Rangers at Red Wings
Henrik Lundqvist ended a dispiriting stretch last time out and the veteran goalie looks to build off that effort when his New York Rangers visit the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday afternoon. Lundqvist, who allowed 20 goals in his previous four contests, turned aside 23-of-25 shots in a 5-2 victory at Toronto on Friday as the Rangers snapped a three-game slide.
“I think it was a big game for me,” Lundqvist, who has a disappointing .902 save percentage this season, told reporters. “Sometimes a win means a little bit more and you enjoy it a little bit extra.” New York did a better job in front of Lundqvist on Friday as well and hopes for more of the same when it faces a Detroit squad that boasts points in four straight (3-0-1), but coughed up a late lead and lost 3-2 in overtime at Buffalo on Friday. The Red Wings also have a goalie on the rebound as Petr Mrazek earned them three points in the last two games with performances that were better than the statistics (57 saves, 62 shots). “He looks like he’s on top of his game. He’s got a swagger,” Detroit coach Jeff Blashill told reporters of Mrazek. “I think he’s certainly trending in the right direction.”
TV: 12:30 p.m. ET, NBC
ABOUT THE RANGERS (29-16-1): Michael Grabner continues to be one of the best free-agent signings after last season with 21 goals – the second-most in his career behind the 34 he posted with the New York Islanders in 2010-11. “He’s been one of our best players all year,” New York forward J.T. Miller told reporters. “He scores a lot of goals for us at some big times.” Grabner scored twice against Toronto and stands sixth on the team with 29 points as fellow forwards Derek Stepan and Mats Zuccarello (six assists in the last four games) lead the way with 36.
ABOUT THE RED WINGS (20-19-7): If Detroit is going to make a playoff run, it will have to find answers on the power play which stands last in the league at 11.5 percent and has converted only five times in 75 tries since Dec. 1. All-Star Frans Nielsen scored with the man advantage Friday, but the Red Wings failed with a 4-on-3 power play in overtime. Forward Thomas Vanek saw his seven-game point streak end Friday, but has five goals and five assists in the last eight to tie captain Henrik Zetterberg for the team lead in points with 31 – five better than Nielsen.
OVERTIME
1. Detroit F Darren Helm scored in his return to the lineup Friday after missing the previous 28 games with a shoulder injury.
2. New York F Pavel Buchnevich boasts six goals and six assists during an eight-game point streak that straddles a two-month stretch when he was injured.
3. The Red Wings are 4-1-2 in the last seven meetings with the Rangers, including a 2-1 victory at New York on Oct. 19.