstrand-Wennberg-Jones
PP2: Foligno-Jones-Anderson-Duclair-Werenski
Joonas Korpisalo gets the start.
Rangers Lines
Vlad Namestnikov-Mika Zibanejad-Pavel Buchnevich
Chris Kreider–Kevin Hayes–Ryan Spooner
Jimmy Vesey–Brett Howden–Jesper Fast
Filip Chytil–Lias Andersson–Vinni Lettieri
Brady Skjei–Tony DeAngelo
Marc Staal–Neal Pionk
Brendan Smith-Kevin Shattenkirk
PP1: Zibanejad-Namestnikov-Kreider-Spooner-Shattenkirk
PP2: Hayes-Chytil-Vesey-Skjei-Pionk
Alex Georgiev gets the start.
Scratches/Injuries: Adam McQuaid (lower body), Frederik Claesson (lower body), Mats Zuccarello (groin), Cody McLeod (healthy)
Crazy Prediction: Is five in a row a crazy prediction?
Game time is 7pm.
Share:
More About:Game Thread