Rangers at Maple Leafs
The New York Rangers have experienced a bit of a tumble by losing two straight decisions after winning 19 of their previous 23 contests. The Rangers look to snap their skid when they open a four-game road trip against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday. Chris Kreider, who tallied late in regulation in New York's 3-2 overtime loss to Dallas on Sunday, had an assist in a 6-3 season home-opening loss to Toronto on Oct. 12 before scoring and setting up a goal in a 5-4 setback on Nov. 8.
While the Rangers are experiencing some issues, the Maple Leafs were falling all over themselves during a franchise-record 11-game winless streak (0-10-1) before skating to a 5-1 rout of Edmonton on Saturday. "You definitely smile more and enjoy coming to the rink more when things are going your way," Toronto's Nazem Kadri told reporters on Monday. All-Star Phil Kessel scored his team-leading 21st goal in the Maple Leafs' first win since defeating Columbus on Jan. 9 and has recorded two tallies and two assists in the first two meetings with New York.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, MSG (New York), TSN4, TVA (Toronto)
ABOUT THE RANGERS (30-16-5): Coach Alain Vigneault did his best to wake his team from its slumber on Sunday, including sitting stars Rick Nash, Derek Stepan and Martin St. Louis late in the second period. "I mean, Rick hasn't had very many games this year where he’s been off, but sometimes it happens, and at that time, we had no puck possession," Vigneault told the New York Daily News. Nash has scored 33 goals to share the league lead with Washington's Alex Ovechkin and has tallied twice this season versus Maple Leafs.
ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (23-27-4): James Reimer has been confirmed to start on Tuesday after coming within 2.3 seconds of his first shutout of the season against the Oilers. "He's worked hard and deserves to go again," interim coach Peter Horachek said of Reimer, who made 24 saves in the teams' first meeting to improve to 2-1-1 lifetime versus New York. A potent power play also could benefit Toronto, which has scored with the man advantage in two straight contests following an 0-for-13 stretch and is 3-for-6 in two meetings with the Rangers.
OVERTIME
1. New York RW Mats Zuccarello, who scored and set up a goal in the last meeting with Toronto, has recorded one tally and five assists during his career high-tying five-game point streak.
2. Struggling Maple Leafs RW David Clarkson is expected to be a healthy scratch for the second straight game.
3. Rangers G Cam Talbot is expected to make his career-high fourth consecutive start on Tuesday.