Music: {allcanada} RANGERS (47-21-7) at JETS (39-25-12)

Monday, March 30, 2015

{allcanada} RANGERS (47-21-7) at JETS (39-25-12)

Amazon.ca - Angelina Jolie - Britney Spears - Colin Farrell

Tuesday, March 31, 2015

8:00 PM ET

RANGERS (47-21-7) at JETS (39-25-12)

TV: MSG, TSN3

Season series: The Winnipeg Jets defeated New York Rangers 1-0 in a shootout at Madison Square Garden five months ago. Former Jet Evander Kane scored the game-deciding goal, and goaltender Ondrej Pavelec had a 38-save shutout.

Rangers team scope: The Rangers begin a two-game Central Division road trip having lost two games in a row. Goaltender Henrik Lundqvist is expected to make his second start since returning from a vascular injury, according to Newsday. The Rangers have allowed nine goals in their past two games; before that, they had allowed 10 goals in their previous five games. New York has a six-point lead on the Pittsburgh Penguins for first place in the Metropolitan Division. The Rangers assigned defenseman Chris Summers to Hartford of the American Hockey League on Monday, meaning that Matt Hunwick is ready to return. The power play is 2-for-33 in its past 15 games; in that same span, the penalty kill has stopped 44 of 48 opposing opportunities. The Rangers' 24 road wins (24-11-2) tie them with the Anaheim Ducks for the NHL lead. Before a 4-2 road loss against the Boston Bruins on Saturday in Lundqvist's return, the Rangers had won six consecutive road games. New York finishes its two-game trip Thursday against the Minnesota Wild.

Jets team scope: Injured center Bryan Little (upper body) could return after missing 11 games. Coach Paul Maurice said Little will make the final decision on whether he plays and would return to the top line if he does play, according to the Jets website. It is expected that Pavelec will start. After a 4-3 home loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday, the Jets hold the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference and trail Minnesota by three points. The loss to Chicago ended a four-game home winning streak. Winnipeg is 12-3-2 in its past 17 home games. Defenseman Dustin Byfuglien has three goals in his past two games since returning from a nine-game absence because of an upper-body injury. After this game, the Jets are off until Saturday when they finish their four-game homestand against the Vancouver Canucks.

Team Stats