Rangers at Coyotes
The New York Rangers routinely have been around the high-water mark with their offense this season while the Arizona Coyotes' limited goal production has often left them dehydrated in the desert. The high-octane Rangers will look for more of the same on both fronts Thursday when they open a brief two-game road trip against the cellar-dwelling Coyotes at Gila River Arena.
Derek Stepan scored twice to extend his point streak to four games (four goals, three assists) on Tuesday as New York posted its fourth win in six outings with a 4-3 triumph over Ottawa. The 26-year-old Stepan has turned it on with 14 of his team-leading 28 points in 13 games in December for New York, which ranks third in the NHL at 3.27 goals per game. Arizona resides at the other end of the table as its 2.11 goals per contest rates second-to-last in the league. "When you're not scoring, your margin for error is very slim. It's part of where we are as a team," said coach Dave Tippett said, whose team has dropped five straight and mustered just 27 goals in its last 15 games (3-9-3).
TV: 9 p.m. ET, MSG (New York), FSN Arizona-Plus
ABOUT THE RANGERS (24-12-1): New York didn't acquire Nick Holden in a 2016 draft-day trade with Colorado for his offensive skills, but Christmas came early this season for the club. The 29-year-old Holden recorded his third career multi-goal performance versus the Senators to increase his goal total to six, tops among the team's defensemen. "My game is not scoring," said Holden, who has six points (three goals, three assists) in his last nine games. "I like to play well defensively. I was just happy with the way the team responded."
ABOUT THE COYOTES (11-19-5): Former Rangers forward Anthony Duclair's sophomore season saw a rare ray of sunshine as he scored for the first time in 22 games in Tuesday's 3-2 setback versus Dallas. "It's just been so long. I was using a new stick, so I had to give some love," said the 21-year-old Duclair, who promptly kissed his stick after netting his second goal and sixth point this season. The reduced offensive production is a far cry from his 2015-16 totals, as Duclair scored 20 goals and set up 24 others as the upstart Coyotes remained in the discussion for a wild-card berth late into the season.
OVERTIME
1. Coyotes veteran RW Radim Vrbata scored his ninth goal for his team-leading 23rd point on Tuesday and tallied twice in his last encounter with the Rangers.
2. With New York's Henrik Lundqvist battling the flu, fellow G Antti Raanta likely will receive his second straight start and looks to improve upon a 3-0-1 mark and 1.47 goals-against average in four career encounters against Arizona.
3. Coyotes G Mike Smith is just 5-10-2 with a 2.94 GAA in 18 career meetings with the Rangers.