After a string of really crappy games, the Rangers and Capitals meet for the first time since last spring’s seven-game playoff series (“All series, baby!”) with an early-November first place on the line.
The Capitals are 8-2, having won seven of eight; the Rangers 7-2-2, including 4-0-2 in the last six.
Alex (ASB!) Ovechkin is 5-7-12 in the early going, and is three goals short of tying Sergei Fedorov’s record for goals by a Russian-born player (483). But Ovechkin has had his challenges with Ryan McDonagh and Dan Girardi, who are reunited on the shutdown defense pair tonight. Ovechkin has just nine even-strength goals in his last 42 games (regular-season and playoffs) against the Rangers.
After playing just once in the previous eight days (a 3-1 win over Toronto on Friday), the Rangers start to get back to a normal schedule. After tonight they hit the road for a pair in Denver Friday, and in Glendale, Ariz., Saturday.
Emerson Etem and Dan Boyle (his second healthy scratch of the season) are out. Viktor Stalberg (concussion) and Dylan McIlrath (who has played just once) are in. With Girardi back to the first pair with McDonagh. Kevin Klein pairs with Marc Staal, and McIlrath is partnered with Keith Yandle.
Stalberg is expected to replace J.T.Miller on the third line, with Miller taking Etem’s spot on the fourth.
Henrik Lundqvist opposes Braden Holtby, we presume.
ICYMI, Alain Vigneault texted an apology to Mets manager Terry Collins for his joke about Yoenis Cespedes Monday. What a freakin’ overly-sensitive world this is.
Advance notice: We’re looking at a possible Live Chat Thursday, noon-ish.
Tonight’s probable lineup:
Nash-Brassard-Zuccarello.
Kreider-Stepan-Fast.
Lindberg-Hayes-Stalberg.
Stoll-Moore-Miller.
McDonagh-Girardi.
Staal-Klein.
Yandle-McIlrath.
Lundqvist/Raanta.
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