After losing another game on home ice, the New York Rangers head out West for their next three games. The Rangers have the best road record in the NHL at 9-1-1, but they will face three tough opponents this week. Here’s a preview of their upcoming games.
First Rangers Visit Jack Eichel and the Golden Knights
The Rangers face the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday in the first game of their road trip. The Golden Knights, who were projected to be a top team in the league this season, have struggled over the last 10 games, with a 3-3-4 record and an 8-4-6 record overall. Those six overtime/shootout losses are the most in the NHL, earning an extra six points. The team is led by Eichel, who has 24 points in 18 games, and the new addition, Mitch Marner, who has 20 points in 18 games.
The Rangers won both games against Vegas last season – a 2-1 victory in Vegas in mid-January and a 4-2 victory at Madison Square Garden in early February. One player to watch for the Rangers is Mika Zibanejad. He has scored in back-to-back games and has 10 goals and 19 points in 14 career games against the Golden Knights.
Second Game Against the Red Hot Colorado Avalanche
The Rangers will then face off against the best team in the league on Thursday. The Colorado Avalanche boast a record of 13-1-5, and their plus-31 goal differential is also tops in the NHL. The Avs are led by Nathan MacKinnon, who has 14 goals and 33 points in 19 games. Those 33 points rank first in the NHL, and he is helped by Martin Necas and Cale Makar, who each have 25 points in 19 games this season.
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Unlike the Rangers, the Avalanche have been unbeatable on home ice, with a 7-0-1 record – they are one of two teams yet to lose in regulation at home this season. The Rangers lost both games to the Avs last season, including an overtime loss in Colorado in mid-January and then a loss at home two weeks later, giving up the game-winning goal in the final seconds of the third period. Thursday’s contest will be a huge test for the Rangers to see if they can compete with the league’s best.
Finishing the Trip in Utah Against the Mammoth
The Rangers finish off this road trip against the Utah Mammoth. The Mammoth had a good start to the season but have since cooled off, going 3-5-2 in their last 10 games. They are in a five-way tie for the two wild-card spots in the Western Conference but have played one more game than the two teams ahead of them, the Chicago Blackhawks and Golden Knights. The Mammoth are led by Nick Schmaltz, with 10 goals and 22 points in 19 games, and by Clayton Keller, who has 18 points in 19 games.
The Rangers split the season series with Utah last year. They lost their home opener to Utah, 6-5 in overtime, but beat them in mid-January, 5-3. Artemi Panarin led the way, with four goals in those two games. He has also been red hot for the Rangers since he shaved his head. He has scored three goals and 11 points over the last six games and is riding a four-game point-scoring streak.
This is going to be an important road trip for the Rangers to see if their great play on the road can hold up against these solid Western Conference teams, especially the Avalanche, who are tops in the league and have dominated at home.
