Carolina Hurricanes vs. New York Rangers: Game Preview and Discussion

The Hurricanes take on the New York Rangers tonight in the Big Apple as they try to build on a perfect start to their road trip - and, at the same time, break the iron grip that Gotham has had over them for the past eight-plus years.

Game Notes

• If you’ve been under a rock for the past nine years, no, the Hurricanes have not won at MSG since October of 2010. Their last attempt to snap the streak ended in farcical fashion, a 6-2 pantsing by the Rangers on January 15. It’s the longest home winning streak by the Rangers against one opponent in franchise history, which dates to 1926.
• The losing streak doesn’t help, but the Hurricanes have been downright abysmal in franchise history when facing the Rangers on the road: 19-44-5 with four ties.
• After scoring a goal last night in Buffalo, Nino Niederreiter has tallied six goals in his first eight games with the team. He’s the first player to accomplish that since the move, and only Pat Verbeek and John Anderson have done it in franchise history.
• Meanwhile, apropos of nothing, when Jordan Martinook scores at least one point, the Hurricanes are unbeaten in regulation: 11-0-2 this season.
• The Canes have 60 points through 54 games for the first time since 2006, when they had 80 in the same number of games.
• The Rangers will be honoring the 25th anniversary of their 1994 Stanley Cup-winning squad tonight. Henrik Lundqvist’s mask will be inspired by the one worn by Rangers legend Mike Richter in that run, and the team is planning a lengthy tribute - which is why the game will face off at 8:00. (It’s also, oddly, the only game on the schedule tonight.)
• With neither team taking a morning skate, lineups will be mostly conjecture, although Petr Mrazek is expected to get the start and it wouldn’t be a surprise if Haydn Fleury replaced Trevor van Riemsdyk. Otherwise, the Canes should look mostly similar to how they lined up last night.

Hurricanes Projected Lineup

Nino Niederreiter - Sebastian Aho - Justin Williams
Micheal Ferland - Lucas Wallmark - Teuvo Teravainen
Andrei Svechnikov - Jordan Martinook - Brock McGinn
Warren Foegele - Greg McKegg - Saku Maenalanen

Jaccob Slavin - Dougie Hamilton
Brett Pesce - Justin Faulk
Calvin de Haan - Trevor van Riemsdyk

Petr Mrazek
Curtis McElhinney

Injuries and Scratches: Haydn Fleury (healthy), Jordan Staal (IR upper-body)

Rangers Projected Lineup

Chris Kreider – Mika Zibanejad – Mats Zuccarello
Pavel Buchnevich – Kevin Hayes – Jesper Fast
Filip Chytil – Ryan Strome – Vladislav Namestnikov
Jimmy Vesey – Boo Nieves – Vinni Lettieri

Marc Staal – Tony DeAngelo
Brady Skjei – Adam McQuaid
Brendan Smith – Kevin Shattenkirk

Henrik Lundqvist
Alexandar Georgiev

Injuries and Scratches: Fredrik Claesson (shoulder), Brett Howden (MCL), Neil Pionk (healthy)