Rangers at Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins have looked like a different team since the calendar turned to 2018 and hope to continue their strong play when they host the scuffling New York Rangers for a key Metropolitan Division battle on Sunday. The Penguins are 4-1-0 in January, recording a total of 19 goals in the victories after rolling past Detroit 4-1 on Saturday.
“It’s always fun when you win and you have more confidence,” Pittsburgh center Evgeni Malkin told reporters after registering two goals and two assists on Saturday. “Your game is better. The mood is better. Now, we’re feeling so much better. … Now, just stay the same and stay on the same level.” New York is tied with the Penguins at 49 points with two games in hand after dropping three of its last four, including Saturday's embarrassing 7-2 setback against the cross-town Islanders. The Rangers have managed just 16 goals over their last nine contests (3-4-2), with several players going through scoring droughts, and allowed 14 tallies in their last three losses. “We need everybody buying in,” New York captain Ryan McDonagh told reporters. “Right now, we don’t want it. Fortunately, we get an opportunity (Sunday). If we do the same thing, it’s going to be the same result.”
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network
ABOUT THE RANGERS (22-16-5): New York has not received much help from its power play, which has gone 3-for-30 over the last 10 games despite converting one of its three opportunities on Saturday. Leading scorer Mats Zuccarello (32 points) recorded his 200th career assist against the Islanders but owns a minus-9 rating over his last eight games, while J.T. Miller has been kept off the scoresheet in four straight contests. Henrik Lundqvist's off-day was interrupted as he came on after starter Ondrej Pavelec was pulled and turned aside 16-of-18 shots.
ABOUT THE PENGUINS (23-19-3): Phil Kessel pulled within one point of 700 for his career (team-leading 50 this season) with a goal and two assists on Saturday while Malkin has netted five tallies and set up three others over his last three contests. Captain Sidney Crosby remained red-hot Saturday with two points, giving him nine in his last three games and 398 career goals. Matt Murray is away from the team for personal reasons, but backup Tristan Jarry continued to shine, making 29 saves against the Red Wings to earn the team a point for the 10th time in 13 decisions (8-3-2).
OVERTIME
1. New York C Mika Zibanejad registered his third goal in four games Saturday and has 14 overall, placing him second on the team behind RW Michael Grabner (18).
2. The Penguins are 7-for-15 on the power play and 17-for-18 (after going 6-for-6 over the final three games of December) on the penalty kill this month.
3. The Rangers posted a 4-3 victory on their last trip to Pittsburgh on Dec. 5 as Zuccarello notched two points and are 2-0-2 in the last four meetings.