Jets at Rangers
The New York Rangers lost defenseman Dan Boyle to a broken right hand on opening night, and their power play has suffered in his absence. The Rangers host the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday having scored just twice in 23 man-advantage situations through nine games, yet have overcome the power-play struggles to win four of their past five. The Jets rebounded from dropping four of their first five contests to win three of four before falling 2-1 in a shootout Thursday at New Jersey on Thursday.
Even in the loss there was good news for Winnipeg, which saw forward Evander Kane play 17:07 in his return from a knee injury sustained in his first shift in the season opener. The Jets also seek a better performance on the power play, going 3-for-34 through 10 games. New York, which has not played since Monday’s 5-4 victory over Minnesota, learned Wednesday that defenseman John Moore has been suspended five games for a hit on the Wild's Erik Haula.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, SportsNet (Winnipeg), MSG (New York)
ABOUT THE JETS (4-5-1): Winnipeg hopes Kane’s return solidifies an offense that has mustered just 20 goals, but the Jets’ recent success can be traced in part to better play from goaltender Ondrej Pavelec. Since being pulled after two periods in an Oct. 24 loss to Tampa Bay, Pavelec has stopped 67 of 72 shots in his past three contests. Winnipeg coach Paul Maurice said the team’s recent strong play has helped lighten the mood after a rough start to the season, telling reporters “It’s important … that’s why you have to have stretches of good hockey.”
ABOUT THE RANGERS (5-4-0): New York ranks last in power-play opportunities, and coach Alain Vigneault admitted to reporters the lack of chances is not helping the team figure out combinations without point-man Boyle. “We’re not getting a lot, only one or two a game, so it’s tough to get into a rhythm,” Vigneault said. The Rangers have found ways to score, netting 14 goals in their past four contests and scoring a season-high five in the last outing.
OVERTIME
1. The Jets are 1-0-1 during a stretch in which they play nine of 11 on the road.
2. New York C Derek Stepan continues to recover after breaking his left leg in training camp; Stepan is eligible to come off injured reserve Monday.
3. Winnipeg D Zach Bogosian played 23:09 and recorded an assist Thursday in his return from an upper body injury.