6:41 PM: The Rangers are using the following lines in warmups (MSG):
- Chris Kreider, Mika Zibanejad, Jimmy Vesey
- Artemi Panarin, Filip Chytil, Kaapo Kakko
- Alexis Lafreniere, Vincent Trocheck, Barclay Goodrow
- Sammy Blais, Ryan Carpenter, Julien Gauthier
6:31 PM: Igor Shesterkin is in net. Ryan Lindgren is on the ice for warmups (MSG)
6PM: Gerard Gallant spoke prior to tonight’s game and said (NYR):
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- What is it about the Devils this year, “they are a fast, quick, real good hockey team, obviously, with their record, 18-4. They took off, have a lot of confidence and are playing great hockey. Every night they are playing real good, real fast and they aren’t lucky, they win games and deserve to be where they are at.”
- What does it look like when you are playing the right way this season, “When I watch these guys…they play real fast, forecheck real aggressive and when we are playing our best hockey…if there is a team that plays the way I want to play, it’s New Jersey, the way they are playing. Very aggressive with the forecheck, very fast and quick.”
- What do you see when it starts going like it did against the Oilers, “passive, slow, didn’t execute. It’s the same thing…like I said the other day, when we went home I watched the Florida game and Paul Maurice said the same thing after his game, they played really well for two periods, they got slow, the other team looked really fast and they started watching them play, no difference. We don’t know why it happens, no coach is saying to sit back and watch the other team. It happens and it’s disappointing, but you gotta get by it.”
- Is Chytil and Panarin something you want to see or about getting Panarin going, “It’s about making lines, it’s not about anybody. Making lines and trying to win.”
- What is the next step for Lafreniere to take, “I don’t want to compare him to Hughes, Hughes has been outstanding this year for them, he’s a great player, real talented player, he’s done a great job. Alexis is growing as a player for me, he plays a complete game. Would we like to see great numbers? Of course, hopefully that is the next step.”