Lightning at Rangers
Ryan Callahan haunted his former team in their first two meetings and the Tampa Bay Lightning right wing looks to continue that success when he visits the New York Rangers on Monday. Callahan, acquired from the Rangers in a deal for Martin St. Louis at the trade deadline last season, posted four goals and an assist in two wins over New York within 10 days. The Rangers’ only losses among their last six games have come against Tampa Bay, including a 5-1 rout at home Nov. 17.
New York must contain the line of Callahan, captain Steven Stamkos and Alex Killorn which has combined for seven goals and eight assists during a three-game winning streak. One big plus for the Rangers is the return of captain and top-pair defenseman Ryan McDonagh, who missed the two games against the Lightning with a shoulder injury. McDonagh returned from an 11-game absence to record two assists as New York swept Philadelphia Friday and Saturday.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, NHL Network, SNET-Ontario, SNET-Pacific, Sun Sports (Tampa Bay), MSG (New York)
ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (16-6-2): Defenseman Victor Hedman also plays his first game in the Rangers-Lightning series this season after returning from a fractured finger that kept him out 18 games. “It was a good step in the right direction,” Hedman told reporters after registering a plus-2 rating while logging 19:55 in the 4-1 victory over Ottawa on Saturday. Hedman moved back beside Anton Stralman on the top pair while Matt Carle was paired with Radko Gudas, who he played with most of last season.
ABOUT THE RANGERS (11-8-4): St. Louis was held without a shot in his first game back in Tampa Bay last Wednesday, but recorded a goal and an assist in the 3-0 victory over Philadelphia on Friday to reach 1,000 points in his career. Derick Brassard, who has four points in the last four games, scored twice in the 5-2 triumph over the Flyers on Saturday. Left wing Rick Nash boasts four goals during a five-game point streak and has a plus-5 rating during that span since posting a minus-3 against Tampa Bay on Nov. 17.
OVERTIME
1. Tampa Bay G Ben Bishop is 7-0-0 with a .953 save percentage in his career against the Rangers, allowing four goals in two games this season.
2. New York has scored a power-play goal in six of its last seven games and is 6-of-26 overall in that span.
3. Killorn looks to extend a career-best, seven-game point streak which includes five goals in the last six contests.