NY Rangers Game 1: Rangers at Penguins

The New York Rangers open yet another quest for a Stanley Cup tonight in Pittsburgh. The Rangers are mostly running it back with the same core, but have some different complementary pieces that hopefully bring out the best of their struggling and aging core talent. Reilly Smith has no small task ahead of him to bring balance to that second line, while the return of Filip Chytil for what is hopefully a full season brings some much needed tertiary scoring depth.

Zac Jones on the blue line adds another needed element as another puck mover. Victor Mancini, for now, provides more stable defensive play without the puck being a bomb on his stick. At least for now, that is, until Ryan Lindgren returns.

There’s hope. But there’s also remembering the lineup today isn’t going to be the lineup next month, or in March, or in May. Let’s keep that in mind. The goal is the Cup. Everything else is noise.

Penguins Lines

Drew O’Connor-Sidney Crosby-Anthony Beauvillier
Michael Bunting-Evgeni Malkin-Rickard Rakell
Rutger McGroaty-Lars Eller-Jesse Puljujarvi
Kevin Hayes-Cody Glass-Noel Acciari

Matt Grzelcyk-Kris Letang
Marcus Pettersson-Erik Karlsson
Ryan Graves-Jack St. Ivany

Tristan Jarry gets the start.

Rangers Lines

Artemi Panarin-Vincent Trocheck-Alexis Lafreniere
Chris Kreider-Mika Zibanejad-Reilly Smith
Will Cuylle-Filip Chytil-Kaapo Kakko
Adam Edstrom-Sam Carrick-Jonny Brodzinski

K’Andre Miller-Adam Fox
Braden Schneider-Jacob Trouba
Zac Jones-Victor Mancini

Igor Shesterkin gets the start.

Crazy Prediction: All of PP1 has 2+ points

Game time is 730pm.