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 "I'm good enough to go, as long as the coaching staff feels they
want me," McDonagh told Newsday. "I'm not even thinking about it
anymore." The 26-year-old admitted that he has been inspired by the
play of the Rangers, who are 5-0-1 in their last six contests
overall and 8-0-2 in the last 10 at Madison Square Garden to move
into second place in the Metropolitan Division. The Blackhawks had
scored four goals during a three-game losing skid before their
offense erupted in a 7-2 rout of Toronto on Monday. Rookie Artemi
Panarin scored and set up a goal versus the Maple Leafs and netted
his first career NHL tally in Chicago's 3-2 season-opening loss to
New York on Oct. 7.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBCSN, TVA
ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS (37-18-5): With veteran Marian Hossa sidelined
with a left leg injury, Patrick Kane showed his team wasn't going to
be the worse for wear offensively by recording a four-point
performance for the third time this season. Kane scored his
team-leading 34th goal on Monday to go along with three assists to
raise his point total to nine (four goals, five assists) this month.
Richard Panik replaced Hossa on the team's top line, but was held
off the scoresheet for the sixth straight contest.
ABOUT THE RANGERS (32-18-6): While New York might see one defenseman
return in McDonagh, another's availability will be determined by the
stork as Marc Staal's wife is due to give birth to the couple's
second child on Wednesday. Defenseman Dan Boyle could also be absent
as the veteran missed practice with the flu. Coach Alain Vigneault
noted the team may reach out to Hartford of the American Hockey
League on Wednesday should both Staal and Boyle be unable to play
against the Blackhawks.
[to top of second column] |
OVERTIME
1. Chicago has five power-play goals in the last two games after
going 2-for-29 in the previous 10 contests.
2. Rangers C Derek Stepan has scored three goals in his last two
games and also tallied in the team's season-opening victory over the
Blackhawks.
3. New York G Henrik Lundqvist and Chicago's Corey Crawford are
expected to start on Wednesday. Lundqvist made 32 saves in the
season opener while Crawford turned aside 24 shots.
PREDICTION: Rangers 4, Blackhawks 2
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