RANGERS (42-24-8) at CANADIENS (34-35-6)
TV: 7 p.m. ET; NHLN, TVA Sports, SN, MSG 2
Season series: The Montreal Canadiens have won two games against the New York Rangers, though the second one proved costly. Montreal goalie Carey Price has not played since claiming his second win against New York in the Canadiens' 5-1 victory at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 25. Price, who won the Hart and Vezina trophies last season, sustained a lower-body injury and left after the second period. He shut out the Rangers in a 3-0 win at Bell Centre on Oct. 15.
Rangers team scope: Coach Alain Vigneault moved around a few of his lines at practice Friday, though he said the changes were not set in stone. Left wing Chris Kreider practiced with center Derrick Brassard and Nash shifted to right wing. Kevin Hayes moved to left wing on center Eric Staal's line for Jesper Fast, who moved to right wing from left wing on Brassard's line. With eight games remaining, the Rangers are in second place in the Metropolitan Division with 92 points. With back-to-back games this weekend, backup goalie Antti Raanta will start against Montreal, which is all but mathematically eliminated from the Stanley Cup Playoffs. "They may not be where they had hoped, but the Canadiens are a tough team and that's a tough building to play in," forward J.T. Miller told the Rangers website. New York's power play has scored eight goals in 28 opportunities for a 28.6 percent success rate since March 4.
Canadiens team scope: Injured defenseman P.K. Subban was among 12 players who took part in an optional practice Friday, but he said he will not be in the lineup. Subban will miss his eighth straight game because of a neck injury sustained March 10. "I don't think it's fair to the guys on the team that every day that I come off the ice it's asking questions of whether I'm coming back or not," Subban said. "I think when I'm back, I'll be back, and that's when the doctors and everybody collectively as a group feels comfortable with me getting back in a game. My trust is in them, that's my focus right now." Goalie Mike Condon will start. Defenseman Joel Hanley has two assists in each of his past two games since making his NHL debut Sunday. With four points in three games, Hanley's 1.33 points-per-game average placed him first in the League, ahead of Patrick Kane of the Chicago Blackhawks, who is averaging 1.24 points over 74 games. "Some of my friends showed me pictures and I don't know if I can brag much, it's only three games," said Hanley, who had five goals and eight assists in 61 games with St. John's of the American Hockey League.
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