The New York Rangers bring their four-game winning streak to Detroit as they take on the Red Wings Friday night.
New York Rangers (6-6-3, 15 Points)
Detroit Red Wings (5-8-2, 12 Points)
Television: MSG Network
Venue: Little Caesars Arena
The New York Rangers bring their four-game winning streak and newly found confidence to Detroit as they face the Red Wings in another original-six showdown.
Quinn said Zuccarello won’t make the trip. Fast and Howden and both good to go. Lundqvist will start tomorrow in Detroit. #NYR
— Brett Cyrgalis (@BrettCyrgalis) November 8, 2018
At Thursday’s practice in Tarrytown, NY, the team was minus a top-six player as it was announced that Mats Zuccarello was out day-to-day with a groin strain and would not make the two-game trip with the team.
Forward Jesper Fast was given a maintenance day and Brett Howden was back on the ice for the first time since his injury last Sunday.
Fast and Howden are both ready to play.
Without Zuccarello, #NYR practice, with Nieves and Claesson rotating in:
Namestnikov-Zibanejad-Buchnevich
Kreider-Hayes-Spooner
Vesey-Howden-McLeod(!)
Chytil-Andersson-LettieriSkjei-DeAngelo
Staal-Pionk
Smith-Shattenkirk— Brett Cyrgalis (@BrettCyrgalis) November 8, 2018
The Rangers lines at practice were:
Namestnikov-Zibanejad-Buchnevich
Kreider-Hayes-Spooner
Vesey-Howden-McLeod
Chytil-Andersson-Lettieri
Skjei-DeAngelo
Staal-Pionk
Smith-Shattenkirk
Boo Nieves and Fredrik Claesson alternated in and out of the rotations.
Mika Zibanejad leads the team in scoring with 13 points (six goals). Of the six goals, two have been on the power play and two have been short-handed. Chris Kreider is second on the team in scoring, recording seven goals, 11 points this season. He has two power-play goals along with three power-play points.
Henrik Lundqvist is expected to start in goal for the Blueshirts as he has won his last three games consecutively.
The Detroit Red Wings battled back from a two-goal deficit on Wednesday night and defeated the Vancouver Canucks 3-2 in a shootout. Goaltender Jimmy Howard made 40 saves in the game as the team’s record improved to 5-8-2.
The Red Wings are led by forward Dylan Larkin (six goals, 15 points) and Gustav Nyquist (two goals, 13 points).
Friday’s meeting will be the 591st time these two teams have battled with The Red Wings leading the series, 267-214-103-6.
The two teams last met on Feb. 25, 2018, at Madison Square Garden where the Red Wings defeated the Rangers 3-2 in overtime on a Trevor Daley goal.
