Rangers vs. Hurricanes … It’s Go Time!

Game 24

Rangers vs. Hurricanes – 7:00 PM MSG

Tonight is the first game of an odd stretch where the Rangers play the Hurricanes at home twice in the same week, with a game against the Buffalo Sabres in the middle.  The Rangers are in a bit of a slump, going 2-3-1 in their past 6 games. The Hurricanes won their last game, leading to the Panthers firing their coach.

I’m on my way home from work right now so I’ll be listening to the first period on the radio. Clearly, this is an HAV.

Tonight’s probable lineup for the Rangers (15-7-1), via Steve Zipay (@stevezipay):

Chris Kreider-Derek Stepan-Mats Zuccarello

Jimmy Vesey-Kevin Hayes-Rick Nash

Michael Grabner-J.T. Miller- Jesper Fast

Matt Puempel-Oscar Lindberg-Brandon Pirri

Ryan McDonagh-Dan Girardi

Marc Staal-Nick Holden

Brady Skjei-Kevin Klein

The big news, of course, is that the Rangers will have 11 year old Bryce Rogerson serve as coach for the day. JT Miller will start this game at center again after getting a slight knee injury in the last game. Also of note is that Grabner was questionable with an illness, but he is playing with the aforementioned Miller and Jesper Fast, he of the two shots in his past 10 games. BDL must be thrilled.

However, drawing back into the lineup is Oscar Lindberg, playing center on the fourth line in Josh Jooris’ spot. Also on the fourth line is Brandon Pirri. This is particularly interesting because when these two played on the fourth line together earlier this season, Pirri was the center and Lindberg was the wing. playing on the wing all year.

Lundqvist gets the start tonight. Defense remains unchanged. Clendening remains Prucha’d. Buchnevich is still not skating.

For the Hurricanes, (9-8-4), Cam Ward gets the start. The Hurricanes haven’t won at MSG since October 29, 2010. The big news is that Jordan Staal is out with a concussion. Did you know he and Marc Staal were brothers, and they have another brother named Eric? Also, Jeff Skinner was a figure skater as a kid! WOW! He’s typically a Rangers killer.

Don’t forget to tell everyone you know and to follow me on Twitter @rangersreport2. And don’t forget to vote for your three stars after the game!

167 thoughts on “Rangers vs. Hurricanes … It’s Go Time!”

  36. I’m not surprised, rangers haven’t been playing well for a while now, some of the games they won recently I wasn’t impressed, thought they reached rock bottom against Ottawa, guess I was wrong.

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  54. Looking at the two Carolina mistake-goals: The first one, a nice assist to Holden to set up the shot and then Lundqvist whiffs badly with his stick all over the place. The second starts with The Gleider, who should get two assists, with his utter disinterest in defending, twice, leading up to Klein’s fancy footwork. Time for the team to recommit to its game and put on some pressure.

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  60. The new car smell of this blog is starting to wear off. Some of the posts are starting to smell like fish, like towards the end on the old blog

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  87. What really happened to our early hope – Kreider? Takes a few games off. Turn over machine. Purposeless skating… Lack of interest? Why? After injury, something affects his brain.

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  101. I would rather have few more trigger happy guys there, than this fine passers, particularly when those passes doesn’t connect most of the times..

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  156. Nash’s problem as I see it: Interviewed about his goal where he went alone from his own end, passed three or four Hurricanes, then threw an electric backhand over their goalie, he said, “I guess I got a little lucky on that one.”

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  165. I was going all fan boy when Nash put on those after burners and smoked the defense, got a little flick off the end of the D’s stick but still awesome goal. He was also at his best for Vesey’s goal.

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  166. Missed the third period, dammit, tutoring right next door to the Angry Beaver hockey bar (not even making that up) in Seattle. Did get to see the replays of the Nash goal and almost-goal that Vesey converted. Guy’s an animal. It was an odd coincidence that Holden and Nash had virtually the same opportunity–Holden held the puck for an extra beat and popped it up into an open net where Nash shot early, trying to sneak it under. Both good plays as it turns out! And good to see Kreider involved in the game-winner. He had an awful first two periods, I thought, don’t now how else his third went.

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