Rangers vs Islanders: Open Game Thread
Here we go again.
The Rangers look to get back to winning hockey tonight at Madison Square Garden against the New York Islanders. The Blueshirts have a 1-5-1 record to start the season and have not won a game since October 8th. Needless to say, the Garden Faithful are desperate for a win - especially after Sidney Crosby and the Penguins found a way to steal an OT win off of the Rangers on Tuesday night.
Ryan McDonagh is rumored to be dealing with a lower-body injury, but he will be in the lineup tonight after missing yesterday's practice. The Islanders are reportedly rolling with 11 forwards and 7 defensemen tonight with Jaroslav Halak in net. The Isles are 2-3-1 and have a 1-3-0 road record. Big offseason acquisition Jordan Eberle has no goals and three assists in his first six games in blue, white and orange.
Personal belief? He's been playing through a lower-body injury https://t.co/wgMHijiGXh
— Steve Zipay (@stevezipay) October 19, 2017
Chris Kreider enters tonight's game scoreless in seven games after a career-high 28 goals last season. He's a guy who needs to get going if the Rangers are going to find a way out of this disastrous start to the 2017-18 season. But the most important break the Rangers need is to find a way to score goals at even strength. Thus far the Blueshirts have depended far too much on the power play to change the lights on the scoreboard.
After tonight's game the Rangers will stay at the Garden for a matinee game on Saturday against the Nashville Predators.
Enjoy the game. Be excellent to each other. LGR.
