Puck Drop: 7:00 p.m. EST | Arena: Madison Square Garden | TV: TSN4 | Radio: SN 590
Game Day Quotes
Rangers coach Alain Vigneault on facing a tired Leafs team:
Our starts have been very good lately. We’ve come out with a lot of energy; really attacking, trying to play a fast game. Same thing for everybody. [The Leafs] are getting an opportunity to play tonight. We’ve had an opportunity to have two practices after the All-Star break. So, we’re ready to go. I think our guys are anxious. They know what’s at stake and it’s going to be good. It’s going to be a lot of fun. I’m expecting quite a few of our players here to elevate their game.
We’ve got our first big test here. Toronto is considered one of the best teams in the league. Youth with a lot of skill. We’re going to be ready for it. They’re got a lot of speed and skill an we’re going to try to take some of that away.
Rangers captain Ryan McDonagh on the matchup against the Leafs:
They’ve got a lot of skill. You can’t give them time and space, especially in the offensive zone. We’ve got to do a good job closing out in the corners and not allowing them to get out and make plays and find their third or fourth guy. That’s got to be an area for us to focus on: Being real hard defensively, and obviously not giving them odd-man looks and having good structure there. When we’re in our own zone, don’t spend a whole lot of time there and close down on them.
Rangers defenceman Marc Staal on facing the Leafs:
They’re a real structured team. They don’t give you much. There is a lot of interference and they try to slow you down. They’ve got some players that are really skilled and can make plays. We’re excited to get back at it here at home against a good team.
Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist on the season series so far against the Leafs (8-5 and 3-2 Toronto wins):
In the two games, they’ve used their speed and their transition game to hurt us a little bit. We need to be aware of it in tonight’s game.
Babcock on his team’s more balanced lineup and the advantages that presents:
Well, I just think that for sure that’s a plus for us. Earlier on, we weren’t getting points every night, or we were getting one not the second point. I thought we were doing a lot of good things but we weren’t scoring at all. Now that we’ve started to score again, guys get a little rhythm but we’re playing way quicker. Part of that is confidence, part of that is work ethic, part of that is personnel. The bottom line is, the faster we play, the more pressure we put on the other team.
Babcock on Kapanen and Dermott:
Well, obviously Kappy’s been up a number of times and was real important for us last year in the playoffs. I think you know he looks like an NHL player, looks to me like he’s bringing it every day. Dermott seems to be getting better and better each game. You know his skill set, his thinking, he can really move the puck, he can jump up and skate. His ability to sort it out in our end is what’s going to be measured over time — especially in games where the other team plays heavy and wears on you. So that’s just a matter of time.
Babcock on Justin Holl:
Hollsy did a real good job in exhibition this year, I thought he played strong. He’s done a good job in the American League and earned an opportunity. I thought he played well last night.
Babcock on Marlies call-ups creating competition for NHL spots:
Well, I think it’s real good and obviously that’s what we’re trying to do with the Marlies. We’re trying to have as deep an organization as we can and we want to bring the kids up when they’re ready. A lot of times in the NHL, we get them here before they’re ready and they get no confidence and then we’re not happy with them. If you get them here when they’re over ripe then they’ve got a better chance of staying and being confident players and scoring. And so that’s what we’re trying to do the best we possibly can. The more depth, the better.
We’re just like anybody else; we’re watching them. Hope is a wonderful thing but seeing the truth or the facts is right there. Now you’ve got to do it again though. So, last night’s over with. We’ve got a good team in the Rangers here. It’s a back-to-back night. We want to see the kind of energy and pace we can play with here tonight.
Matchup Stats
| TOR | NYR | |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 29-18-4 | 25-20-5 |
| GF/g | 3.13 (7th) | 3.00 (9th) |
| GA/g | 2.79 (14th) | 2.94 (20th) |
| PP% | 20.7% (9th) | 20.1% (13th) |
| PK% | 83.3% (5th) | 81.6% (15th) |
| Shots/g | 31.7 (17th) | 31.4 (18th) |
| Shots Against/g | 33.7 (28th) | 33.9 (29th) |
| 5v5 CF% | 49.8% (17th) | 46.2% (31st) |
| 5v5 SV% | .930 (10th) | .926 (15th) |
| 5v5 SH% | 8.9% (4th) | 8.1% (11th) |
Toronto Maple Leafs Projected Lineup
*We have added goal, assist, and point totals for each player below the lines. Total goals per line are indicated, too, as well as save percentage for goalies.
Forwards
Hyman – Matthews – Nylander
(52-9-18-27) – (43-23-16-39) – (51-10-27-37) Total: 42
Marleau – Kadri – Marner
(52-16-9-25) – (50-17-12-29) – (52-8-27-35) Total: 41
Van Riemsdyk – Bozak – Brown
(51-19-11-30) – (50-8-18-26) – (52-12-6-18) Total: 39
Komarov – Moore – Kapanen
(51-4-10-14) – (34-4-5-9) – (9-3-0-3) Total: 11
Defencemen
Gardiner – Zaitsev
(52-3-27-30) – (35-4-6-10) Total: 7
Dermott – Holl
(9-1-2-3) – (1-1-0-1) Total: 2
Borgman – Carrick
(47-3-8-11) – (33-3-4-7) Total: 6
Goaltenders
McElhinney (.925 sv%)
Andersen (.922 sv%)
Scratched: Martin, Leivo
Injured: Soshnikov, Rielly, Hainsey, Polak
New York Rangers Projected Lineup
Forwards
Nash – Zibanejad – Buchnevich
(50-15-10-25) – (41-14-14-28) – (49-13-19-32) Total: 42
Miller – Hayes – Zuccarello
(50-11-21-32) – (44-11-9-20) – (49-8-29-37) Total: 30
Grabner – Holland – Fast
(49-21-5-26) – (6-0-2-2) – (42-9-10-18) Total: 30
McLeod – Desharnais – Vesey
(23-1-1-2) – (47-5-17-22) – (50-10-7-17) Total: 16
Defencemen
McDonagh – Holden
(45-2-22-24) – (45-3-6-9) Total: 5
Skjei– Staal
(50-3-13-16) – (48-1-6-7) Total: 4
Smith – DeAngelo
(40-1-7-8) – (12-0-3-3) Total: 1
Goaltenders
Lundqvist (.922 sv%)
Pavelec (.907 sv%)
Injured: Kreider, Shattenkirk
