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Rangers close out Western road trip tonight against the Oilers |
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The Rangers close out their four-game Western road trip tonight in Edmonton against the Oilers. After wins against Seattle and Vancouver to open the roadie, New York was outplayed and lost 3-2 to Calgary on Thursday. Following tonight's contest, the Blueshirts are home Monday to face the Blues, then on the road Wednesday (Carolina) and Friday (Philadelphia) before closing the month at MSG on Saturday (Montreal).
Lines versus Edmonton:
Panarin - Trocheck - Lafreniere
Kreider - Zibanejad - Smith
Cuylle - Brodzinski - Kakko
Edström - Carrick - Vesey
Miller - Fox
Lindgren - Trouba
Mancini - Schneider
Quick
Shesterkin
We questioned yesterday why Victor Mancini was called up and flown to Edmonton. Today we got our answer as Zac Jones is day-to-day with an upper-body injury. Odd, though, that with Chad Ruhwedel already with the team and there to be the seventh d-man, plus the team heading back home after tonight, New York flew Mancini out just to dress today.
If no confidence to use Ruhwedel at all, what's the point in having him? He is not elite, but showed last year and in the past that he can step in and be effective in small doses. If Jones was to be out beyond today, then promote Mancini at home and when all the games this week are on the East Coast. Plus, if they had just returned Jake Leschyshyn to Hartford on Friday and called Mancini up Monday morning if Jones was still sidelined, that's three extra days of additional cap space banked.
A similar question has to apply as to why Filip Chytil was flown cross country just to skate twice before or after practice. If he wasn't going to play, and we viewed it unlikely to be the case, why not just leave him home? Let him practice Monday am, and if all is good, then dress him versus the Blues. Instead, they took the chance of a setback with a flight from NY to Calgary, then one from Calgary to Edmonton and then back across the country to New York.
Jonathan Quick will be between the pipes. I kind of thought this might happen with Igor facing 49 shots and under siege Thursday, plus a long flight home and game Monday. In addition, Shesterkin will likely play Monday and Wednesday and split the back-to-back Friday and Saturday. New York got a little scare today when Sgesterkin left practice after getting hit up high by a Reilly Smith shot. Fortunately, Igor returned to practice with no ill-effects.
The collective defense better be a whole lot better today than it was Thursday or it could get ugly, Giving Connor McDavid time and space in the neutral or own zone is a recipe for disaster. No Jones means the Rangers lose a puck moving d-man who was able to escape his own zone cleanly, which could have dangerous impacts.
New York Rangers Blogger • 
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