Metro Showdown; Penguins Game 18 vs. Rangers: Lines, Notes & How to Watch

The Pittsburgh Penguins (9-8-0) play their traditional Thanksgiving Eve home game Wednesday, against the Metropolitan Division leaders, the New York Rangers (12-3-1).

The Penguins are coming off a 3-0 win Sunday over the defending Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights.

The Rangers had their 11-game point streak (10-0-1) broken Tuesday in a 6-3 loss against the Stars in Dallas.

Penguins Game Time

The game starts a little after 7 p.m.

Penguins Preview

The Penguins got a boost in the win over Vegas, but now new questions have cropped up.

With Tuesday’s practice came injury news. Winger Rickard Rakell and defenseman Chad Ruhwedel went on IR. Winger Bryan Rust was being evaluated for an injury, and on Wednesday coach Mike Sullivan said Rust is out for the Rangers game and is day to day because of a lower-body injury. So the Penguins recalled forwards Alex Nylander and Jansen Harkins, and officially recalled defenseman John Ludvig from a conditioning assignment. They also signed defenseman Dmitri Samorukov.

While there might have been some sentiment to go with goalie Alex Nedeljkovic, who, fresh of the long-term IR, started Sunday and got the 38-save shutout against Vegas, Sullivan confirmed that Tristan Jarry, who has struggled with some inconsistency, will be in net Wednesday.

Read more:

Kingerski: Penguins Battling Themselves; Can They Adapt?

Molinari: Why has Penguins’ 2^nd Line Lost its Scoring Touch?

The Rangers expressed frustration after the loss Tuesday at Dallas, and not just because their impressive point streak ended.

New York took a 2-0 lead, then watched the Stars score six unanswered goals.

The Rangers outscored their opponents 41-23 during their point streak.

Expected Penguins Lines

This is TBD given the injuries and roster moves

Defense

Ryan Graves-Kris Letang

Marcus Pettersson-Erik Karlsson

Ryan Shea-TBD

Goalies

Tristan Jarry

Alex Nedeljkovic

Expected Rangers Lines

Chris Kreider-Mika Zibanejad-Blake Wheeler

Artemi Panarin-Vincent Trochek-Alexis Lafreniere

Will Cuylle-Nick Bonino-Kaapo Kakko

Jimmy Vesey-Barclay Goodrow-Tyler Pitlick

Defense

K’Andre Miller-Jacob Trouba

Ryan Lindgren-Erik Gustafsson

Zac Jones-Braden Schneider

Goalies

Igor Shesterkin

Jonathan Quick

Penguins Special Teams

Penguins power play: 15.2%, 25th

Penguins penalty kill: 84.9%, 9th

Rangers power play: 32.7%, 2nd

Rangers penalty kill: 83.7%, 12th

Penguins Game Notes

The Penguins are 13-7-3 in their past 23 games against the Rangers, 17-9-3 in their past 29 games in the series.

Four of Erik Karlsson’s five goals and four of Reilly Smith’s six goals have come in the first period.

Sidney Crosby’s 12 goals are two off the NHL lead. He will be looking to start a new point streak after his 11-gamer was halted Sunday.

Crosby was named the league’s third star of the week for last week after he had five goals, two assists in four games.

Jake Guentzel has an eight-game point streak (4 goals, 8 assists).

Only Vancouver (45), the Los Angeles Kings (45) and Detroit Red Wings (44) have more 5-on-5 goals than the Penguins’ 43.

How to Watch the Game

TV: SportsNet Pittsburgh

Radio: 105.9 FM The X