7:07 pm
April 8

Penguins @ Rangers

Who will WIN this matchup?

Pittsburgh Penguins (24-13-2)

@ New York Rangers (18-15-5)

 

Starting Goalies:

Tristan Jarry (PIT): Confirmed

Igor Shesterkin (NYR): Confirmed

 

Current odds:

Pittsburgh Penguins: (+100)

New York Rangers: (-120)

 

• Whatever it is, the New York Rangers are feeling it. Not only are they aiming for a two-game sweep Thursday night against the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins, but also they are looking to continue to climb toward a playoff spot in the East Division. The Rangers are 8-3-2 in their past 13 games and are five points below the playoff line in the East.

• One indication of that might be New York’s prolific offense lately, both in numbers and in spreading it around. Eleven of the Rangers’ 18 skaters scored points Tuesday. And their youngsters chipped in – in addition to Fox, 23, Alexis Lafreniere, 19, and Kaapo Kakko, 20, scored, and Filip Chytil, 21, added two assists. New York also was 3-for-3 on the power play and scored shorthanded. That’s how life has gone lately, especially on offense. Over their past 11 games, the Rangers have wins of 9-0, 8-3 and 8-4.

• That would be a severe breakdown in the solid two-way game Pittsburgh seemed to have perfected before falling by a combined 15-9 during its two-game losing streak.

• It’s not just the defensemen. McCann alluded to Pittsburgh in general getting a bit greedy in trying to score. “I think we’re getting ahead of ourselves a little too much offensively,” he said. “We’re cheating a little bit.”

• Pittsburgh won five straight before stumbling the past two games.

• Before their two straight losses in which they gave up 15 goals, the Penguins had given up 15 goals — total — over a stretch of nine game

• Pittsburgh defenseman John Marino, who left in the third period Tuesday after appearing to smack his chin on the ice, did not practice Wednesday. Sullivan termed it a maintenance day.

4/10
Confidence
StreakSmarter Pick
New York Rangers
Previous Pick
Next Pick