Game #22: New York Rangers vs. Colorado Avalanche Open Thread
Join the in-game conversation with the Blueshirt Banter community by becoming a member today!
It's yet another late-night game for the New York Rangers as they face off against the Colorado Avalanche. The Blueshirts began their road trip with a disappointing loss to the Vegas Golden Knights and will look to rebound tonight. On the other hand, the Avalanche come into tonight's game leading the NHL in points and have won eight of their last nine games.
With winning comes good performances, and there have been plenty of those in Colorado. Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon leads the league in points and goals, while teammate Martin Necas is tied for the second most goals with 13. The Rangers are making some changes to the top six. The first line will consist of Artemi Panarin, Vincent Trocheck, and J.T. Miller on the other wing. The second line has Will Cuylle, Mika Zibanejad, and Alexis Lafrenière.
Player to Watch: Vladislav Gavrikov
The Colorado Avalanche lead the NHL in goals per game, and with Will Borgen battling an upper-body injury, the Rangers need Vladislav Gavrikov to be the elite defenseman he is. Gavrikov boasts a –0.152 RAPM impact on goals against per 60, the eleventh lowest in the league among defensemen via Evolving Hockey.
This is going to be a challenging game for the Blueshirts to win, but Gavrikov has the ability to turn the tide in the team's favor while on the ice. His ability to break up odd-man rushes and strong defensive presence in five-on-five scenarios will be tested tonight.
Enjoy the game!
