Rangers at Penguins
The New York Rangers attempt to put an end to their first winless streak of the season when they visit the Metropolitan Division-rival Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday for the opener of a home-and-home series. New York failed to follow a loss with a victory for the first time in 2016-17 on Sunday as it dropped a 3-2 decision to visiting Florida in a shootout after squandering a pair of leads.
One positive the Rangers can take from the setback was the play of Chris Kreider, who scored the opening goal in his second game back from an upper-body injury to end his nine-game drought. Pittsburgh returns home from a disappointing 1-1-1 road trip on which it was held to one goal twice and scored five overall. Captain Sidney Crosby remained hot offensively, however, recording the lone tally - No. 350 in his career - to give him one in four of his last five contests and 12 overall on the season - tying him with Winnipeg rookie Patrik Laine for the league lead. The 29-year-old Crosby also grabbed a share of first on the Penguins in scoring, pulling even with Evgeni Malkin and Phil Kessel at 16 points.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, MSG (New York), ROOT (Pittsburgh)
ABOUT THE RANGERS (13-5-1): Mika Zibanejad has recorded a point in three straight games and five of his last six but could be out of the lineup after suffering a lower-body injury early in overtime of his 300th career contest on Sunday. The 23-year-old from Sweden, who is third on the team in scoring with 15 points, appeared to hurt either his left foot or leg when he fell awkwardly into the end boards. Josh Jooris returned to the lineup against Florida after missing 11 games with a shoulder injury and registered three shots in 8 minutes, 49 seconds of ice time.
ABOUT THE PENGUINS (11-4-3): Malkin helped set up Crosby's milestone goal on Saturday, ending his second two-game point drought of the season. The two-time Art Ross Trophy winner has gone three contests without a goal, matching the barren stretch he endured from Oct. 15-18. Chris Kunitz has notched three assists in his last two games and hasn't been kept off the scoresheet in consecutive contests since a four-game drought from Oct. 18-25.
OVERTIME
1. Rangers captain Ryan McDonagh has led the team in ice time in each of the team's first 19 games this season.
2. Pittsburgh has had 22 skaters suit up this season and only two have failed to record a point.
3. New York RW Pavel Buchnevich (back) missed his fourth consecutive contest Sunday while G Henrik Lundqvist appeared in the 700th of his career, meaning backup Antti Raanta could be in net versus the Penguins.