The All-Star Break may have been the break the New York Rangers were waiting for. Inconsistencies riddled their path toward All-Star Weekend, but since then, they’ve racked up a 3-1 record including their current three-game win streak. The Rangers now have a chance to extend their streak run to four games when they take to the road against their rivals the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The Penguins have also been hot since the break from competition. They’re 3-1 just like New York since the ASG, while scoring an alarming 4.5 goals per game in that span. Pittsburgh is even coming off one of their biggest wins this season, a 6-2 shellacking of the Anaheim Ducks at Consol Energy Center. They’re ready for their crucial Metropolitan Division showdown against the Rangers.
While both teams will get busy with their slap shots and wristers on Wednesday, some of the NBA’s hottest teams will be lighting up the scoreboard that night as well. Check out our complete previews for the Lakers vs. Cavaliers and Warriors vs. Suns.
Henrik Lundqvist has been really good in the New York Rangers’ three-game win streak. He’s 3-0 with a 1.67 GAA and .932 save percentage. King Henrik gets a chance for another solid outing this time around against Pittsburgh. He went 3-0-1 with a 1.69 GAA and .950 save percentage in four regular season games against the Penguins last season.
Lundqvist was also splendid in the Rangers’ five-game Eastern Conference Quarterfinal Series against Pittsburgh, having allowed just 1.6 goals per game. If there’s one man to put a halt to the Penguins’ scoring spree, then it may be Lundqvist.
While goaltending may not be an issue for the Rangers, their offense may be. They’ve scored just four goals in regulation in their last two games combined, and also needed to go to a shootout against Philadelphia for the win on Saturday. Then again, they have a couple of solid players who could torment Pittsburgh’s defense.
Derick Brassard has been on fire recently with nine points (three goals and six assists) in his last five games. He was one of the thorns on Pittsburgh’s side last season, scoring a goal and assisting in three others across four games. J.T. Miller has also been excellent recently with five goals and an assist in his last five. He has four goals in February and doesn’t appear to be slowing down.
Mats Zuccarello is also having a splendid season, leading the team with 18 goals. But since teams have been shutting him down, he hasn’t found the back of the net in his last four games. That hasn’t stopped him from contributing, though, as he still managed to dish out four assists over his last three games. Expect the Rangers to put the pressure on Pittsburgh’s net Wednesday night.
The Rangers have won seven of their last 10 trips to Pittsburgh, including three straight leading up to this contest.
Betting on the Pittsburgh Penguins (27-18-7)
Who can stop that man? Sidney Crosby scored on two breakaways to extend his goal streak to a career-best seven games. He also added two assists as the Pittsburgh Penguins blew out visiting Anaheim Ducks 6-2 on Monday night. The Penguins have won six of their last seven games as Crosby remains a formidable presence in the front line.
Chris Kunitz, Conor Sheary, Carl Hagelin and Olli Maatta also scored for the Penguins. There won’t be any lack of capable scorers when the Penguins welcome the Rangers to Consol Energy Center, that’s for sure. This will be the first meeting between the Metropolitan Division rivals since their five-game Eastern Conference Quarterfinal Series last year, which the Rangers handily took, 4-1.
Pittsburgh didn’t have the services of their best defenseman in the series loss to the Rangers in last year’s playoffs in Kris Letang. Letang is now healthy and chomping to get at the Rangers after missing the previous postseason. He tallied two assists and blocked three shots in Monday’s victory over Anaheim. Letang also scored twice and assisted in another in the game before, a 3-2 victory over Atlantic leaders the Florida Panthers on Saturday.
All of Pittsburgh’s scoring will be for naught, though, if Marc-Andre Fleury struggles once again. Fleury was solid, stopping 36 of the Ducks’ 38 shots on Monday. However, he struggled in three of his last four starts prior to that game, having allowed a total of 13 goals. He had a rough time against the Rangers last regular season as well, going a meager 1-2-1 with a 4.21 GAA.
The Penguins have won six-straight games at home.
Writer’s Prediction
Both offenses thrive to push the total to go over. The Rangers get the last laugh with a 5-4 victory.
