{coyotes} RANGERS (32-16-5) at COYOTES (20-29-7)

Friday 13 February 2015

{coyotes} RANGERS (32-16-5) at COYOTES (20-29-7)

Saturday, February 14, 2015

8:00 PM ET

RANGERS (32-16-5) at COYOTES (20-29-7)

TV: MSG, FS-A

Season series: The New York Rangers and the Arizona Coyotes each won a game on home ice last season. Coyotes forward Radim Vrbata had a hat trick in a 4-1 season-opening win; Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh had two assists and scored in overtime in a 4-3 win on March 24.

Rangers team scope: New York coach Alain Vigneault is one win away from 500 in his career, which would tie him for 20th place on the all-time list with Toe Blake. The team announced that Cam Talbot will make his sixth straight start in goal on Saturday. The remainder of the lineup will be the same from Thursday, except Vigneault hasn't decided on his sixth defenseman, which will be either John Moore or Matt Hunwick. Forward Mats Zuccarello has a seven-game point streak (four goals, five assists). Kevin Hayes has points in five of his past six games (three goals, five assists). The Rangers are 8-3-0 in their past 11 road games.

Coyotes team scope: Arizona has lost its past six games at Gila River Arena, including a 4-2 loss to the San Jose Sharks on Friday. The Coyotes led 2-0 after one period but allowed the Sharks to score the next four goals. "We just couldn't come up with that next goal we needed," coach Dave Tippett told the Coyotes website. "It was a pretty even game all the way through. I'd just like to see us capitalize on a couple of chances in the second." The Coyotes have nine wins in 27 games at home, and their minus-56 goal differential is the worst in the League. Defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson has five points in his past seven games (three goals, two assists).

Team Stats