RANGERS (17-9-1) at JETS (13-13-3)
8 p.m. ET; TSN3, MSG, NHL.TV
Rangers team scope
New York Rangers forward Rick Nash (groin) will miss a week after he was injured during a 4-2 loss to the New York Islanders on Tuesday. Forward Jimmy Vesey (upper body) did not practice Wednesday but made the trip to Winnipeg. Forward Matt Puempel (concussion) is out indefinitely. "I just think this is part of the NHL and it is what it is, and it's there and you deal with it," coach Alain Vigneault told the Rangers website Wednesday. "You get a lot of players at different times that wish they could get more ice time to prove they could have a bigger role and do more. No bigger time than the present now." One of those players is forward Oscar Lindberg, who has an assist in 12 games. "There's going to be more ice time, obviously, when guys go down and I think that's when you have to show that you have to earn your ice time," Lindberg said. "I'm trying to work hard and trying to get better every game." The Rangers lead the NHL with 3.59 goals per game.
Jets team scope
Winnipeg Jets forward Mark Scheifele returns after missing three games with a lower-body injury. "It was kind of something that wasn't really healing as well as I thought and it was king of just day by day, wake up and see how you feel and go on the ice and if it feels good enough to play then OK and if not, then no," Scheifele said. "It was a bit of a battle every day not knowing what was going to happen. But I'm happy to feel good today and be ready to play tonight." Scheifele leads the Jets with 26 points (13 goals, 13 assists). The Jets are 4-1-1 in their past six games after losing their previous five. Forward Patrik Laine's 17 goals are tied with Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby for the League lead. "I don't think about scoreboards early or whatever," Laine said. "I know I am on top of the scores. It's nice to be there. I've worked really hard to be there. The hardest thing is to stay there. I need to work hard and play well as a team to stay there."
Rangers projected lineup
Chris Kreider -- Derek Stepan -- Mats Zuccarello
Brandon Pirri -- Kevin Hayes - J.T. Miller
Michael Grabner -- Oscar Lindberg -- Jesper Fast
Nicklas Jensen -- Josh Jooris -- Marek Hrivik
Scratched: Adam Clendening
Injured: Pavel Buchnevich (lower body), Mika Zibanejad (lower body), Rick Nash (groin), Matt Puempel (concussion), Jimmy Vesey (upper body)
Jets projected lineup
Nikolaj Ehlers -- Bryan Little -- Patrik Laine
Drew Stafford -- Mark Scheifele -- Blake Wheeler
Mathieu Perreault -- Adam Lowry -- Marko Dano
Brandon Tanev -- Andrew Copp -- Chris Thorburn
Josh Morrissey -- Dustin Byfuglien
Scratched: Kyle Connor, Mark Stuart, Alexander Burmistrov
Injured: Joel Armia (lower body), Shawn Matthias (lower body), Tyler Myers (lower body), Nic Petan (lower body)
Status report
The Rangers did not skate Thursday. … Grabner is expected to play after missing one game to attend his grandmother's funeral. … The Rangers called up Jensen from Hartford of the American Hockey League on Wednesday. … Burmistrov skated as the 13th forward after sustaining a lower-body injury Tuesday.
Who's hot
Kreider has two goals and two assists in his past four games. … Raanta is 5-1-0 with a 2.05 goals-against average and .934 save percentage in seven starts. … Laine has five goals and two assists in his past seven games. … Byfuglien has a goal and five assists in his past five games. ... Wheeler has one goals and six assists in a six-game point streak.
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