Goaltending match-up: Henrik Lundqvist (28/33, .848 SV%) vs. Dan Ellis (30/32, .938 SV%)
Combos: Sean Avery – Vinny Prospal – Marian Gaborik/ Brandon Dubinsky – Artem Anisimov – Ryan Callahan/ Wojtek Wolski – Derek Stepan – Mats Zuccarello/ Ruslan Fedotenko – Brian Boyle – Brandon Prust/ Marc Staal – Dan Girardi/ Ryan McDonagh – Mike Sauer/ Bryan McCabe – Matt Gilroy
Scratches: Christensen, Eminger, Biron
Top PP times: McCabe (4:26), Callahan (3:44), Gilroy (2:51), Dubinsky (2:39), Prospal (2:36), Gaborik (2:36)
Trending: Brandon Dubinsky (1G, -4, 6 SOG) got the Rangers on the board tonight and moved himself into new career high territory in the process. He had 44 points coming in, same as last year. He had 40, 41 and 44 points in his prior three seasons and this year his game clearly went to a new level. Ryan Callahan (1A, -4, 4 SOG) has crushed last year’s totals on a per-game basis, while Artem Anisimov (1A, -2, 2 PIM, 1:07 PP, 1 SOG) added to the four points in four March games he had before tonight. This was Marian Gaborik’s (1G, 3 SOG) second game back and first time with pointage. Vinny Prospal (1A, 1 SOG) has points in all five games this month and Derek Stepan (1A, 1:28 PP, 1 SOG) had eight points in 16 GP before tonight.
Combos: Bobby Ryan – Ryan Getzlaf – Corey Perry/ Brandon McMillan – Saku Koivu – Teemu Selanne/ Brad Winchester – Todd Marchant – Dan Sexton/ Jarkko Ruutu – Kyle Chipchura – Sheldon Brookbank/ Lubomir Visnovsky – Toni Lydman/ Francois Beauchemin – Luca Sbisa/ Andreas Lilja – Cam Fowler
Scratches: Parros, Sutton, Blake
Top PP times: Selanne (3:30), Visnovsky (3:29), Perry (3:13), Getzlaf (3:13), Fowler (3:12)
Trending: Lubomir Visnovsky (2G, 1A, +5, 5 SOG) already had a 3G, 1A effort two games ago. En fuego. What are the odds that one or all of Corey Perry (2G, 1A, +3, 5 SOG), Bobby Ryan (1G, 3A, +4, 2 PIM, 2:00 PP, 2 SOG) or Ryan Getzlaf (1A, +3, 2 SOG) won’t make a box score appearance on any given night? They were playing the domination game tonight. Teemu Selanne (1A, +1, 3 SOG) had 15 points in 14 GP coming in here, while Saku Koivu (1A, +1, 2:17 PP, 1 SOG) made his return to active duty here.