The New York Rangers have the fewest points of any team in the NHL’s Eastern Conference, but they are starting to play better.
New York has won three games in a row and four of its past five. The Rangers will try to keep their hot streak going when they face off against the Minnesota Wild on Saturday evening in Saint Paul, Minn.
Rangers coach Mike Sullivan said the victories are meaningful, even if the team’s chances at reaching the postseason might be a longshot.
“I think it’s important,” Sullivan said. “We’re going to try to just win the one game right in front of us and see where it takes us. We’re trying to build a team game, we’re trying to build an identity with consistent play and attention to detail.
“I think the biggest thing is we’re trying to build a team game where everybody needs to understand what that looks like. … I feel like we’re gaining traction there with the way we’re playing the game right now. I think the guys are buying in and I think they’re having a whole lot of fun, playing hard.”
The stakes are higher for the Wild as they hope to gear up for a deep playoff run, comfortably in third place in the Central Division.
Minnesota is coming off a 3-2 shootout loss against the Philadelphia Flyers, but the Wild have earned at least one point in their past five games (3-0-2).
Wild forward Bobby Brink did not play in the most recent game because of an upper-body injury. His status is uncertain for Saturday. The team acquired Brink from the Philadelphia Flyers before the trade deadline, and he has one goal in three games since joining Minnesota.
“He’s feeling better and better every day,” Wild coach John Hynes said. “I’m not sure what his availability will be (Saturday), but this is not a long-term thing.”
Saturday’s contest will mark the 1,000th career game for Wild captain Jared Spurgeon. The 36-year-old has played his entire career with Minnesota since making his debut Nov. 29, 2010, posting 434 career points (123 goals, 311 assists).
“He’s the captain for a reason,” Hynes said. “He’s just a great human being. He’s a great player, but he cares about people, he cares about the team, he cares about the organization. He treats everybody the same, if he’s talking to (general manager) Billy Guerin or (team owner) Craig Leopold or anybody else in the organization, he’s the same guy, which I think is what makes him a great captain.”
The Rangers could start either Igor Shesterkin or Jonathan Quick in net.
Shesterkin is 21-12-6 with a 2.50 goals-against average and a .912 save percentage, and Quick is 5-15-2 with a 3.05 GAA and an .892 save percentage. For their careers, Shesterkin is 4-2-0 with a 2.80 GAA and a .908 save percentage in six games against Minnesota, and Quick is 17-11-8 with a 2.59 GAA and a .904 save percentage in 36 games.
Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson likely will get the start. He is 24-10-6 with a 2.46 GAA and a .913 save percentage. His career numbers against the Rangers include a 1-1-2 record with a 3.39 GAA and an .893 save percentage in five games.
