Can we just have a normal game? Just as we get news that Adam Fox and Pavel Buchnevich are back, we learn that the entire Rangers coaching staff is sitting this one out. Yup, all of them are in COVID protocol. The Wolf Pack coaches are in tonight, with Chris Drury. You can’t make this up.
Tarmo Reunanen and Julien Gauthier, who had points in Monday’s game, come out tonight. It is a little surprising to see Gauthier out, given his goal, but I’m not going to lose sleep over that.
But let’s be real, coaches aren’t needed. I played college roller hockey with no coaches and did just fine. I mean, we were bad, probably because I was the goalie. But no coaches! We functioned and had proper line changes.
Flyers Lines
James van Riemsdyk-Sean Couturier–Joel Farabee
Jakub Voracek-Claude Giroux-Nicolas Aube-Kubel
Scott Laughton-Kevin Hayes-Travis Konecny
Oskar Lindblom-Nolan Patrick-Andy Andreoff
Ivan Provorov-Justin Braun
Travis Sanheim-Phillippe Myers
Shayne Gostisbehere-Nate Prosser
PP1: Giroux-Farabee-Voracek-Patrick-Provorov
PP2: Konecny-Hayes-Couturier-JVR-Gostisbehere
Carter Hart gets the start.
Rangers Lines (best guess)
Chris Kreider-Mika Zibanejad-Pavel Buchnevich
Artemi Panarin–Ryan Strome–Colin Blackwell
Alexis Lafreniere–Filip Chytil–Kaapo Kakko
Brendan Lemieux-Brett Howden–Kevin Rooney
Ryan Lindgren–Adam Fox
K’Andre Miller-Jacob Trouba
Libor Hajek-Brendan Smith
PP1: Strome-Zibanejad-Panarin-Kreider-Fox
PP2: Kakko-Buchnevich-Chytil-Lafreniere-Miller
Alex Georgiev gets the start.
Scratches/Injuries (not including taxi squad): Igor Shesterkin (groin), Phil Di Giuseppe (COVID protocol), Tarmo Reunanen (healthy), Julien Gauthier (healthy)
Crazy Prediction: Given how things are going, I’m gonna say a blackout at MSG.
Game time is 7pm.
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