The Rangers find themselves in uncharted waters, trailing in a series for the first time this postseason. If you want to be pessimistic, they’ve lost 3 of their last 4 postseason games. If you want to be positive, they weren’t ever out of Game 1, even if they were never truly in it.
Remember, Florida needed an own goal and a bad goal to put the Rangers away, despite the Blueshirts being nowhere near their best. The effort wasn’t the question, it was the execution.
There are likely a few lineup changes tonight, but they won’t be confirmed until just before puck drop.
If you missed our previews, check them out: Stats preview. Systems preview. Goaltending preview. Keys to victory.
Panthers Lines
Vladimir Tarasenko-Aleksander Barkov-Sam Reinhart
Carter Verhaeghe-Sam Bennett-Matt Tkachuk
Eetu Luostarinen-Anton Lundell-Evan Rodrigues
Ryan Lomberg-Kevin Stenlund-Nick Cousins
Gustav Forsling-Aaron Ekblad
Niko Mikkola-Brandon Montour
Oliver Ekman-Larsson-Dimitriy Kulikov
Sergei Bobrovsky gets the start
Rangers Lines
Artemi Panarin-Vincent Trocheck-Alexis Lafreniere
Chris Kreider-Mika Zibanejad-Filip Chytil
Will Cuylle-Alex Wennberg-Jack Roslovic
Jimmy Vesey-Barclay Goodrow-Matt Rempe
Ryan Lindgren-Adam Fox
K’Andre Miller-Jacob Trouba
Erik Gustafsson-Braden Schneider
Igor Shesterkin gets the start
Injuries: None (technically)
Crazy Prediction: The Rangers get enough shots on net that the broadcast stops harping on it.
Game time is 8pm.
