RANGERS (11-4-0) at OILERS (9-5-1)
9:30 p.m. ET; SN1, MSG, NHL.TV
Rangers team scope
Backup goaltender Antti Raanta is expected to start for the New York Rangers, who are playing their second game in two nights. The Rangers defeated the Calgary Flames 4-1 at Scotiabank Saddledome on Saturday for their sixth win in seven games, including a 5-3 victory against the Oilers at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 3. New York has scored an NHL-high 62 goals. "The Rangers, in my opinion, are if not the best team in the league, then one of the top two or three right now," Edmonton Oilers coach Todd McLellan said. "They've decided that they want to play a certain way and it matches the way the coaching staff attempts to play. They went out and got pieces that fit those holes and as a result, maybe some players that weren't successful with other organizations have come in there and fit their identity well and all of sudden, they're having success." Rookie forward Pavel Buchnevich has a four-game goal-scoring streak. J.T. Miller leads New York in scoring with 14 points (five goals) in 15 games, but the Rangers have 10 players with at least 10 points. "They're one of the best offensive teams in the game, if not the best one," Oilers captain Connor McDavid said. "I think you definitely have to watch out for that."
Oilers team scope
Former Rangers goaltender Cam Talbot will start against his old team when the Oilers try to end their first two-game losing streak of the season. Edmonton allowed a goal 28 seconds into a 3-2 loss against the Dallas Stars on Friday, and the Oilers have given up a goal within the first two minutes in four of their past six games. "We addressed it yesterday again, it's been addressed in the past, but hopefully, this time we can really come out at the drop of the puck and be ready," Talbot said. "We've given up some Grade A chances. We keep putting ourselves behind the eight ball and we always just seem to have to battle back. We'll be in much better business if we can start the game off on the right foot and not have to battle back after the first couple of minutes." The Oilers are expected to have forward Zack Kassian back in the lineup after he missed the past three games with a lower-body injury. "It's nice to be back," Kassian said. "It's one of those things where you never want to be injured, but it was small thing."
Rangers projected lineup
Jimmy Vesey -- Derek Stepan -- Rick Nash
Chris Kreider -- Mika Zibanejad -- Mats Zuccarello
Michael Grabner -- Kevin Hayes -- J.T. Miller
Pavel Buchnevich -- Brandon Pirri -- Jesper Fast
Antti Raanta
Scratched: Adam Clendening, Oscar Lindberg
Injured: Josh Jooris (upper body)
Oilers projected lineup
Patrick Maroon -- Connor McDavid -- Jordan Eberle
Benoit Pouliot -- Ryan Nugent-Hopkins -- Zach Kassian
Milan Lucic -- Leon Draisaitl -- Tyler Pitlick
Anton Lander -- Mark Letestu -- Anton Slepyshev
Andrej Sekera -- Matthew Benning
Cam Talbot
Scratched: Dillon Simpson, Jesse Puljujarvi
Injured: Drake Caggiula (hip), Matt Hendricks (lower body), Iiro Pakarinen (knee), Brandon Davidson (upper body), Mark Fayne (lower body), Kris Russell (lower body)
Status report
Raanta and Lundqvist were among the few Rangers on the ice Sunday morning. Lundqvist made 35 saves against the Flames … Puljujarvi is expected to be scratched if Kassian plays, although McLellan would not confirm the change The Oilers assigned forward Taylor Beck to Bakersfield of the American Hockey League to make room for Kassian.
Who's hot
Skjei has seven assists in his past seven games Fast has a goal and two assists in his past three games. Zibanejad has one goal and an assist in his past two games. … McDavid has five assists in his past three games. Pitlick has two goals in his past three games.
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