Following Blake Wheeler's impressive two-goal performance against the Seattle Kraken, the New York Rangers are set to visit T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on January 18 where they will face off against the Vegas Golden Knights. The teams will meet for the first time this season.
The Rangers currently lead the Metropolitan Division with a record of 28-13-2, while the Golden Knights rank second in the Pacific Division with a record of 25-14-5.
In their last 10 games, the Rangers racked up a 4-5-1 record and averaged three goals, 4.9 assists, 3.2 penalties, and 6.7 penalty minutes while conceding an average of three goals per game. Meanwhile, the Golden Knights tallied a 4-6-0 record, averaging two goals, 3.4 assists, 3.8 penalties, and 9.5 penalty minutes per game.
In terms of goal differential, New York holds the eighth spot in the league with +21. Vegas trails behind with a goal differential of +17, sitting at No. 11 in the league.
For this upcoming game, the Rangers will enter the rink as the favored team to win. Throughout this season, the Rangers have been favorites in 35 games, out of which they have won 23. On the other hand, the Golden Knights played as underdogs 13 times over the season, and have won seven of those games.
Players to watch out for
Winger Artemi Panarin stands as the leading force for New York, contributing significantly with an impressive total of 59 points this season, which includes 27 goals and 32 assists.
Center Vincent Trocheck is a consistent key contributor, making his mark in 43 games with 14 goals and 30 assists. Another center Mika Zibanejad, over 42 games, has contributed 14 goals and 27 assists.
On the defensive front, goaltender Igor Shesterkin has recorded 728 saves with a .905 save percentage, ranking 34th in the league.
Turning to Vegas’ offense, right wing Mark Stone takes the spotlight with 15 goals and 29 assists, fueling the team's offense with a total of 44 points this season, averaging one point per game.
Center Jack Eichel has also been a significant contributor to Vegas, racking up 44 points in the season through 19 goals and 25 assists. Another center William Karlsson has added 32 points to Vegas's tally with 15 goals and 17 assists. However, according to the Golden Knights’ latest injury report, both Eichel and Karlsson are listed as out due to a lower body injury.
"He's going to miss a little bit of time," said Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy about Eichel last week. "But I don't know how much time. Obviously, not good news for us or Jack. But we'll see how it plays out."
Goaltender Logan Thompson has shown solid defensive prowess, making 690 saves while allowing 70 goals, maintaining a goals-against average of 2.7. His save percentage stands at .909, ranking 28th in the league.
Injury update
The Golden Knights and Rangers are currently monitoring several injured players. On the Rangers' side, forward Tyler Pitlick is dealing with a lower-body injury, keeping him out of action. Additionally, center Filip Chytil is unavailable due to an upper-body injury.
For the Golden Knights, goaltender Jiri Patera is listed as day-to-day with an undisclosed injury. Defenseman Tobias Bjornfot is sidelined with an undisclosed injury, while Ben Hutton is out due to an upper-body injury.
Additionally, other Vegas key players are also listed as out for and are expected to miss the game against New York. These players include Eichel, Karlsson, defenseman Shea Theodore and forward William Carrier, all of whom are reported to have sustained injuries.