The New York Rangers take on a playoff-caliber Panthers team to begin a back-to-back set in the Sunshine State.
Lines:
Kreider-Zibanejad-Wheeler
Panarin-Trocheck-Lafreniere
Cuylle-Bonino-Brodzinski
Vesey-Goodrow-Pitlick
Lindgren-Fox
Miller-Trouba
Gustafsson-Schneider
Starter: Quick
The New York Rangers (24-8-1) traverse to Sunrise, Florida to take on the Panthers at 7:00 P.M (EST).
The Panthers are 10-5-0 this season at home and are led by Sam Reinhart, Alexander Barkov, and Carter Verhaeghe. Matthew Tkachuk had a sensational playoff run in the spring, but this season he has only recorded 5 goals in 34 contests.
The Panthers are 8/38 and 21.1% on the powerplay at home (17th in the NHL), and have the 15th best penalty kill at home in the NHL. They are also one of the most penalized teams in the league, racking up 414 minutes of infractions which is 29th in the NHL.
That is good news for the Rangers powerplay that has scored 16 man-advantage goals on the road this season (2nd in the NHL).
This is what Peter Laviolette had to say about the teams stretch of back-to-back games:
The New York Rangers will quickly move ahead to play the Tampa Bay Lightning tomorrow, December 30th at 7:00 P.M (EST).