Rangers at Predators
The New York Rangers will be well rested and coming off a rare December victory when they begin a three-game road trip against the Nashville Predators on Monday night. The Rangers, who have lost eight of 11 games (3-6-2) this month, defeated Anaheim 3-2 in overtime on Tuesday to end a three-game slide before taking several days off.
“This is a big break for us,” New York coach Alain Vigneault told reporters. “. … We’re going to come back focused and ready for a strong second-half push.” The Rangers knocked off Nashville 3-0 on Nov. 23 as Henrik Lundqvist notched one of his two shutouts this season. The Predators have been up and down since - going 6-6-3 - including a 3-2 loss to Detroit at home on Saturday. “It’s not good enough to sit here and say that we’re playing well,” Nashville captain Shea Weber told reporters. “It’s the wins that matter, especially when our division is so tight and with every other team winning.”
TV: 8 p.m. ET, TVAS, MSG (New York), FSN Tennessee (Nashville)
ABOUT THE RANGERS (20-12-4): Top-four defensemen Kevin Klein (oblique) and Daniel Girardi (knee) are closing in on a return to the lineup for the Rangers, who have surrendered 33 goals in the last seven games. Their offense has produced 23 goals in that span and Lundqvist (.947 save percentage career versus Nashville) has not been able to hold the fort, losing four of his last six decisions. Mats Zuccarello tops the Rangers in goals (15) and points (30) while Derick Brassard (28 points) is coming off a two-goal game.
ABOUT THE PREDATORS (17-12-6): Nashville has won two of the first three contests on its four-game homestand and is 39-14-7 at Bridgestone Arena over the past two seasons. Defensemen Roman Josi (26 points) and Weber (25, with six in the last four games) lead the Predators in scoring while left wing James Neal has a team-best 13 goals. Filip Forsberg is beginning to warm up with three goals and two assists in the past four contests and Mike Ribeiro is in the midst of a surge with five points in three games.
OVERTIME
1. The Rangers have won five of the last seven meetings, notching shutouts in three of those triumphs.
2. Nashville C Mike Fisher, who has been out since Dec. 1 with a lower-body injury, has been practicing and could return to the lineup Monday.
3. New York C Derek Stepan has not registered a point in three games since returning from injured reserve.