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Rangers face Devils at MSG, Matt Rempe expected to be in lineup |
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The Rangers meet the Devils in what should be must see TV. All the key boxes are checked. Nationally televised game, check. Both team’s coming off bad losses to the Penguins, check. One team’s playoff hopes hanging by a thread, check. Pent up anger and frustration with the potential for it to blow up, check.
Rangers lines vs. Devils:
Kreider-Zibanejad-Roslovic
Panarin-Trocheck-Lafrenière
Cuylle-Wennberg-Kakko
Vesey-Goodrow-Rempe
Lindgren-Fox
Miller-Trouba
Gustafsson-Schneider
Quick
Shesterkin
Scratches: Brodzinski, Jones, Ruhwedel
LTIR: Chytil, Wheeler
New Jersey is six points back of Washington for the second Wild Card spot with seven games to go. The Caps also have a game in hand, adding to the difficulty of the Devils task. Making the playoffs, especially after blowing a two-goal third period lead to the Penguins on Tuesday, is an unlikely occurrence but they have yet to be formally eliminated.
The above is one story, though most likely not the main one. All signs point to Matt Rempe getting back in the lineup. In the two prior contests against NJ, Rempe did not finish the game. In the first, he received a match penalty for his hit on Nathan Bastian. In the second, he declined to fight Kurtis McDermid early on the advice of his coach. Later, his ill-advised elbow to the chin of Jonas Siegenthaler on March 11 forced the Devils blueliner from the game and earned Rempe another match penalty.
MacDermid has been dealing with a back injury but he is expected to play. Siegenthaler returned to action three games ago. Anyone not think that Rempe will have to answer the bell? My hope is that he gets it out of the way on his first or second shift so that that it doesn’t carry forward and permeate the entire game.
Rempe is expected to play in place of Jonny Brodzinski. Yesterday, all signs pointed to Will Cuylle being the one to wear a suit in the press box. Now, Cuylle looks to be moving from the fourth to the third line in place of Brodzinski with Rempe sliding into Cuylle’s spot on the bottom trio.
On defense, Erik Gustafsson is expected to be back in the lineup after missing four games following getting hit in the chin by Sam Reinhart. Zac Jones, who MRE than deserves to remain active, will be the Blueliner scratched along with Chad Ruhwedel. Jacob Trouba, who was effusive in admitting his mistakes Monday, needs to be a lot better tonight. If he and K’Andre Miller can’t handle the Jack Hughes line, then coach Peter Laviolette will need to change the matchups or separate the two.
Igor Shesterkin will be in net. I expect Jonathan Quick to play Friday in Detroit. If not, then likely Sunday against Montreal. Shesterkin will need to be up to the task against what should be a desperate opponent.
New York still has a three-point divisional lead over Carolina, but each team now has seven games remaining. Boston, by virtue of their win yesterday, is a point back of New York to lead the conference, but they have played one more contest. The Stars are also just one point shy of the Rangers and also have seven games remaining. The impact of Monday’s loss can be seen here.
New York Rangers Blogger • 
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