[7:09 PM] Rangers @ Penguins

Who will WIN this matchup?

New York Rangers (23-10-1)

@ Pittsburgh Penguins (20-7-5)

 

Starting Goalies:

Antti Raanta(NYR): Confirmed

Matt Murray(PIT): Confirmed

 

• The New York Rangers look to maintain sole occupancy in their penthouse suite of the top-heavy Metropolitan Division on Tuesday when they visit the second-place Pittsburgh Penguins. New York has won three in a row and six of seven to claim a two-point lead over the Penguins, who are 7-0-2 in their last nine and boast an impressive 13-2-2 mark at PPG Paints Arena – although they dropped a 5-2 decision to the Rangers on Nov. 21.

• Derek Stepan scored to snap an eight-game goal drought in Sunday’s 3-2 shootout win over New Jersey, marking just his second tally at Madison Square Garden this season. The 26-year-old has doubled that total on the road, with one of those goals coming in the first meeting against Pittsburgh. Kevin Hayes scored and set up a goal in that encounter with the Penguins and followed up assists in back-to-back games with the shootout winner versus the Devils.

• While the high-octane offense is rarely a concern in the Steel City, Pittsburgh is missing its top two defensemen in Kris Letang (team-leading 19 points among blue-liners) and Trevor Daley. Maatta had a team-high six blocked shots on Saturday, Justin Schultz logged the most playing time (23:03) while fellow blue-liners Ian Cole and Brian Dumoulin also saw an uptick in minutes.

• Malkin has 17 points (five goals, 12 assists) in his last 15 games overall and 46 points (23 goals, 23 assists) in 49 career meetings with New York.

• Rangers LW Chris Kreider has five goals and three assists in his last 10 contests.

• Pittsburgh LW Conor Sheary, who scored in the most recent meeting with New York, has four goals and five assists in his past 10 games.

 

StreakSmarts Pick: Pittsburgh Penguins

Confidence: 5/10

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