Rangers at Capitals
New York Rangers defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk didn't take too kindly to the remarks of Washington Capitals coach Barry Trotz, who said that "everybody thought of him as a (Nos.) 1 or 2, and he really wasn't. He was a little lower." Shattenkirk aims to show his former coach a thing or two on Friday when the Rangers visit the Capitals.
Shattenkirk admitted that "it doesn't sit well" to hear Trotz's comments following his abbreviated stay in Washington last spring, but the 28-year-old insists he's more concerned about this season. Shattenkirk set up a goal in New York's 4-2 win over Pittsburgh on Tuesday for his 13th point (three goals, 10 assists) in the last 16 games. Like the Rangers, the Capitals have won six of their last seven overall following Wednesday's 6-2 rout of Chicago. Captain Alex Ovechkin (one goal, three assists) and new linemate Tom Wilson (two goals, two assists) each registered four-point performances as Washington improved to 7-1-1 in its last nine contests at Capital One Arena and 3-1-0 on its season-high five-game homestand.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, NHL Network, MSG (New York), Sportsnet, TVAS, NBCSN Washington
ABOUT THE RANGERS (15-10-2): After recording his 100th career assist on Tuesday, Chris Kreider can secure yet another milestone as he remains one goal shy of 100 and one point short of 200 for his career. The 26-year-old Kreider has joined linemates David Desharnais and Pavel Buchnevich in posting 13 points (five goals, eight assists) over his last three games, with at least one of the three players netting a goal in each contest. Desharnais has one goal and four assists during his three-game point streak while Buchnevich has two goals and two assists in his last three contests.
ABOUT THE CAPITALS (17-11-1): Ovechkin has scored eight goals and set up four others in his last seven games, including tallies in three straight. Fellow forward Brett Connolly also has scored in three consecutive contests, with his last two coming on the power play. Evgeny Kuznetsov has four goals and an assist during his four-game point streak, which is one shy of the five-game run by Nicklas Backstrom from Oct. 7-14 in which the Swede collected 11 points (three goals, eight assists).
OVERTIME
1. Washington's Andre Burakovsky is poised to return from a 20-game absence due to a broken thumb, although fellow F T.J. Oshie is expected to miss Friday's tilt with an upper-body injury.
2. New York F Mats Zuccarello has collected a point in six of the last seven games, totaling five goals and three assists in that stretch.
3. Capitals G Holtby is 4-1-0 with a .932 save percentage in his last five starts.