Hurricanes at Rangers
THE STORY: With their once-commanding lead in the Eastern Conference evaporating by the day, the New York Rangers put the brakes on a three-game skid with a dramatic overtime win over the New York Islanders on Sunday. Coming in the opener of a seven-game homestand was an added boost for the Rangers, who will look for a carry-over effect when they host the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday. New York has won four straight against Carolina, including all three meetings this season.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, NBCS, TSN2
ABOUT THE HURRICANES (26-28-15): Carolina's fading playoff hopes absorbed another hit with a 2-0 loss at Florida on Sunday to fall nine points behind eighth-place Washington. Goaltender Cam Ward, bidding for his 200th career win, allowed only one goal and made 31 saves. Ward has been shaky against the Rangers this season, losing all three decisions and twice allowing five goals. Captain Eric Staal needs one goal to reach 20 for the seventh straight season but has a six-game goalless drought.
ABOUT THE RANGERS (43-18-7): Marian Gaborik scored his team-high 33rd goal with only six seconds left in overtime to help New York maintain a four-point lead over the charging Pittsburgh Penguins. Brad Richards scored a pair of goals and assisted on Gaborik’s winning tally. All three goals came on the power play, an encouraging sign after the Rangers managed only one tally with the man advantage in the previous eight games. Richards has collected 10 points in his last nine games.
OVERTIME:
1. Gaborik has nine goals and nine assists in 17 games against the Hurricanes, including a pair of two-point games this season.
2. Rangers captain Ryan Callahan and defenseman Michael Del Zotto missed Sunday’s game and sat out practice Monday.
3. New York has outscored the Hurricanes 13-6 in the three meetings this season, but Carolina is 3-1-1 in the last five at Madison Square Garden.