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Rangers vs. Penguins: Open Game Thread

The Rangers will take on their Metropolitan Division rivals at MSG.

The new year is upon us, and the New York Rangers (17-14-7, 41 points) are set to take on the Pittsburgh Penguins (21-12-6,  48 points). Pittsburgh has won their last six games in a row, and the Blueshirts are looking to win their third game in a row.

New York has picked up points in each of its last seven games home games, but that streak has seen just two wins and five overtime losses.

After tonight’s game the Rangers will travel to play in Colorado on Friday, and on Sunday the team will start a frenetic schedule which will see them play eight games in 14 days.

Here are the projected lineups for both sides.

New York Rangers

Chris Kreider — Mika Zibanejad — Jesper Fast

Vladislav Namestnikov — Kevin Hayes — Mats Zuccarello

Boo Nieves — Brett Howden — Pavel Buchnevich

Cody McLeod — Ryan Strome — Filip Chytil

Marc Staal — Neal Pionk

Brady Skjei — Adam McQuaid

Fredrik Claesson — Kevin Shattenkirk

Henrik Lundqvist

Pittsburgh Penguins

Jake Guentzel — Sidney Crosby — Bryan Rust

Dominik Simon — Evgeni Malkin — Patric Hornqvist

Tanner Pearson — Derick Brassard — Phil Kessel

Zach Aston-Reese — Matt Cullen — Riley Sheahan

Brian Dumoulin — Kris Letang

Olli Maatta — Jusso Riikola

Jamie Oleksiak — Jack Johnson

Matt Murray

Jimmy Vesey is set to be a healthy for the first time this season, and just the second time of his career.

Vesey has a goal and an assist in his last five games while averaging 13:55 a night. But in the month of December he averaged 15:58 a game while scoring two goals and adding six assists for eight points in 12 games.

There may be something that David Quinn is trying to accomplish, as Vesey wouldn’t have been my first pick for a forward to sit so that Filip Chytil could return to the lineup.

Enjoy the game!

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