Rangers at Oilers
Leon Draisaitl and captain Connor McDavid haven't been shy about producing points on the scoreboard for the Edmonton Oilers, who can use all they can get in the standings. The Oilers look to rebound after seeing their season high-tying four-game winning streak halted when they host the New York Rangers on Monday night.
Draisaitl and McDavid each assisted on Edmonton's two late goals in Saturday's 3-2 setback versus Toronto, with the former extending his career-high point streak to 13 games (nine goals, 11 assists) while the latter has at least a point in eight straight contests (two goals, 12 assists) in which he has played. McDavid, who has multi-assist performances in each of last four contests, scored and set up a goal in the Oilers' 2-1 victory over New York at Madison Square Garden on Oct. 13. While Edmonton resides seven points out of a final wild-card spot in the Western Conference, a six-game skid doused any remote ideas for a postseason berth by the staunchest Rangers fan prior to the team's 4-2 win over New Jersey on Saturday. "We've got 14 games to go and you can feel it in that locker room, winning feels way better than losing." Rangers coach David Quinn told reporters. "Obviously our situation is what it is, but we want to win hockey games."
TV: 9 p.m. ET, MSG (New York), Sportsnet West (Edmonton)
ABOUT THE RANGERS (28-28-12): Ryan Strome, who scored two goals and set up another versus the Devils, will get a look at his former team after he was traded from Edmonton for fellow forward Ryan Spooner on Nov. 16. Since that time, the 25-year-old Strome ranks third on New York in goals (12) and has 12 points (six goals, six assists) in his last 14 games overall. Vladislav Namestnikov secured his seventh three-point performance (one goal, two assists) on Saturday while boosting his point total to 11 (six goals, five assists) over his last dozen games.
ABOUT THE OILERS (30-31-7): Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored and set up a goal in the first meeting with the Rangers and has tallied in back-to-back games to boost his goal total to 24, which is two shy of a career high he initially set in 2014-15 and matched last season. Defenseman Oscar Klefbom scored his fourth goal in front of the home fans and for the fifth time this season overall, but he lamented the team coming up empty on all four opportunities with the man advantage. "At this time of the year, you have to be dialed in," the 25-year-old Swede told reporters. "Usually you only get one or two, but we had some opportunities (on Saturday). ... We have to take the finish here and focus on the next game."
OVERTIME
1. New York G Henrik Lundqvist, who owns a 5-3-2 lifetime mark with one shutout versus the Oilers, resides one win shy of 450 in his NHL career.
2. Edmonton RW Zack Kassian's availability is in question versus the Rangers after he and his wife Cassandra welcomed baby Ellery on Sunday morning.
3. Rangers D Kevin Shattenkirk has nine assists in his last dozen games.