Vancouver vs NY Rangers
The Vancouver Canucks will host a rare late-season visit by the New York Rangers tonight at Rogers Arena as they try to stay alive in the playoff race.
When the Rangers make their lone visit of the season to Vancouver tonight, it will mark the much-anticipated return of a prominent former Canuck. And, no, I don't mean Raphael Diaz. All kidding aside, tonight's contest will see the most decorated coach in Canucks' history – Alain Vigneault – return with the Rangers. While this isn't AV's first time back at Rogers Arena – his Rangers lost a pre-season game here back in September – the storylines this time around are much more tantalizing. Vigneault, who was dispatched by the Canucks after a disappointing playoff exit last spring, has an opportunity to put perhaps the final nail into the coffin that contains the Canucks' hopes of just making it into this year's post-season. Vancouver begins play today sitting five points out of a playoff position while owing both the eighth-place Coyotes and the ninth-place Stars games in hand.
The Rangers are sitting comfortably in a playoff spot already and are looking to hold on to their spot as the second seed in the Metropolitan Division. They've been on a major roll lately as well coming into tonight's tilt having won six of their last seven outings including pummeling the Oilers 5-0 on Sunday. This is the second and final meeting between the Canucks and Rangers. New York easily handled Vancouver in their first meeting back on November 30 winning 5-2 at Madison Square Garden. Eddie Lack is expected to get his 17th consecutive start while Henrik Lundqvist, after getting the night off on Sunday in Edmonton, will likely get the call for the Rangers.
Puck drop at 7 pm PT - Live on TSN