Rangers at Hurricanes
The New York Rangers continue to thrive off-Broadway and go for their sixth straight victory away from Madison Square Garden when they visit the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday night. The Rangers started their four-game road trip with a sweep of Tampa Bay and Florida on Monday and Tuesday to improve to an NHL-best 24-8-0 away from home.
New York snapped out of an offensive malaise in Tuesday's 5-2 win at Tampa Bay, marking only the second time in 11 games the team has scored more than two goals. Henrik Lundqvist, who beat Carolina twice in a five-day span from Nov. 29-Dec. 3, set a personal milestone Tuesday with his 404th career victory to take over possession of 10th place on the all-time list. “Of course, the big goal is to win (the Stanley Cup), but at the same time, you’ve got to enjoy the ride every season," Lundqvist said. "Every trip, every game is something special.” The ride may be over for Carolina, which has dropped 10 of its last 12 following Tuesday's loss at league-worst Colorado to fall 11 points out of the final playoff spot.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, MSG (New York), FSN Carolina
ABOUT THE RANGERS (43-22-2): Forward Tanner Glass, waived prior to the season and marooned with the New York's American Hockey League affiliate in Hartford, was recalled prior to the road trip and scored his first game in nearly a year against Tampa Bay. "It's been a tough year for me to say the least," Glass said. "As tough as it's been being (in Hartford) it's been just as good if not better coming up." The Rangers continue to flounder with the man advantage, going 0-for-26 in the past 10 games.
ABOUT THE HURRICANES (26-27-10): Defenseman Jaccob Slavin, who grew up in suburban Denver and played at Colorado College, provided one of the lone highlights by collecting an assist on Carolina's only goal versus the Avalanche. "It's really special growing up here watching the Avs play and growing up 30 minutes from here," Slavin said. "It's definitely really special to come back and play here at the Pepsi Center." Slavin has two assists in three games versus the Rangers this season.
OVERTIME
1. Lundqvist joined Martin Brodeur (14) and Patrick Roy (13) as the only goaltenders to win 30 games in 11 seasons.
2. Slavin is riding a career-high five-game point streak.
3. New York signed D Sean Day, a 2016 third-round pick, to a three-year entry level contract on Wednesday.