Rangers lines, notes, how to watch return from break against Oilers
· Yahoo Sports
The calendar flips to November, and the New York Rangers begin a stretch of eight games in 16 days, when they host the Edmonton Oilers at Madison Square Garden on Sunday.
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These busy two weeks follow a five-day break in the schedule for the Rangers (7-6-1), who last played Monday, a 6-3 loss to the Los Angeles Kings. It was their first loss on home ice this season (6-1-0), and extended their overall losing streak to a season-worst three consecutive games.
One might think that Rangers are a healthy and rested team with so much time off this past week. Yet, coach Mike Sullivan refused to divulge what New York’s lineup will look like Sunday night, after defensemen Sean Durzi (undisclosed) and Braden Schneider (sick) missed practice on Saturday.
The Rangers, who’ve used the same six defensemen in all 14 games so far, recalled Matthew Robertson from Hartford of the American Hockey League. They also have defenseman Scott Morrow, who celebrates his 24th birthday on Sunday and been a healthy scratch all season.
Sullivan did reveal at the optional morning skate that Dylan Garand starts in goal. It will be his 10th straight appearance (eight starts, two relief outings) since Igor Shesterkin sustained a season-ending knee injury Oct. 9. The 24-year-old is 4-5-1 this season with a 2.69 goals-against average, .899 save percentage and one shutout.
Garand and his teammates must tighten up their defensive game Sunday, facing the League’s highest-scoring team. The Oilers average 4.21 goals per game, and the great Connor McDavid is off to a torrid start, recording at least one point in every game and leading the NHL with 37 points (eight goals, 29 assists) in 14 games — a 222-point pace for those keeping track at home.
“I just focus on stopping the puck, it doesn’t matter who’s shooting it,” Garand said with a chuckle about facing the red-hot McDavid. “They’re a good team, and they have some really good players, so it’s exciting, for sure.”
Fueled by McDavid, and playing a more solid defensive structure under new coach Mike Babcock, as well, the Oilers (10-2-2) sit atop the Western Conference. They are 5-1-1 in their past seven games, including a 4-0 shutout victory over the Islanders on Saturday.
Last season, the Rangers split the season series with the Oilers, winning 4-3 in overtime on the road Oct. 30 after being shut out 2-0 by the Oilers at MSG on Oct. 14. Overall, the Rangers lost four of their past five games against the Oilers.
New York Rangers projected lineup
Pavel Dorofeyev — Mika Zibanejad — Alexis Lafreniere
Tye Kartye — J.T. Miller — Oliver Bjorkstrand
Will Cuylle — Noah Laba — Gabe Perreault
Eeli Tolvanen — Luke Glendening — Taylor Raddysh
Valdislav Gavrikov — Adam Fox
Marcus Pettersson — Sean Durzi
Alberts Smits — Braden Schneider
Dylan Garand
James Reimer
Rangers vs. Oilers: When, where, what time, how to watch
Who: New York Rangers vs. Edmonton Oilers
When: Sunday, November 1 at 6 p.m. ET
Where: Madison Square Garden
How to watch: MSG
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